Grade school ranks above state averages in numerous categories
Tracy Area Elementary School’s MCA test scores are mostly above state averages, TAES Principal Michael Munson reported at Monday’s District No. 2904 School Board meeting.
“Test scores overall, we are above the state average in both reading and math again,” Munson said. “Our math scores did go up slightly (from last year). Our reading scores did drop some, but we were safely above the state average in both.”
For grades 3-6, TAES students tested out at 55.6% in math — up from 54.1% last year (compared to the 45.2% state average in 2025); in reading, it was 54.6% (49.6%).
Scores for science, which had new testing last year, were not out as of Monday, but last year, TAES scored 13% higher than the state average.
The only grade where TAES scored under the state average was sixthgrade math. However, math scores in that group did go up 11%, while the state average dropped by 2%.
“Each grade is a reflection of their whole journey coming up to that grade,” Munson said. “There are definitely some highlights in each grade. We have some teachers that do a really good job of getting kids ready in that one year.
The highest score came in the fourthgrade group, scoring 12% above the state average in reading and 25% above the state average in math.
TAES Asian/Pacific Islander students — the school’s largest subgroup after caucasian — scored at 14.8%, compared to the 7.1% state average. Free and reduced lunch students scored 18% higher than the state average in reading and 17% higher in math. Over half of the students at TAES qualify for free and reduced lunch, where the state average is 40%.
“This is one of the ones the State looks at quite a bit,” said Munson. “The free and reduced testing scores in reading, only 32.6% passed the reading test at the state level, math is 26.5%.
“Our passage rate is a lot higher for kids that qualify for free and reduced lunch,” Munsons said. “We have 50% in reading and 43.4% in math. The Asian (free and reduced lunch) group, we are 7% and 23% above the state average, so we are doing a great job of educating both of our largest groups there.”
Munson said TAES has a new reading curriculum this school year, and he is confident that will result in overall higher reading scores. The life cycle of the school’s former curriculum had expired, and the school pushed off using the new curriculum until this school year.
“Our scores went down in reading, and that’s one thing I know we’re going to be focusing on this year,” he said. “My goal has always been that we’re above 60%. We have some turnover in staff in the language arts area … and it takes time to get to know the standards, the curriculum, the testing. I think we’re going in the right direction. I’m very confident we’ll be above these (reading) numbers next year.”
