SBCSS News and Press Releases

County English Learners Score Above State Averages On CELDT

2011-05-10

SAN BERNARDINO - For the fifth consecutive year, English Learners in San Bernardino County scored better than the state proficiency averages on the annual California English Language Development Test (CELDT), which was released by the California Department of Education today.

With 38 percent of English Learners scoring proficient (30,861 students) for 2010-11, San Bernardino County was above the state average of 37 percent. The county proficiency rates were the combined totals of those who scored at advanced (8 percent) or early advanced (30 percent).

"I applaud the efforts of our students and teachers to keep our county ahead of the state averages," County Superintendent Gary Thomas said. "Especially at the higher grade levels, more students are being reclassified as fluent in English, and that is reflective in their academic achievement."

Among grade levels from kindergarten to seniors in high school, eighth-graders in the county had the greatest proficiency rates at 57 percent, followed by seventh-graders at 56 percent. For the third consecutive year, the number of students taking the test in the county dropped to 79,749, some 2,568 less than 2009-10.

The CELDT is one of four criteria used for determining whether or not students are reclassified to fluent English proficient. Other criteria include performance on the California Standards Test in English language arts (part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program), teacher evaluation, and parent consultation. Each school district establishes its own local reclassification procedures using these four criteria.

For more information on the CELDT results, visit the California Department of Education's website at www.cde.ca.gov.