Overview

In the midst of a national decline in reading proficiency, certain districts in California, specifically Compton Unified School District and Modesto City Schools, are witnessing notable improvements in both reading and math scores. This positive trend has been attributed to years of academic reforms and effective data-driven interventions.

District leaders, including Modesto City superintendent Vanessa Buitrago, express confidence in their literacy development strategies and are now looking to apply similar approaches to enhance mathematics education.

Key details

  • Compton Unified and Modesto City Schools are improving faster in reading than similar districts.
  • This improvement occurs amid a national trend identified as a “reading recession.”
  • Years of sustained academic reforms and data-driven interventions are credited for the success.
  • Vanessa Buitrago emphasized the importance of learning from literacy development to improve math scores.
  • The findings are part of the Education Scorecard, a database comparing test scores across over 5,000 districts in 38 states.
  • More than 500 California districts were included in the analysis.
  • The project aims to highlight both successful and struggling districts to inform recovery efforts.
  • State test scores were aligned with results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
  • The nationwide reading recession began around 2013 and intensified after the pandemic.
  • Modesto City Schools and Compton Unified implemented reforms before the pandemic and maintained them during school closures.
  • Both districts utilize internal assessments to identify students in need of support swiftly.
  • The Education Scorecard was produced by researchers from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth.

Context

The Education Scorecard aims to provide a clearer picture of educational performance across the country, particularly during challenging times like the pandemic, which has affected student learning outcomes significantly.

What happens next

As districts like Modesto City Schools and Compton Unified continue to build on their successful strategies, there may be opportunities to further enhance their academic programs, particularly in mathematics, by leveraging their proven approaches in literacy.

What we don't know yet

The article does not confirm specific numerical improvements in test scores or the exact nature of the reforms implemented in these districts.