Over the past few years, test scores at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach have been on a steady decline. Since 2018, prior to the pandemic, the percentage of 11th-grade students meeting or exceeding state standards at Mira Costa High School has noticeably declined, with a decrease of 15 points in English and 13 points in Math. In contrast, neighboring schools have seen more positive trends. Palos Verdes Peninsula High School experienced a notable rise in test scores during the same period, with English scores improving by 7 points and Math by 5 points. At Redondo Union High School, Math scores remained steady, but English saw an impressive 21 point jump. For the first time since the CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) was introduced, Redondo Union has surpassed Mira Costa in English scores. The gap in Math scores between the two schools has also narrowed to an all-time low. What’s particularly striking is that Redondo Beach spends cons...