CVUSD Superintendent Responds to API Scores

Provided by the Castro Valley Unified School District

On Thursday, Aug. 29, the California Department of Education (CDE) released the 2012-2013 Accountability Progress Reporting (APR), which includes both the Academic Performance Index (API) Report and the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Report. 

Read: Castro Valley Schools Continue to Exceed State API Target

Superintendent Jim Negri commented, “While we like to see yearly growth in the API, we know that there will be year-to-year variations in the API scores. We analyze the scores over a period of time and do not over react to one year shifts in scores. The district and school API scores have increased significantly since the state began using API scores to measure schools and districts.”

Negri continues, “Last year, the district began its implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in preparation for the coming national Smarter Balance assessments. We expected to see a drop in the STAR scores, the basis of the API, since STAR and the CCSS are not fully aligned. We believed it was more important to begin the implementation of the CCSS rather than focus on STAR scores. We are continuing to implement the CCSS this year.”

While California measures academic performance with the API on a 200-1000 scale, the federal government under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) uses the AYP, which has yearly targets for the percentage of students scoring Advanced or Proficient. The AYP target for all sub-groups (the district has 24 sub-groups in both English-Language Arts and Mathematics) for 2012-2013 was for 89% of the students to be Advanced or Proficient and the target for 2013-2014 is 100%.

The district met the 89% target in only three sub-groups (English-Language Arts for Asian, Mathematics for Asian and Filipino). Superintendent Negri added, “We are concerned about the achievement gap of our sub-groups. As the district continues to implement the Common Core State Standards, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all students are achieving at a high level.” With the target at 89%, the district joins a large number of school districts designated, Program Improvement (PI) year one. As required, in the fall, the district will be developing an addendum to our Local Education Agency Plan that includes an updated student performance plan, as well as a professional development plan for teachers.

Although our Title I schools exceed the state accountability target (Castro Valley Elementary School – 836 API, Marshall Elementary School – 881 API, Stanton Elementary School – 890 API), under NCLB, a Title I school enters PI status if it does not meet AYP targets for two consecutive years.

Detailed information on both API and AYP scores is available from the California Department of Education.