HOW IS MY SCHOOL DOING?
Step 1: To find out how your school is doing, begin by finding your school district in the first column. Districts are listed alphabetically. Your school should be listed there.
Step 2: Now, put your finger under your school's name and move it to the right. The first number shows your school's 2004 API Base -- a number that reflects how your school did on standardized tests in 2004.
API stands for Academic Performance Index. The state assigns each school an API Base based on how that school does on standardized tests. The number can range from 200 to 1,000. One thousand is the highest score, but the state's target for all schools is 800.
STEP 3: Move your finger one more column to the right. That number is your school's 2005 API Base -- a number that reflects how your school did on standardized tests in 2005.
You can compare the 2004 API Base and 2005 API Base to see if your school's test scores improved from one year to the next, though many factors create each base.
STEP 4: Now, move your finger one more column to the right. That number is your school's 2005 statewide rank. This number shows you how your school did on standardized tests compared with all other schools in the state.
A one is the lowest rank and a 10 is the highest. A rank of 10 means your school scored in the top 10 percent of schools in the state. A rank of one means your school scored in the bottom 10 percent of schools in the state.
A different rank comparing your school to schools with similar demographics is available at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/ by clicking on "reports" and then choosing the "County List of Schools." Choose Kern County and then choose the top report.
WHAT ARE THESE NUMBERS FOR?
The state uses API numbers to see how schools are progressing and to set goals for individual schools to reach each year.
ARE THERE PENALTIES FOR LOW API BASES OR RANKS?
No, for most schools there are no penalties from the state. The only schools that face penalties are those that make agreements with the state to reach certain goals in exchange for state money and then fail to meet those goals.
Compton Junior High and Alicante Avenue Elementary are examples of two county schools facing penalties for taking state money but then not making adequate progress.
DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND?
Yes and no. API is the state's way of measuring academic progress. No Child Left Behind, which is national, uses AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) to see how schools across the country are doing.
API is, however, one small factor in California's AYP.
HOW MUCH DOES MY SCHOOL NEED TO IMPROVE?
The short answer can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/ by clicking on "reports" and then choosing the "County List of Schools." Choose Kern County and then choose the top report.
That Web page will show you the full results for Kern County including 2005-2006 Growth Targets, which shows how many points your school should aim to improve by this year, and your school's 2006 API Target, which shows what API Base your school should aim for this year.
The longer answer is that schools are expected to improve by 5 percent of the difference between the school's API Base and the statewide performance target of 800. If the school has already reached 800 there is no specific improvement goal.
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE?
Go to www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/ and click on "reports." Then choose the "County List of Schools." Choose Kern County and then choose the top report.