Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District students continued to improve academically based on the 2007 results of the Academic Performance Index (API) released Aug. 31. The district posted an API score of 812, a gain of 3 points.
The Los Altos School District remained among the top elementary districts in the state even with the slight
decline of 4 points from a 2006 top of 960 to 956 this year.
API scores range from 200 to 1,000, with 800 set as the minimum target goal by the California Department of Education. The mandated tests measure a school’s composite academic achievement based on a variety of statewide assessments. API calculations encompass the content areas of English-language arts, mathematics, science and history based on the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) results and for the high schools, the California High School Exit Exam results also.
Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
Mountain View and Los Altos high schools increased their scores: Mountain View went from 827 to 833 and Los Altos from 797 to 802, which brings both schools above the state goal of 800 points. Alta Vista High School scored 508 on the same measure.
Each of the designated MVLA student subgroups exhibited gains on the districtwide testing of academic achievement. The Hispanic subgroup increased 6 points, socioeconomically disadvantaged students increased 27 points, English language learners increased 22 points and students with disabilities increased 29 points.
The MVLA district has closed the achievement gap for these students by providing additional resources and energy to academic programs. This is the second year that the board of trustees allocated extra resources and additional courses to support freshman mathematics courses. In addition, the Mountain View-Los Altos Education Foundation raises funds that provide for a reduction in the number of freshman students in many mathematics and all English classes.
Los Altos School District
Despite the Los Altos School District’s slight decline in overall score, district officials remain encouraged.
“We are generally pleased with the API results, which are evidence of the strong programs we run at the district,” said Jeff Baier, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
Baier said district officials are continuing their focus on writing skills this year. He said he was pleased with the strong improvement in the seventh- and eighth-grade writing scores.
Of the elementary schools in the district, Loyola School posted the only jump in API results, gaining 11 points to reach 976 from 965. All the district schools continue to exceed the state target of 800 by a comfortable margin.
Almond scored 967, down 4 from 971; Covington, 931, down 7 from 938; Oak, 972, down 10 from 982; Santa Rita, 954, down 3 from 957; and Springer, 950, down 11 from 961.
Both district junior high schools kept their high state rankings by posting high scores: Blach Intermediate School scored 950, down 2 from the 2006 API Index, and Egan Junior High scored 958, down 3.
Additional local schools
Bullis Charter School, under the Santa Clara County Office of Education, gained 12 points in its API this year, scoring 972.
Montclaire Elementary School in the Cupertino Union School District, which serves a section of south Los Altos, dropped 16 points but remained well above the state minimum with a score of 953. Cupertino Middle School dropped 5 points, scoring 899.
Homestead High School in the Fremont Union High School District maintained a strong 838 points, dropping only 4 points.
The Palo Alto Unified School District serves areas in the north end of Los Altos and Los Altos Hills. Nixon Elementary School scored 944 points, down 9 from 2006. Terman Middle School jumped 5 points to post a 940. Gunn High School recorded the largest statistical improvement – 14 points, reaching a score of 899.
