API scores mixed bag

Mike Sciacca

Schools in Huntington Beach rank among the best in the state, but when

compared to other top schools they often fall short, according to figures

in the Academic Performance Index released Wednesday.

Nearly all the schools in all three districts that serve Huntington

Beach landed in the top percentile of California schools.

Many of those rankings plummeted, however, when ranked in comparison

to schools with similar demographics.

The API, is the centerpiece of the statewide accountability system in

California public education. After assigning a numerical value between

200 and 1,000 to nearly every public school in state each fall, the

California Department of Education then breaks schools down into 10 equal

groups, based on their API values.

Schools with a score of 10 are in the top 10 percentile while those

with a ranking of one are in the bottom percentile.

Each school was compared to 100 schools with similar characteristics,

such as student ethnicity, socioeconomic factors and the number of

English language learners. Schools were given another ranking between one

and 10, based on how they compared to each other.

It is this number that has given many low-scoring schools a boost and

taken some high-scoring schools down a few notches.

In the Huntington Beach City School District, nine out of 10 schools

ranked eight or above statewide. When compared to similar schools, seven

of those nine plummeted to the ranks of one, two and three respectively.

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“Basically, we always are looking deeply at individual student

progress and monitoring that very carefully so we feel wonderful about,

first of all, our high performing schools in general, and the progress of

our students who are struggling to see that they continue to achieve,”

said Lynn Bogart, director of curriculum and instruction for Huntington

Beach City School District.

Scores were based on more factors this year than in the past, when

only Stanford 9 test scores were taken into account. Many school

officials feel this has had a direct impact on their scores and ranks.

“The language arts/STAR testing has never been factored in before,”

Huntington Seacliff Principal Ann Sullivan said of test score results.

“What parents need to be aware of is that these numbers are not growth

scores, but our new base, or new starting point, if you will, for the

next testing period set for the spring. It is hard to show growth

continually when new things are added in the testing process.”

Huntington Seacliff students continue to shine, however. They scored a

perfect 10 in statewide rankings and a seven in similar schools rankings.

In the Ocean View School District scores were much more consistent.

With the exception of Oak View, Sun View and Westmont, schools in the

district cleared top marks statewide, scores that often carried through

to their similar school rankings.

Oak View, which scored a three statewide, pulled out an impressive 10

when compared to like schools.

District middle schools had a remarkable showing, earning nines and

10’s across the board.

“We are very pleased with the results, especially with Circle View.

They are our GATE magnet school so we expect such a strong showing from

them,” said Karen Colby, the district’s director of curriculum and

instruction.

The third district was a mixed bag.

Jerry White, director of curriculum development for Huntington Beach

Union School District, says the district feels its schools are making

sufficient progress.

Four of the district’s five high schools -- Edison, Fountain Valley,

Marina and Huntington Beach -- scored a nine in statewide rankings. Ocean

View High School had a ranking of seven.

The API will incorporate other California standard tests as well as

the California High School Exit Examination over the next few years and

eventually the API will also include graduation and attendance rates.