Dear MESD Families:

CAASPP Math Scores

I recently shared with you that the state of California recently recognized Taylor Middle School’s math department for its work to increase student proficiency in the understanding of mathematics. They found what is clear in our student test scores - Millbrae students have rates of math understanding and proficiency that are far higher than the state or San Mateo County as a whole. Here are some statistics that I found interesting, and you may as well.

• The percent of Millbrae students exceeding standard is 129% higher than the state average. (38.22% versus 17.14%). Another way of saying this is that our students are more than twice as likely to be proficient as a typical state student. Roughly the same thing is true among students in our county. A percentage comparison between Millbrae students and San Mateo County students as a whole by this measure shows that Millbrae students are 118% higher.

• Millbrae ESD students are 75% more likely to be proficient or exceeding standard than their state and San Mateo County peers. 

You can find the district’s board report on our 2023 California Assessment of Student Performance & Progress (CAASPP) here.

What accounts for this discrepancy? While differences like this can be explained by many factors not least of which is your partnership with our schools, we believe that part of this difference is the quality of math instruction our students receive during the 9+ years they spend with us. Our teachers care about math learning and understand how important math skills are for future success. And we know that you do as well.

There is, of course, more work to be done. We won’t rest on our success and we won’t be fully satisfied until every student masters this important subject, but I thought you’d want to know a bit about how our students' math performance stacks up.

Please remember that there is no school on Monday, February 19th in honor of Presidents' Day. Have a great long weekend.

Keep your chin up and let's move forward.

Sincerely,
Lisa Chinn Hickey
MESD Superintendent