Higher Learning Academy: math

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.

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	63,189	2403.7	− 2436	−32.3	× 33 / 141	−7.6
4	63,191	2454.8	− 2485	−30.2	× 28 / 141	−6
5	63,193	2437.9	− 2528	−90.1	× 25 / 141	−16
6	63,195	2475.0	− 2552	−77	× 21 / 141	−11.5
7	63,197	2485.8	− 2567	−81.2	× 22 / 141	−12.7
8	63,199	2541.6	− 2586	−44.4	× 12 / 141	−3.8
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−57

2016 from sb_ca2016_1_csv_v3.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	58,617	2401.3	− 2436	−34.7	× 27 / 133	−7
4	58,619	2449.9	− 2485	−35.1	× 28 / 133	−7.4
5	58,621	2429.1	− 2528	−98.9	× 27 / 133	−20.1
6	58,624	2386.4	− 2552	−165.6	× 18 / 133	−22.4
7	58,625	2398.4	− 2567	−168.6	× 18 / 133	−22.8
8	58,627	2440.1	− 2586	−145.9	× 15 / 133	−16.5
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−96

2017 from sb_ca2017_1_csv_v2.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,316	2382.7	− 2436	−53.3	× 35 / 133	−14
4	60,318	2357.5	− 2485	−127.5	× 26 / 133	−24.9
5	60,321	2384.8	− 2528	−143.2	× 25 / 133	−26.9
6	60,323	2380.7	− 2552	−171.3	× 15 / 133	−19.3
7	60,325	2411.2	− 2567	−155.8	× 17 / 133	−19.9
8	60,327	2394.1	− 2586	−191.9	× 15 / 133	−21.6
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−127

2018 from sb_ca2018_1_csv_v3.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,441	2415.2	− 2436	−20.8	× 25 / 136	−3.8
4	60,443	2416.2	− 2485	−68.8	× 31 / 136	−15.7
5	60,445	2398.7	− 2528	−129.3	× 22 / 136	−20.9
6	60,447	2399.1	− 2552	−152.9	× 19 / 136	−21.4
7	60,449	2429.7	− 2567	−137.3	× 20 / 136	−20.2
8	60,451	2397.5	− 2586	−188.5	× 19 / 136	−26.3
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−108

2019 from sb_ca2019_1_csv_v4.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,699	2417.9	− 2436	−18.1	× 35 / 183	−3.5
4	60,700	2402.0	− 2485	−83	× 28 / 183	−12.7
5	60,701	2443.8	− 2528	−84.2	× 39 / 183	−17.9
6	60,702	2431.8	− 2552	−120.2	× 28 / 183	−18.4
7	60,703	2448.2	− 2567	−118.8	× 25 / 183	−16.2
8	60,704	2420.1	− 2586	−165.9	× 28 / 183	−25.4
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−94

2021 from sb_ca2021_1_csv_v2.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
6	59,321	2414.5	− 2552	−137.5	× 47 / 146	−44.3
7	59,322	2450.4	− 2567	−116.6	× 55 / 146	−43.9
8	59,323	2429.2	− 2586	−156.8	× 44 / 146	−47.3
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−135

2022 from sb_ca2022_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,793	2361.8	− 2436	−74.2	× 50 / 298	−12.4
4	60,794	2391.3	− 2485	−93.7	× 55 / 298	−17.3
5	60,795	2400.7	− 2528	−127.3	× 49 / 298	−20.9
6	60,796	2400.3	− 2552	−151.7	× 45 / 298	−22.9
7	60,797	2405.9	− 2567	−161.1	× 45 / 298	−24.3
8	60,798	2436.9	− 2586	−149.1	× 54 / 298	−27
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−125

2023 from sb_ca2023_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,738	2375.7	− 2436	−60.3	× 53 / 319	−10
4	60,739	2402.1	− 2485	−82.9	× 58 / 319	−15.1
5	60,740	2398.8	− 2528	−129.2	× 58 / 319	−23.5
6	60,741	2433.5	− 2552	−118.5	× 51 / 319	−18.9
7	60,742	2418.4	− 2567	−148.6	× 55 / 319	−25.6
8	60,743	2437.1	− 2586	−148.9	× 44 / 319	−20.5
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−114

2024 from sb_ca2024_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,685	2372.4	− 2436	−63.6	× 59 / 326	−11.5
4	60,686	2385.2	− 2485	−99.8	× 55 / 326	−16.8
5	60,687	2401.1	− 2528	−126.9	× 51 / 326	−19.9
6	60,688	2393.9	− 2552	−158.1	× 54 / 326	−26.2
7	60,689	2439.7	− 2567	−127.3	× 53 / 326	−20.7
8	60,690	2439.9	− 2586	−146.1	× 54 / 326	−24.2
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−119

2025 from sb_ca2025_1_csv_v1.zip

Grade	Line in file	Average score	Standard Met	Distance	Students	Weighted
3	60,438	2335.2	− 2436	−100.8	× 57 / 334	−17.2
4	60,439	2430.1	− 2485	−54.9	× 56 / 334	−9.2
5	60,440	2404.9	− 2528	−123.1	× 53 / 334	−19.5
6	60,441	2407.1	− 2552	−144.9	× 58 / 334	−25.2
7	60,442	2411.2	− 2567	−155.8	× 56 / 334	−26.1
8	60,443	2443.5	− 2586	−142.5	× 54 / 334	−23
Sum, rounded to a whole point						−120

Step 2 · The average and the normal range

Average: add the yearly results and divide by how many there are. −57, −96, −127, −108, −94, −135, −125, −114, −119, −120 → −109.5
Typical year-to-year change: how far the result moved from each year to the next, ignoring up or down. 2015→2016: 39 · 2016→2017: 31 · 2017→2018: 19 · 2018→2019: 14 · 2019→2021: 41 · 2021→2022: 10 · 2022→2023: 11 · 2023→2024: 5 · 2024→2025: 1 → average 19
Normal range: multiply the typical change by 2.66, then add it to the average and subtract it. 19 × 2.66 = 50.5. Upper limit −59, lower limit −160.

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.