Results for the first graded Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test were announced earlier in September, and Diamond Bar High School’s Class of 2016 managed to collectively exceed the state standards.

According to the CAASPP test results website, 23% of the students in the state exceeded the standard in the English assessment while 44% of DBHS students surpassed the standards. As a state, 20% of the students did not meet the standards, compared to 8% of the students at DBHS. This portion of the assessment included reading, writing, listening, and researching.

Meanwhile in the mathematics section, 44% of the Diamond Bar juniors exceeded the standard, while a mere 11% of the students in the state were able to surpass the standards. Nearly half of the students in the state failed to meet the standard while a mere 13% of test-takers at DBHS failed to pass the test. Test questions looked at the students’ reasoning, problem solving, and concept and procedure skills.

Overall, 77% DBHS juniors passed the English  literacy and 72% passed the math assessment.

SBAC was introduced toward the end of the 2015 school year. It  includes assessments on English literacy and mathematics. The online test is aligned with the common core standards, going beyond traditional multiple choice questions. Students are required to answer questions  in extended responses to demonstrate their writing, analysis, problem thinking, and critical thinking skills in realistic everyday situations.

“The scores are impressive. but there is room for improvement. It’s not just the math classes, it’s the science, math, chemistry, biology, and physics classes that help with the deeper thinking,”  said Peter Kottke, the math teacher in charge of preparing the students for the new test.