GUSD Tops in API Scores, Lands in Bottom in Per Student Spending

A California Watch study shows that while Glendora Unified School District is among the top 25 percent in state API scores, it is also in the bottom 25 percent in school district spending.

Though it’s only been around since August 2009, California Watch has already gained a reputation for its nonpartisan investigative journalism. In the past its turned its gaze on Homeland Security spending and pregnancy health, but recently the Berekely-based organization has uncovered some interesting information regarding the disparity in school spending throughout the state.

As this article notes, despite the efforts of lawmakers to equalize spending throughout California, that is clearly not the case. However, anyone expecting a correlative trend between per student spending and API (Academic Performance Index) scoring would be mistaken.

In fact, Glendora Unified School District is representative of such a case, seeing a huge disparity between per student spending (compared with the rest of the state) and API scores. With an average of $7,130 spent per student during an academic year, GUSD actually ranks in the bottom 25 percent of schools in California. But conversely, with an API score of 854 in 2010, Glendora actually ranks in the top 25 percent.

Of the five elementary schools in Glendora Unified School District, two schools – and – ranked in the top 10 percent statewide, according to rankings from the California Department of Education. Cullen and Sutherland elementary schools both scored above a 900 in API scores,

“Glendora has been considered one of the lower-funded districts in the state,” says Glendora Unified Director of  K-8 Curriculum and Instruction, Student Welfare, and Categorical Programs Dr. Mary Suzuki. “However, we are more in accordance with other Los Angeles county school districts.”

This trend—or lack of a trend—also seems to play out with adjacent school district. While Glendora ranks below Azusa Unified, Charter Oak, and Bonita in per student spending, it significantly out-classes all three districts in API scoring, with only Bonita coming within 66 points. Al of interest is that Stanton Elementary, traditionally considered Glendora’s lowest-income elementary school, saw the biggest jump in API scoring with a 37-point increase.

The reasons to explain what might make up for the monetary discrepancy? Community resources, says Suzuki. Not only does Glendora Unified seem to have a larger number of volunteers (both organized groups and individuals) willing to help out, but many in the community are retired educators and civil servants.

In a span of six years, the Foundation for Glendora Unified Schools has saved classes and programs and spared Glendora staff from layoff, donating more than $435,000 in 2009-2010.

“One of the unique attributes of Glendora is the willingness of the community to give back its time,” says Suzuki. “We receive hundreds of volunteer hours every month.”