California Virtual Academy At Fresno: english

The shaded band is this school's normal range. If nothing about how it works changes, nearly every future year should land inside it. Zero means the typical student just meets the state standard. The small numbers under the years are how many students were tested.

Measured against the grade bars

The state's English test uses one scale for every grade, so a score means the same thing in grade 3 as in grade 11.

3rd The average 3rd grader scores 61 points under the grade 3 bar. 2372 vs. 2432.
4th The average 4th grader scores 15 points under the grade 3 bar. 2417 vs. 2432. The 4th-grade bar is 2473.
5th The average 5th grader scores 36 points under the grade 4 bar. 2437 vs. 2473. The 5th-grade bar is 2502.
6th The average 6th grader scores 13 points under the grade 5 bar. 2489 vs. 2502. The 6th-grade bar is 2531.
7th The average 7th grader scores just under the grade 6 bar. 2525 vs. 2531. The 7th-grade bar is 2552.
8th The average 8th grader scores just under the grade 6 bar. 2527 vs. 2531. The 8th-grade bar is 2567.
11th The average 11th grader meets the grade 11 bar. 2628 vs. 2583.

2018 results. The English test covers reading, writing, listening and research together. "Meets standard" is the state's mark for being on track for that grade.

Step 1 · Each year's result

For each grade tested, take the average (mean) scale score from the California Department of Education's results file, and subtract the lowest score that counts as "Standard Met" for that grade. That is the grade's distance from standard. Weight each grade by its share of the students tested, then add the grades up. Grades where the state hides the average because ten or fewer students tested are left out entirely.

2015 from sb_ca2015_1_csv_v3.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	11,615	2398.6	− 2432	−33.4	× 53 / 366	−4.8
4	11,616	2409.9	− 2473	−63.1	× 54 / 366	−9.3
5	11,619	2481.6	− 2502	−20.4	× 59 / 366	−3.3
6	11,620	2476.4	− 2531	−54.6	× 55 / 366	−8.2
7	11,623	2507.0	− 2552	−45	× 66 / 366	−8.1
8	11,624	2538.5	− 2567	−28.5	× 79 / 366	−6.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−40

2016 from sb_ca2016_1_csv_v3.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	10,626	2392.9	− 2432	−39.1	× 36 / 309	−4.6
4	10,629	2427.6	− 2473	−45.4	× 50 / 309	−7.3
5	10,631	2460.1	− 2502	−41.9	× 44 / 309	−6
6	10,633	2475.4	− 2531	−55.6	× 50 / 309	−9
7	10,634	2514.2	− 2552	−37.8	× 62 / 309	−7.6
8	10,637	2547.6	− 2567	−19.4	× 67 / 309	−4.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−39

2017 from sb_ca2017_1_csv_v2.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	10,953	2369.8	− 2432	−62.2	× 33 / 250	−8.2
4	10,955	2421.4	− 2473	−51.6	× 31 / 250	−6.4
5	10,957	2464.1	− 2502	−37.9	× 45 / 250	−6.8
6	10,958	2473.9	− 2531	−57.1	× 33 / 250	−7.5
7	10,961	2489.8	− 2552	−62.2	× 45 / 250	−11.2
8	10,962	2518.5	− 2567	−48.5	× 63 / 250	−12.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−52

2018 from sb_ca2018_1_csv_v3.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	10,963	2371.5	− 2432	−60.5	× 32 / 271	−7.1
4	10,964	2416.9	− 2473	−56.1	× 26 / 271	−5.4
5	10,967	2437.1	− 2502	−64.9	× 35 / 271	−8.4
6	10,968	2489.2	− 2531	−41.8	× 45 / 271	−6.9
7	10,971	2525.2	− 2552	−26.8	× 49 / 271	−4.8
8	10,972	2526.5	− 2567	−40.5	× 53 / 271	−7.9
11	10,975	2628.0	− 2583	45	× 31 / 271	5.1
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−35

Step 2 · The average and the normal range

Average: add the yearly results and divide by how many there are. −40, −39, −52, −35 → −41.5
Typical year-to-year change: how far the result moved from each year to the next, ignoring up or down. 2015→2016: 1 · 2016→2017: 13 · 2017→2018: 17 → average 10.3
Normal range: multiply the typical change by 2.66, then add it to the average and subtract it. 10.3 × 2.66 = 27.4. Upper limit −14.1, lower limit −68.9.

Why 2.66? It is the standard factor from quality control, the work of Walter Shewhart and W. Edwards Deming. It turns "how much the result typically changes in a year" into "how far it can wander by chance alone".

Step 3 · Free or reduced-price meals

The share of enrolled students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. From 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18.