Release: #06-27
March 21, 2006

Contact: Pam Slater
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the 2005 Academic Performance Index (API) base results, growth targets, and school rankings for more than 8,700 eligible California schools.

"California schools continue to make solid academic gains," O’Connell said. "The API is a powerful tool to hold our schools accountable for progress. I encourage parents, students, educators, and the public to review the API ranking for schools in their community."

The data released today show California schools at every level are making steady progress toward reaching the statewide performance target of 800 — part of API’s numeric index that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The percentage increase in high schools scoring above the 800 mark outpaced middle and elementary schools in 2005.

"I am particularly pleased to see that our focus on high schools is paying dividends," O’Connell said. "I believe the California High School Exit Exam has been a key driver of progress as our students concentrate on learning the standards. It has also resulted in more focused instruction and individualized attention for struggling students. We still have a long way to go to improve our high schools, but I applaud the rate of improvement and hope that we can increase the pace."

High schools posted a 68.6 percent increase in the percentage of high schools meeting or exceeding the benchmark of 800. Elementary and middle schools show impressive gains of nearly 20 percent. (See Table E.)

The percentage of the state’s elementary schools at or above 800 is 31.6 percent, up from 26.4 percent a year ago; middle schools is 20.7 percent, up from 17.3 percent; and high schools is at 11.8 percent, up from 7.0 percent (see Table A). 

Median scores for schools have also increased, showing steady improvement. The 2005 median API Base for elementary schools is 750, up 20 points from 2004 (See Table B). Middle school and high school median scores show similar gains of 17 points and 25 points respectively (See Tables C and D).

Schools are expected to meet their annual API growth targets during the 2006 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) and California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) examinations. The growth target for a school is 5 percent of the difference between a school's API Base and the statewide performance target of 800.

School API rankings released today allow the public to compare progress at an individual school compared to others statewide.

Schools are ranked academically on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the highest) to determine a school's standing compared to other schools statewide (statewide ranks) and to schools with similar characteristics (similar schools ranks). In the calculation of similar schools ranks a dozen demographic variables are evaluated to identify schools with similar educational challenges.

It is important to note that there will always be schools ranked 1 and schools ranked 10 because of the nature of the decile system. Ten percent of schools will always be in each decile. However, the range of scores included in each decile has increased steadily over time.

For example, an API score of 638 in 1999 would place an elementary school above the median and in statewide rank 6. That same API score of 638 in 2005 would place a school in the bottom statewide rank 1.

"This illustrates how our schools are advancing as a whole. A respectable score earned in 1999 would not be cause for celebration today because of the steady rise in scores overall," said O’Connell.

In January, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the addition of six new characteristics for use in similar schools ranking calculations. The six new characteristics were adopted to improve the accuracy of the similar schools ranking methodology. (No new data collections were needed to incorporate the new characteristics.) For more information, please refer to the 2005 API Base Information Guide, mid-Page 41 2005 API Base Report [http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/documents/infoguide05b.pdf] (PDF; 985KB; 93pp.).

The API reports school performance on student assessments that are a part of the STAR program, plus results from the CAHSEE. There are no new assessments added to the 2005 API Base.

 However, two new API subgroups were adopted by the SBE in order to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 722 and to align the API subgroup definition with that of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB). These two new subgroups, English learners and students with disabilities, will be required to demonstrate comparable improvement in the same way as other subgroups.

The 2005 API Base results, growth targets, and school rankings are posted at: Academic Performance Index (API).

# # # #

Attachments

Table A
Percentage of Schools with 1999-2005 API Base
At or Above the Statewide Performance Target of 800

Year	Elementary Schools	Middle Schools	High Schools
1999	13.1%	10.7%	4.9%
2000	19.9%	13.8%	5.5%
2001	20.9%	14.6%	5.3%
2002	20.1%	12.7%	4.0%
2003	26.3%	15.6%	7.4%
2004	26.4%	17.3%	7.0%
2005	31.6%	20.7%	11.8%

Table B
Median Scores on Base API — Elementary School

Year	Score
1999	629
2000	675
2001	689
2002	699
2003	728
2004	730
2005	750

Table C
Median Scores on Base API — Middle School

Year	Score
1999	633
2000	657
2001	668
2002	667
2003	685
2004	697
2005	714

Table D
Median Scores on Base API — High School

Year	Score
1999	620
2000	636
2001	635
2002	643
2003	658
2004	668
2005	693

Table E
Percentage Increase in Schools Above 800 from 2004 to 2005

Elementary	Middle	High
19.7%	19.7%	68.6%

News Conference Charts

Percentage of Schools in 2005 Above
the Statewide API Performance Target of 800

Type	1999	2005
Elementary Schools	13.1	31.6
Middle Schools	10.7	20.7
High Schools	4.9	11.8

Percentage of Schools in 2005 Above
the Statewide API Performance Target of 800
and Percent Increase From 2004 to 2006

Type	Percent 2004	Percent 2005	Percent Increase From 2004
Elementary Schools	26.4	31.6	19.7
Middle Schools	17.3	20.7	19.7
High Schools	7.0	11.8	68.6

Gains in Median API Scores From 1999 to 2005

Type	Median Gains
Elementary Schools	121
Middle Schools	80
High Schools	73