Re: O'Connell Press Release on API Results

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Why does this feel like Alice through the Looking Glass?
Susan

> 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.


Begin forwarded message:

> From: George Sheridan <learn@jps.net>
> Date: Tue Mar 21, 2006  9:59:44 PM US/Pacific
> To: Ca-resisters@interversity.org
> Subject: [ca-resisters] O'Connell Press Release on API Results
> Reply-To: ca-resisters@interversity.org
>
> http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel27.asp
>
>
> SUPERINTENDENT O'CONNELL RELEASES 2005 API BASE
> RESULTS, GROWTH TARGETS, SCHOOL RANKINGS
>
> 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 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), 
> http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/index.asp
>
>
> George Sheridan
>
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> -Eric Crump