Saucelito, Sunnyside see major API growth
Scores among small school districts released this week
When it comes to the California statewide target for academic achievement on the 2012 Academic Performance Index, most of the local small school districts with one or two schools either continued to meet its academic goal, grew, or stayed close to last year’s numbers. The API — a numeric index that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000 — has a statewide target of 800.
On the upswing are Saucelito Elementary, a small, rural school in Terra Bella, and Sunnyside Union, a country school in Strathmore. Saucelito grew by 36 points to reach the State target and Sunnyside grew by 36 points to reach a 757 API.
High growth was also evident in the Pleasant View Elementary District, with both campuses raising API scores. Ducor Union, once again raised its score — going from 666 to 780 over the course of five years.
“We are consistently given a score of “10” out of “10” on our Similar Schools rank. For the second time in the last 4 years, we made our goal according to AYP — Adequate Yearly Progress,” said Ducor District Superintendent F.P. Samples Jr. “We are very proud of our students and our staff. We are excited by our progress. Our students continue to work hard and our staff is always ready to make the changes necessary to continue to help our students excel.”
Other small gains could be seen by Alta Vista, gaining 7 points to 668.
Slipping a few points, but still staying above 800, are Springville Union and Rockford Elementary.
Springville slipped five points to 813 and Rockford slipped 18 points for an 824 API score.
Terra Bella Elementary’s API also fell, by 28 points, to 719. But Carl F. Smith Middle School in Terra Bella, raised its score by 20 points to 709.
Woodville Union Elementary lost four points to 674 as it continues to work toward raising it.
On the downside was Hope and Citrus South Tule, with the schools API falling 39 and 105 points, respectively.
The results were released by State Superintendent Tom Torlakson Thursday morning.
Statewide, elementary schools’ API score grew by 7 points to 815, middle schools’ by 14 points to 792, and high schools’ by 11 points to 752 — with Latino students and English Learners posting strong gains. Latinos added 11 points to 740 and English Learners added 10 points to 716. Asian and white students made smaller gains of 7 and 8 points, respectively, but still have the highest API totals among student groups of 905 and 853, respectively.
The API is a single number, ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 1000, which reflects a school’s or a student group’s performance level, based on the results of statewide testing of a variety of subjects, including math, science and English.
Along with the annual API scores, Torlakson also unveiled the California Department of Education’s new School Quality Snapshot, a free, online accountability tool that puts a wide variety of academic results and other information about a school’s performance at the fingertips of parents and the public. The reports — visual representations of data schools already reported to CDE — represent a first step in how the Department and the State Board of Education plan to use data to better inform the public about the progress of California schools as they reshape the School Accountability Report Card and revise the Academic Performance Index.
All of the results can be found on the California Department of Education website: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ar/
