The California Department of Education (CDE) released assessment results today that indicate the impact of the state recovery effort from the COVID-19 pandemic. The results include data for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). Additionally, the CDE released chronic absenteeism rates and “absence by reason” reports that reflect a promising trend of improved student attendance in school.

Given the ongoing drops in achievement appearing on many national tests and the relationship between student advantage and achievement, California’s statewide scores are particularly promising; the proportion of high-need students has also increased in California. Specifically, the proportion of students tested who are socioeconomically disadvantaged increased from 60 percent in 2022 to 63 percent in 2023, as shown in the chart below, and the number and share of students who are experiencing homelessness or who are part of the foster care system has also increased.

Source: 2022–23 California Statewide Assessment Results – Year 2023 (CA Dept of Education)