Bostonia Global: 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.

Many students here are still learning English. The science test is written in English, with some translation help, and much of it is reading. In 2026, 92 of the 289 students who took the science test were English learners.

All students

5th The average 5th grader scores 20 points under the grade 5 bar. 195 vs. 214.
8th The average 8th grader scores 26 points under the grade 8 bar. 389 vs. 415.
11th The average 11th grader scores 25 points under the grade 11 bar. 590 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 68 students 14 points under the grade 5 bar. 8th 92 students 19 points under the grade 8 bar. 11th 39 students 20 points under the grade 11 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 23 students 38 points under the grade 5 bar. 8th 48 students 40 points under the grade 8 bar. 11th 19 students 35 points under the grade 11 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.

2022 from cast_ca2022_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	23,616	195.9	− 214	−18.1	× 95 / 153	−11.2
8	23,617	390.9	− 415	−24.1	× 58 / 153	−9.1
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−20

2023 from cast_ca2023_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	23,655	198.5	− 214	−15.5	× 89 / 204	−6.8
8	23,656	392.1	− 415	−22.9	× 91 / 204	−10.2
11	23,657	587.4	− 615	−27.6	× 24 / 204	−3.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−20

2024 from cast_ca2024_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	23,700	192.3	− 214	−21.7	× 106 / 255	−9
8	23,701	391.6	− 415	−23.4	× 76 / 255	−7
11	23,702	588.6	− 615	−26.4	× 73 / 255	−7.6
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−24

2025 from cast_ca2025_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	23,677	197.4	− 214	−16.6	× 85 / 214	−6.6
8	23,678	390.7	− 415	−24.3	× 78 / 214	−8.9
11	23,679	587.8	− 615	−27.2	× 51 / 214	−6.5
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−22

2026 from cast_ca2026_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
5	23,653	194.5	− 214	−19.5	× 91 / 289	−6.1
8	23,654	388.8	− 415	−26.2	× 140 / 289	−12.7
11	23,655	590.2	− 615	−24.8	× 58 / 289	−5
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−24

Step 2 · The average and the normal range

Average: add the yearly results and divide by how many there are. −20, −20, −24, −22, −24 → −22
Typical year-to-year change: how far the result moved from each year to the next, ignoring up or down. 2022→2023: 0 · 2023→2024: 4 · 2024→2025: 2 · 2025→2026: 2 → average 2
Normal range: multiply the typical change by 2.66, then add it to the average and subtract it. 2 × 2.66 = 5.3. Upper limit −16.7, lower limit −27.3.

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".

Step 3 · Free or reduced-price meals

The share of enrolled students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. From 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26.