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GLENDALE — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the 2006 Base Academic Performance Index (API) report for 9,400 California schools that were given targets for improvement. O’Connell also announced the release of school rankings based on comparisons to schools statewide and to schools of similar characteristics. The annual report once again reflects the consistent rise in median API scores since the API, a numeric index from 200 to 1000, began in 1999.

"I am proud of our students, parents, and educators in California whose continued work toward academic excellence is reflected in the steady academic progress in our schools’ API scores," O’Connell said. "The API is a powerful, comprehensive tool that holds our schools publicly accountable for progress made by all of our students. It supports California’s rigorous standards and ambitious definition of what constitutes ‘proficiency.’"

The 2006 median Base API for elementary schools is 758, up 8 points from 2005. Middle school and high school median scores show similar gains of 10 points and 7 points respectively. (See Tables A, B, and C.)

Also, the percentage of elementary schools at or above 800, the statewide performance target adopted by the State Board of Education, is 34.6 percent, up from 31.8 percent in 2005; middle schools is 23.9 percent, up from 20.6 percent; and high schools is 13.6 percent, up from 11.9 percent. (See Table D.)

The API reports released today include school API ranks that allow the public to compare performance at an individual school to all others (statewide ranks) as well as to others with similar educational opportunities and challenges (similar schools ranks). The ranking shows where a school’s 2006 API falls on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest).

Because API scores across the state have been steadily improving, the decile spectrum has moved significantly since 1999. For instance, an API score of 655 in 1999 would have given an elementary school a respectable statewide rank of 6, but today that same score would place them in the lowest rank or in the bottom 10 percent of all California’s public schools. (See Table E.)

 While the 2006 API results reflect solid academic gains over the last eight years, they also highlight what  O’Connell considers the overriding issue facing California education today – the achievement gap that exists between traditionally higher- and lower-scoring subgroups of students. Student subgroups are defined by ethnicity, socioeconomic, and disability status as well as whether or not a student is an English learner.

"While our schools are showing steady overall progress, I am deeply concerned that significant gaps exist between the API results for different subgroups of students," O’Connell said. "I have begun an intensive effort to find ways to close the gap that exists between successful students who are often white or Asian, and financially well off, and struggling students who are too often poor, Hispanic, African American, English learners, or with a disability." (See Table F.)

Since the API system originated in 1999, schools have been expected not only to meet schoolwide academic growth targets but also student subgroup targets. However, this year the API will focus schools more intensely on narrowing achievement gaps. In May 2006, the State Board of Education adopted O’Connell’s recommendation to increase the API growth targets for subgroups. Subgroup targets had been set at 80 percent of the schoolwide target. Beginning with this API report, growth targets are now calculated separately for each student subgroup within a school and set at 5 percent growth toward an API of 800. Also, schools and subgroups will be expected to make a minimum improvement of five points up to the performance target of 800.

"Holding all students to the same high standards ensures a culture of high expectations for everyone," O’Connell said. "As a state, we have a moral, ethical, and economic obligation to address the needs of every group of students."

These reports reflect a recalibration of the API results previously reported in August 2006 based on the addition of results from new 2006 science assessments. The new assessments include the California Standards Test (CST) in science in grade eight and the CST in life science in grade ten. Added emphasis was given to science in the high school API calculation.

"This mid-year adjustment in the API occurs every year," O’Connell said. "In this instance, it enables us to add indicators to the 2006 API and still be able to compare performance from 2006 to 2007. It also allows us to rank schools with as rich a set of indicators as possible."

The API reflects a school’s composite academic achievement from a variety of statewide assessments. Student test results that are part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, plus results from the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), are used in API calculations and encompass the content areas of English-language arts, mathematics, science, and history.

The 2006 Base API results, growth targets, and school rankings are posted at Academic Performance Index (API). This site also includes detailed information about changes to the 2006 Base API, in the "Highlights of the 2006 Base API Reports" in the 2006 Base Academic Performance Index Report Information Guide.

Information about the API as an agent of change in California education is described at An Agent of Change in California Education.

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Attachments

Table A
Median Scores on Base API — Elementary School

Table B
Median Scores on Base API — Middle School

Table C
Median Scores on Base API — High School

Table D
Percentage of Schools with 1999-2006 Base APIs
At or Above the Statewide Performance Target of 800

Table E
Statewide Ranks for an Elementary School with an API of 655

Table F
Statewide 2006 Base APIs
Overall and for Student Subgroups

Note: Tables A-D and F exclude schools in the Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM), special education schools, and small schools. A "small school" is a school with fewer than 100 valid test scores.