California’s K–12 Test Scores

Half of students met the state standard in English, while one in three were proficient in math.

• Results from the 2024 Smarter Balanced assessments (SBAC) show that nearly half (47%) of all students met or exceeded state standards in English Language Arts, while about a third (36%) did so in math.
• The pandemic disrupted years of steady increases in proficiency rates, with substantial declines from the 2019 peaks to the first post-pandemic scores in 2022. Proficiency rates have only risen slightly since then. See the Data Appendix for long-term trends and other additional information.
• About 31% of students tested met or exceeded state standards on the California Science Test (CAST) which includes biology, physics, and astronomy.

Achievement gaps across race/ethnicity, gender, and English language acquisition persist.

• Proficiency rates were highest among Asian students: just above 70% in English and nearly two-thirds in math. White students' rates were lower, with 60% meeting the standard in English and 50% in math. Proficiency rates were lower on average for Black and Latino students-24% and 37% in English, respectively, and 18% and 30% in math.
• Gender gaps are mixed. More female students met the state standard in English-51% compared to 43% of boys. In math, though, 34% of girls were proficient, while the rate for male students was 37%.
• Disparities persist between students who were ever English Learners (ELs)-some of whom were reclassified as English proficient-and those who were never classified as ELs. There is a 17-percentage point gap in English (36% vs. 53%), and a 16-percentage point difference in math (25% vs. 41%).