Simi Valley Unified School District Vista Fundamental Elementary Santa Susana High School
Since 2002, school districts have received API scores. Ten school districts posted district-wide scores at or above the State target of 800, two more than in 2009. Districts included Santa Clara Elementary (938), Oak Park Unified (916), Conejo Valley Unified (867), Pleasant Valley Elementary (863), Mesa Union (854), Moorpark Unified (836), Simi Valley Unified (816) and Ojai Unified (814), Mupu Elementary (801), and Ventura Unified (800).
Mr. Mantooth stressed that, “I am confident that the staff, students, and parents of our Ventura County schools will continue their efforts to help all students succeed. Even with these very challenging economic times, they are working to narrow the achievement gaps between traditionally higher and lower- scoring student subgroups. The focus has not wavered from having every student college and career ready. Their efforts have the full support of local school districts and boards of education. It takes everyone involved in our student’s education to keep our schools on the path toward academic excellence.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Academic Performance Index (API) is a numeric index (or scale) ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 1000 that reflects the academic performance level of a school or district (LEA) based on the results of statewide testing. The 2010 Base API reports reflect results of 2010 statewide testing. The results of a number of newly developed statewide tests that more accurately assess the performance of students with disabilities have been included in the calculations of the 2010 Base API. Calculations for the 2010 Base API scores include:
• California Standards Tests (CST) in English-Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 2 through 11 including writing assessments in grades 4 and 7.
• The CSTs in Science in grades 5 and 8 through 11.
• The CSTs in History-Social Science in grades 8, 10, and 11.
• The California Modified Assessment (CMA) in English-Language Arts in grades 3 through 9. The CMA is an assessment of California content standards based on modified achievement standards. It is offered to some students with disabilities in accordance with their individualized education program.
• The CMAs in Mathematics in grades 3 through 7.
• The CMA in Science in grade 8.
• The CMA in Algebra 1 in grades 7 through 11.
• The CMA in Life Sciences in grade 10.
• The California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) in English-
Language Arts and Mathematics in grades 2 through 11. The CAPA is an alternative assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to take the CSTs or CMAs.
• The CAPA in Science in grades 5, 8, and 10.
• The California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) results in English-Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 10 through 12.
The State Board of Education has set 800 as the target API that schools and districts should strive to attain. Additionally, each school is rated on two 10-point scales, one reflecting the school’s overall level of achievement (for example, a 10 would indicate the school is in the top 10% of all California schools), and the other representing how well the school has performed as compared to schools with similar student populations elsewhere in the state.
Schools with numerically significant groups of students within schools also have annual APIs and annual growth targets. Over the years the API subgroup targets have become more challenging. Schools must make a minimum of 5% growth between its 2006 subgroup APIs and 800 until the API score approaches the state target of 800.
