LA VERNE/SAN DIMAS – Bonita Unified students are scoring among the highest in the state on standardized tests, boosting scores by as much as 33 percent over five years and achieving proficiency levels in excess of 70 percent in English language arts (ELA) and 60 percent in math.

Scores for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) released this week for tests taken in spring 2019 place Bonita Unified among the top 10 percent of unified school districts in California.

“It all boils down to our core values of equity, mastery and a focus on results being more than just words. They are the roots of everything we do, and our students demonstrate that with their success,” Bonita Unified Superintendent Carl J. Coles said.

With the latest gains, Bonita Unified sits among the top 40 unified districts in the state, a ranking made all the more impressive by a diverse student population that included 40 percent of students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Bonita Unified was called a model for serving the needs of foster students in an April 2019 EdSource article and listed on a May 2019 study by Learning Policy Institute as a district that actively narrowing the achievement gap between white and Hispanic students.

Assistant Superintendent Matt Wien said the District’s emphasis of mastery and focus on results is evident in the regular collaboration among educators who offer multiple instruction and intervention options for students and who are truly invested in their students’ success.

“Our teachers work across grade levels and subjects to ensure our students are well supported, challenged and equipped with all the tools they need to be successful,” Wien said. “We not only have ELA and math intervention programs in all of our schools, but we also have teachers who are always actively looking for ways to share, refine and apply best teaching practices.”

Wien and Coles stressed that open communication paired with high accountability standards ensures administrators, teachers and staff trust one another to make the best decisions for students within their given roles.

While the District celebrates its success thus far, Superintendent Coles is excited to continue the journey toward a goal of raising test scores an additional ten percentage points in both ELA and math by 2025.

“Our progress is a result of the commitment and dedication of each individual at every level of Bonita Unified,” Coles said. “We are showing we can reach our goal by working together.”

Infographic

Bonita_TestScores_10.09.2019: Since the 2014-2015 school year, the percentage of students that meet or exceed state standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math have improved by 15 percentage points. Bonita Unified’s goal is to increase another ten percentage points in each subject by the year 2025.