Latest public school testing data shows persistent inequality on the South Side

Oct. 20—Newly released Santa Fe Public Schools data on state standardized testing shows some positives, but also a persistent performance gap between schools on the city’s South Side, which tend to have more low-income students and English language learners. – and in other areas of the district.

Overall, the district reported a two-point increase in student proficiency in reading for the 2023-2024 school year, to 40%, while math scores remained the same, with 22% of students demonstrating proficiency.

In northern and eastern Santa Fe, at top schools such as Acequia Madre and Carlos Gilbert elementary schools and Mandela International Magnet School, about 70 percent of students are proficient in reading and 50 percent are proficient in reading, according to district data released last week. mathematics.

On the South Side, schools that were already lagging in language proficiency reported some gains, but not enough to close the geographic gap: Many schools still reported about 25% of students proficient in reading and 15% proficient in math.

“The data shows where we have made some progress and where we have stalled a little. But they also give us a roadmap to make improvements to truly meet the needs,” said district Superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez. in an interview.

The district’s performance was up from pre-coronavirus levels, with overall reading and math proficiency levels of 32% and 18% in 2018, respectively.

“The numbers before the pandemic were pretty static for everyone, not just Santa Fe Public Schools,” Chavez said. “Then we went through the pandemic and distance learning and everyone regressed. And so for those schools that have not regressed pre-pandemic to this day, I think we need to take note of that as well.”

One of the biggest changes since the pandemic was the district’s transition in 2022 to standards-based instruction, which prioritizes student learning through grade-level curriculum. Erica Martinez-Maestas, principal at Chaparral Elementary School, credits her school’s six-point increase in English proficiency to a “tireless” commitment to those grade level standards and differentiated instruction to “best meet the needs of all students.”

She said Chaparral, which serves the downtown area west of St. Frances Drive, is also investing in family engagement, inviting parents to school for game nights or lunch with their child, which she said has brought in “a huge turnout ” The school has found that family involvement is the best way to support student well-being.

The district has also instituted programs to address disparities in the district, including improving bilingual education, attendance initiatives and free summer programs. Teacher vacancies, which the district prides itself on eliminating, have also impacted schools in the South more than those in the North.

“Our schools on the east and north sides have a stable workforce,” Chavez said. “And so now we’re hoping that we’ll see that stability in both the downtown schools and the southern schools.”

Chavez noted that one Southern school, Piñon Elementary, is a “bright star” due to its stability and teacher retention rates. Piñon beat local trends and increased its achievement scores by several points, nearly matching North Side scores of 53% in reading and 38% in math.

Piñon is one of the standouts, along with a 22-point jump in reading proficiency at Nava Elementary. Nava is a small school, but it alone is responsible for the overall growth in reading proficiency in the district.

“In a school our size, even small changes in student numbers can have a disproportionate impact on our overall achievement rate,” said Tesuke Elementary Principal Amy Thomas, whose school has just 62 students. “The difference between the number of students proficient in ELA from last year to this year is less than five students.”

The difference in scores between schools in the north and south partly reflects long-standing economic inequalities. While there is a correlation between wealth and educational outcomes, last year’s five top-performing English schools on the city’s north side saw declines in reading proficiency, which Chavez attributed in part to “insufficient room for growth.”

Mandela International Magnet School, which serves middle and high school students and offers an International Baccalaureate program, dropped a few scores in math and reading but still reported scores nearly double the district and state averages.

“We’re happy with our growth in math, but we know it’s not where we want it to be,” said Melissa Kovacs, principal of Sweeney Elementary School, a school in the South that has doubled the number of students proficient in math to 10% from 5%. .

Kovacs, who began working at Sweeney last year, said she “started by meeting student needs, adjusting the bilingual model and focusing on implementing high-quality instruction in the classrooms.”

Chavez believes the district’s initiatives are starting to bear fruit and ratings will soon improve.

“It’s not just a one-size-fits-all option… I think it has to be kind of a melting pot of ingredients to get results,” Chavez said. “This growth may not correspond to what is considered mastery, but students are making progress. They just need a little more time.”

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