(San Marino, CA) - San Marino Unified School District students once again demonstrated excellence in academic achievement on the 2024-25 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), reaffirming SMUSD’s standing as one of the top-performing unified districts in the state.
The results reflect the commitment to teaching and learning, as well as the dedication and collaboration of our students, educators, and families.
The CAASPP includes the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics, administered to students in grades three through eight and grade eleven. In addition, the California Science Test (CAST) is taken by students in grades five, eight, and, at SMUSD, in grades eleven and twelve. Together, these assessments evaluate students’ proficiency in California’s rigorous academic standards and their progress toward college, career, and future readiness.
San Marino students excelled across all tested subject areas, outperforming state averages and ranking among California’s highest-achieving districts. The highlights below showcase the most significant achievements from this year’s results across all testing areas.
English Language Arts (ELA)
- Overall, 85.71% of San Marino students met or exceeded state standards, significantly above the state average of 48.82%.
- By grade level, ELA scores remained consistently strong, with our third and fifth graders earning the highest scores in the state.
Mathematics
- San Marino Unified students led in math results, with 84.74% that met or exceeded expectations.
- Particularly notable, sixth and eighth grades earned top marks in mathematics. 88% met or exceeded expectations in 6th grade and 83% in 8th grade.
Science (CAST)
- Finally, SMUSD students continued their strong performance in science, with 73.75% meeting or exceeding standards, compared to the state average of 32.66%.
- Fifth graders achieved an impressive 73.5%, one of the highest scores statewide.
“I am thrilled to see that San Marino Unified continues to be a role model of educational achievement in the state,” said Dr. Linda de La Torre, Superintendent of SMUSD. “We believe that every student can excel at the highest levels. Our district community, with the support of our parents and Board of Education, works tirelessly to make that vision a reality. These results showcase just one of the reasons why we are one of the top districts in California!”
San Marino Unified has been actively implementing a continuous improvement cycle, Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA), to strengthen classroom practices and proactively support student growth and achievement.
Recently, SMUSD was recognized as the second-best school district in Los Angeles County by Niche. The district also earned an impressive #6 ranking among all public school districts in California. These rankings consider multiple factors, including state assessment results, academic excellence, college readiness, and overall student success.
To see a detailed breakdown of the scores on the California Department of Education website.