After a two year break, standardized tests are back in California schools. Results from last spring’s tests have come out, with some concerning numbers.
Ravenswood City School District, in East Palo Alto, reported the lowest scores among neighboring districts. In 2019, 12 percent of Ravenswood students met or exceeded the state’s math standards. This year, only six percent did. In English language arts, 24 percent of students met the state standard in 2019. This year, it dropped to 12 percent.
Surrounding districts like Menlo Park City and Portola Valley, also experience overall drops in test scores. But in these districts, 70-80 percent of students met basic standards on the tests.
Even before the pandemic, test scores have been disproportionately low in East Palo Alto compared with nearby districts.
East Palo Alto has a lot to deal with. Nearly 90 percent of students in Ravenswood schools ARE socio-economically disadvantaged. And they really suffered during the pandemic. According to San Mateo County Health data, East Palo Alto was hit the worst in the county with COVID cases.
The online newspaper, The Almanac, quotes one Ravenswood School Board Trustee as saying that it is difficult to quantify the emotional and mental trauma of the pandemic on students, especially those of parents who are essential workers.
