Greater Orange News Service

OUSD gets good news/bad news in API scores with wide swings

While the good news of the Academic Performance Index (API) for Orange Unified was far beyond any achievement the district has made in the past, wide swings in the annual scores point to a testing system that has out lived any usefulness.

Orange Unified schools produced API highs from plus 68 points (Villa Park Elementary), to minus 35 points (California Elementary). However, while concern for some serious problems seemed evident, the good news overshadowed those concerns for the time being.

Four additional schools scored past the magic 800 score that the state sets as a goal:
Esplanade E.S. (+ 34, score = 831)
Handy E.S. (+27, score= 811)
Prospect E.S. (+57, score 809)
Sycamore E.S. ( +56, score 805)

Two OUSD schools past the elite 900 score:
Anaheim Hills ES(+7, score 905)
Canyon Rim ES (+33, 913)

In addition, OUSD had two schools fall below the 900 mark, but remain well above the 800 API state goal:
Imperial E.S. (-33, score 884)
Linda Vista E.S. (- 19, score 885)

Villa Park Elementary’s 68 point increase in its scores brought it to an API score of 980.

Fairhaven E.S. increased 26 points to raise its score to 794, just 6 points shy of the state goal. However, being that shy of the state goal was not too much of a disappointment as the school found out that it was named a National Blue Ribbon award school for producing outstanding student achievement results for six consecutive years as an Exemplary Improving School.

This is the first nomination and award for both Fairhaven and OUSD.

All of OUSD’s secondary middle and high school’s had double digit increases with the exception of El Modena ( increased +6 to 834) and Canyon (increased +1 to 850).

Eight of OUSD’s schools had dropping API scores:
California ES: minus 35
Cambridge ES: minus 17
Chapman Hills ES minus 23
Imperial ES: minus 33
Jordan ES: minus 13
Linda Vista ES: minus 19
Running Springs ES: -4
Serrano ES: -13

Five OUSD schools failed to meet the subgroup growth goals, which under state API rules is serious:
California ES
Cambridge ES
Fletcher ES
Jordan ES
Taft ES

In releasing the API scores, the California Department of Education also released the new School Quality Snapshot report as a first step in revamping the API and School Accountability report required under SB 1438. the new reports (SEE LINK BELOW) present a wide variety of information about a school’s academics in a visual data approach.

For more information CLICK ON:

School Quality Snapshot LINK


OUSD API Schools Report LINK