2025 CAASPP Results Show Steady Growth in English Language Arts and Mathematics
SD Unified highest in English Language Arts (ELA) / Literacy when compared to 5 Large Urban Districts
San Diego Unified School District students continue to make progress in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, according to the 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Smarter Balanced Assessments (link to state press release here). State Superintendent Tony Thurmond visited San Diego Unified last Friday to celebrate district improvements (link to press conference here).
Overall, 56.2% of students met or exceeded standards in ELA—an increase of 2 percentage points from last year—while 45.3% of students met or exceeded standards in Mathematics, up 1.4 percentage points from 2024. In addition, the district saw significant gains in Distance From Standard (DFS), an indicator of how far students are progressing toward grade-level benchmarks, with ELA DFS improving by 5.2 points and Mathematics DFS advancing by 4.6 points
“These results demonstrate that our intentional focus on literacy, mathematics, and data-driven instruction is making a difference in classrooms across San Diego Unified,” said Superintendent Fabi Bagula, Ph.D., San Diego Unified School District. “I am incredibly proud of our students, teachers, and staff for their commitment to growth. While we celebrate these gains, we know that equity gaps remain, and we are committed to ensuring every student—regardless of background—has the support and opportunities they need to thrive.”
Several student groups made encouraging gains. Hispanic/Latino students improved by 2.8 percentage points in ELA and 1.5 points in Math, while African American students rose by 0.9 points in ELA and 1.6 points in Math.
Across grade levels, middle and high school students showed notable growth.
- 8th grade ELA scores rose 3.8 points, with Math improving 2.8 points.
- 11th grade students improved 2.5 points in ELA and 4.2 points in Math.
Comparison to Large Urban School Districts in California
Of five large urban districts, in terms of overall status, San Diego Unified was highest in English Language Arts (ELA) / Literacy and the second highest in Mathematics.
|
Measure
|
San Diego Unified
|
Los Angeles Unified
|
Fresno Unified
|
Long Beach Unified
|
San Francisco Unified
|
|
English Language Arts (ELA) / Literacy
|
56.17%
|
46.46%
|
37.11%
|
51.72%
|
53.20%
|
|
Mathematics
|
45.31%
|
36.76%
|
27.15%
|
38.50%
|
46.00%
|
These gains reflect San Diego Unified’s commitment to its four student achievement goals:
- Goal #1: Improve Student Wellness – Academic growth depends on safe, supportive learning environments where students’ social-emotional and mental health needs are met. The district continues to invest in wellness supports to ensure students can thrive in and beyond the classroom.
- Goal #2: Increase Communication Skills and Literacy Achievement – Gains in ELA highlight the district’s focus on literacy across grade levels, ensuring students can express themselves clearly, read critically, and build strong communication skills.
- Goal #3: Increase Problem Solving Skills and Mathematics Achievement – Math growth demonstrates progress in strengthening problem-solving abilities and mathematical reasoning, preparing students for success in STEM fields and beyond.
- Goal #4: Increase College and Career Readiness – The steady improvement across grade levels, particularly in middle and high school, reflects the district’s work to prepare students for post-secondary success with rigorous coursework, strong foundational skills, and real-world readiness.
“Every percentage point of growth represents students moving closer to meeting grade-level expectations,” added Superintendent Bagula. “Our work is not finished, but these results show that with focus, resources, and collaboration, we can accelerate learning and close opportunity gaps.”
###