September 10, 2004

All ESD schools make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) targets
API scores are mixed

By Susan Hanna
Special to the Times

According to the most recent report of academic ach-ievement released in August, all schools in the Evergreen School District (ESD) and the district at large met the federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets mandated by the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.

Only three other school districts in Santa Clara County can make such a claim, especially for their middle schools.
Called the AYP report, the federal targets first set a bar measuring the percentages of students achieving above the state-defined proficient level in both English/language arts and mathematics. In keeping with the No Child Left Behind philosophy, schools and districts are held accountable for the entire school in addition to their numerically significant sub-groups, such as by ethnicity, students learning English and special education.

To meet the federal AYP targets, ESD also had to reach federal Academic Performance Index (API) benchmarks, which differ from the state’s API goal. A third criterion was to ensure a 95 percent participation rate in the testing. All schools in the Evergreen School District met these three targets.

The state report on Adequate Yearly Progress also published a preliminary Academic Performance Index (API), though not the complete version. This numeric score (API) is a California index designed to measure overall achievement in all academic areas.

Instead of a bar, this score is more like a ladder, which schools must climb. The state target is 800, and nine Evergreen schools already meet this target. The district as a whole achieved an API of 812, which is 12 points above the state target.

In October, a much more in-depth summary of school progress will be published. ESD elementary and middle schools routinely post a high API relative to schools with similar demographics.

API increases in ESD schools
Both the federal and state measurements use the annual results from the California achievement test called the STAR. This battery of tests is given to all second through eleventh grade students in the state.

With such a uniform assessment tool, comparisons can be made, growth can be tracked over time, outstanding programs can be rewarded and deficient programs can be identified to receive additional support.

All three ESD Middle Schools—Chaboya, Quimby Oak and Leyva—saw their API scores move up, with the most significant jump at Chaboya, where scores rose from 801 in 2003 to 830 in 2004. The large increase could be correlated to the fact that Matsumoto’s sixth graders were housed there last year.

Among ESD’s 14 elementary schools, four schools saw increases in their 2004 API scores compared to last year, including Cadwallader, Norwood Creek, Silver Oak and James F. Smith.

Cadwallader, a Title I school that receives funds for high percentages of low-income students, saw the largest increase among the elementary schools. API scores at Cadwallader jumped from 777 in 2003 to 801 in 2004, surpassing the state’s desired 800 benchmark as a result of the program improvements designed and implemented by the staff and administration.

Cedar Grove (782) and Evergreen Elementary (884) maintained the exact same API scores in 2004 as they did in 2003.

Decreased API scores in 2004
Of the eight ESD schools where API scores dropped in 2004, three schools experienced a statistically significant drop, regardless of the federal or state metric. This includes Holly Oak, Dove Hill and Laurelwood Schools.

Last year, Holly Oak Elementary, a Title I school, surpassed the target 800 API score (with 805), an outstanding achievement reached by very few Title I schools statewide. This year however, Holly Oak’s API scores dropped back down to 771.

The slightly lower scores at Millbrook, Montgomery, K.R. Smith and O.B. Whaley were not statistically significant. Matsumoto Elementary School appeared to have a slightly higher API score in 2003 (930) compared to 2004 (917), but that’s because Matsumoto lost its sixth graders to the equation last year.

Five of the eight schools with lower scores in 2004 are Title I schools still achieving well above similar schools. All of these schools have been recognized for outstanding programs through the California Distinguished School award system.

Seeking continual academic improvement
Regardless of their current API results, all Evergreen schools are again ready to increase student achievement. Because the teachers and administration are committed to the idea of continuous improvement and the philosophy of No Child Left Behind, they are using data analysis and program evaluation to identify key areas of focus and are already formulating plans to improve the number of students achieving.

One size does not fit all. No one solution works for all schools. For example, one ESD school has a particular grade level with low numbers of achieving students in math, yet scores are on target in reading. Another school has similar year-to-year numbers of achieving students, but fewer numbers with the advanced status.

Several of our schools will be challenged by a change in population this coming year. Even our newest school, Carolyn Clark, is analyzing student results with the hope of surpassing all state and federal targets in its first year, if not bursting onto the scene with a top tier API.

In conclusion, all Evergreen schools are continuing to perform well. Those schools that experienced a downturn in results have a plan and are working diligently to have all children meet the required state proficiency levels, no matter what metric is used.

Together with our staff, students and community we will continue our work so that all students can and will succeed.
Susan Hanna is the assistant superintendent of instructional services for the Evergreen School District.