The California State Board of Education has approved new labels for student performance on standardized tests, aiming to provide clearer and more positive descriptions. The new categories—Advanced, Proficient, Developing, and Minimal—replace the previous labels: Standard Exceeded, Standard Met, Standard Nearly Met, and Standard Not Met. The decision, made on Wednesday, was reached with a 7-4 vote.
The board’s decision came after concerns were raised about the old labels being demoralizing for lower-performing students. The new labels aim to adopt an “assets-based approach,” which focuses on providing information in a positive manner while still conveying a “sense of urgency” about students’ academic standings, according to Rob Manwaring, senior policy and fiscal advisor for Children Now.
Initially, the California Department of Education recommended using Basic and Below Basic for the lower two categories, aligning with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) standards. However, the board opted for the terms Developing and Minimal instead, as some members felt that terms like Below Basic were too negative.
The decision followed feedback from focus groups consisting of students, parents, and educators, who expressed concerns over previous proposals like Foundational and Inconsistent, which were considered confusing and misleading. The new labels are intended to give a more accurate picture of student performance without being discouraging.
Despite the changes, some board members, including Francisco Escobedo, expressed concerns that the new labels might still be perceived as harsh. However, the board ultimately decided that the terms Advanced, Proficient, Developing, and Minimal would best serve the goal of providing clear and constructive feedback to students and parents.
The new labels will be used in California’s annual tests in math, reading, and science, aiming to help parents better understand their children’s academic performance and encourage improvement where needed.
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