By the time students graduate from high school, hundreds of people have poured into their academic and personal development, whether that be parents, teachers, counselors, district leaders or other family members, to name a few. And for good reason: Our children are our most precious assets.
In Coronado, the community surrounding the school district is tight-knit. Many families are multi-generational Coronado High grads, with students attending the same schools their parents did, or even having the same teachers.
A lot of resources, funding, time and teaching propels each student’s success, and it shows in numbers – Coronado Unified students scored very well in state assessment testing, a data point that reflects the health of the community.
As a district, Coronado ranked No. 2 behind Poway out of 42 districts in San Diego County in math and English testing for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
Last spring, 1,374 students in grades three through eight, and grade 11, were tested in English language and mathematics. Students in grades five, eight and 11 were also tested in science.
The results, recently available, showed a dramatic improvement from 2024 in science, with 61% of students meeting or exceeding standards, compared to 51% the previous year.
In English and math, 74% of students met or exceeded standards in English, and 63% of students did the same in the latter subject.
Coronado kids performed at a dramatically higher level than the California average. Statewide, about 37% of students met or exceeded the math standard, and almost 49% met or exceeded the English standard.
Megan Battle, the district’s senior director of learning, said Coronado’s high scores may in part reflect its status as a Navy town because military-connected students outperform others in English and math. Of the students tested in Coronado, 35% were from military families.
But 41% of the entire population of students in Coronado is military, stemming from the two Navy bases within the district. This stat includes those who were not tested. It takes very specific resources to meet the unique needs of military students, who move on average every two-to-three years.
Coronado Unified has Purple Star designation from the state, signifying that the district is highly equipped to support these students and their families. Purple Star schools are designed to respond to the educational and emotional challenges that military-connected students face when they transition to a new school, providing resources and programs to keep them on track to be college and workforce ready.
So, in honor of the testing success, let’s recognize the district’s continued commitment to high-quality education, and take a moment to applaud the unsung key players – parents, teachers, coaches, counselors, aides, administrators, district leaders, donors, mentors.
The Coronado community has a lot to be proud of.
