Visions In Education: science

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 each grade's bar

California tests science only in grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, so a school shows one or two grades here. Each grade's science test has its own scale, so each grade is measured against its own bar.

All students

5th The average 5th grader scores 10 points under the grade 5 bar. 204 vs. 214.
8th The average 8th grader scores just under the grade 8 bar. 410 vs. 415.
10th The average 10th grader scores just under the grade 10 bar. 610 vs. 615.
11th The average 11th grader scores just under the grade 11 bar. 609 vs. 615.
12th The average 12th grader scores just under the grade 12 bar. 607 vs. 615.

Students fluent in English

Science with English out of the way. Includes students who have only ever spoken English.

Each grade's 5th 306 students Just under the grade 5 bar. 8th 350 students Just under the grade 8 bar. 10th 292 students Just under the grade 10 bar. 11th 707 students Just under the grade 11 bar. 12th 230 students Just under the grade 12 bar.

English learners

Students leave this group as they become fluent, so its average stays low even where they learn well.

Each grade's 5th 21 students 29 points under the grade 5 bar. 8th 17 students 14 points under the grade 8 bar. 10th 42 students Just under the grade 10 bar. 11th 127 students 10 points under the grade 11 bar. 12th 25 students Just under the grade 12 bar.

the group's average that grade's own bar the distance between

2026 results. "Meets standard" is the state's mark for being on track for that grade. The state leaves out any group of ten students or fewer, so a grade may be missing from the charts.

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.

2019 from cast_ca2019_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	16,885	200.8	− 214	−13.2	× 282 / 1573	−2.4
8	16,886	398.5	− 415	−16.5	× 358 / 1573	−3.8
11	16,887	595.4	− 615	−19.6	× 707 / 1573	−8.8
12	16,888	589.9	− 615	−25.1	× 226 / 1573	−3.6
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−19

2021 from cast_ca2021_1_csv_v2.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	17,995	208.8	− 214	−5.2	× 26 / 664	−0.2
8	17,996	397.9	− 415	−17.1	× 39 / 664	−1
10	17,997	599.7	− 615	−15.3	× 253 / 664	−5.8
11	17,998	605.2	− 615	−9.8	× 288 / 664	−4.3
12	17,999	600.4	− 615	−14.6	× 58 / 664	−1.3
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−13

2022 from cast_ca2022_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	21,022	206.3	− 214	−7.7	× 286 / 1881	−1.2
8	21,023	405.8	− 415	−9.2	× 276 / 1881	−1.3
10	21,024	600.6	− 615	−14.4	× 358 / 1881	−2.7
11	21,025	600.3	− 615	−14.7	× 542 / 1881	−4.2
12	21,026	598.7	− 615	−16.3	× 419 / 1881	−3.6
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−13

2023 from cast_ca2023_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	21,059	202.7	− 214	−11.3	× 313 / 1810	−2
8	21,060	404.0	− 415	−11	× 369 / 1810	−2.2
10	21,061	599.1	− 615	−15.9	× 386 / 1810	−3.4
11	21,062	602.6	− 615	−12.4	× 463 / 1810	−3.2
12	21,063	596.4	− 615	−18.6	× 279 / 1810	−2.9
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−14

2024 from cast_ca2024_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	21,079	203.9	− 214	−10.1	× 295 / 2028	−1.5
8	21,080	402.7	− 415	−12.3	× 366 / 2028	−2.2
10	21,081	597.7	− 615	−17.3	× 521 / 2028	−4.4
11	21,082	600.1	− 615	−14.9	× 505 / 2028	−3.7
12	21,083	595.0	− 615	−20	× 341 / 2028	−3.4
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−15

2025 from cast_ca2025_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	21,056	205.5	− 214	−8.5	× 334 / 1945	−1.5
8	21,057	408.2	− 415	−6.8	× 363 / 1945	−1.3
10	21,058	602.9	− 615	−12.1	× 404 / 1945	−2.5
11	21,059	605.9	− 615	−9.1	× 492 / 1945	−2.3
12	21,060	602.6	− 615	−12.4	× 352 / 1945	−2.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−10

2026 from cast_ca2026_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	20,979	203.8	− 214	−10.2	× 327 / 2117	−1.6
8	20,980	410.0	− 415	−5	× 367 / 2117	−0.9
10	20,981	609.5	− 615	−5.5	× 334 / 2117	−0.9
11	20,982	609.4	− 615	−5.6	× 834 / 2117	−2.2
12	20,983	607.1	− 615	−7.9	× 255 / 2117	−1
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−6

Step 2 · The average and the normal range

Average: add the yearly results and divide by how many there are. −19, −13, −13, −14, −15, −10, −6 → −12.9
Typical year-to-year change: how far the result moved from each year to the next, ignoring up or down. 2019→2021: 6 · 2021→2022: 0 · 2022→2023: 1 · 2023→2024: 1 · 2024→2025: 5 · 2025→2026: 4 → average 2.8
Normal range: multiply the typical change by 2.66, then add it to the average and subtract it. 2.8 × 2.66 = 7.4. Upper limit −5.5, lower limit −20.3.

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".

Years with no result (no state tests were given in spring 2020) are skipped: the year-to-year change runs from the last year with a result to the next one.

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, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26.