Charter Oak API Scores Surpass State Goals

Charter Oak schools projected a vast improvement in API scores over a five year span, but like most schools in California, fell behind in AYP requirements, according to 2012 scores released by the California Department of Education Thursday.

For the first time as a district, Charter Oak surpassed the state target API (Academic Performance Index) score of 800, scoring an 810.

Willow Elementary School became the first school in the district to score above a 900 at 904, while Washington Elementary scored an 883.

Royal Oak Middle School in Covina scored an 801. However, Charter Oak High School, also in Covina, did not meet the state expectation of 800, scoring a 772.

The API is a numeric score that ranges from 200 to 1,000. All student groups at a school must meet their growth targets for the school to meet its API growth target.

While the district made great strides in its state testing results, the federal AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) score designated the district in Program Improvement.

AYP, under No Child Left Behind, measures the achievement of schools and districts within different student racial, special education, and socio-economic subgroups.

Under the federal law, schools must have a 95 percent participation rate in English Language Arts and mathematics state assessments, and all student groups are expected to be at the proficient level.

Each year, the targets increase annually by about 11 percentage points until the 2013-2014 academic year, when 100 percent of students are expected to perform at the proficient level. Schools and districts that fall below these targets are placed in Program Improvement.

However, most California schools did not meet its AYP goals, with only 27 percent of elementary schools, 18 percent of middle schools, and 28 percent of high schools making AYP targets in 2012

“It is a very difficult requirement for students to meet,” said Jeanine Robertson, assistant superintendent of educational services. “You need a high 70 percent of all your students to be A or B students.”

Robertson said that recent revised data shows Charter Oak schools either meeting or within one point of AYP goals, and may appeal its Program Improvement designation.

“We don’t know if the data corrections will make the difference, but we think we are very close,” said Robertson.

The API, AYP, and PI reports will be updated in January 2013 and July 2013.

Be sure to follow Glendora Patch on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, or sign up for our newsletter.