API Results

How Our Schools Scored

Purpose
The Academic Performance Index rates California's public schools and sets targets for the schools to achieve. 

What the categories mean:

API scores: The state uses the Academic Performance Index to rank schools based on test scores. The rankings are based on student's scores on state standard tests, the California Achievement Test and the California High School Exit Exam. The API is graded on a scale of 200 to 1,000, with 800 being the statewide target.

Met API target: Indicates whether the school hit the overall improvement target set by the state and its comparable improvement goal for different ethnic, economic and other categories of students.

Adequate Yearly Progress: Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, schools must make "adequate yearly progress" in improving students' skills in math and English. To meet the requirement, a certain percentage of students at each school must be proficient in both subjects. This year, that percentage is about one-fourth of elementary and middle school students and one-fifth of high school students. Also, groups within the school, including students from low-income families and those learning English, must meet the target for proficiency. Title 1 schools that don't make the target for two years in a row face sanctions. Title 1 schools have a high percentage of students who qualify for free or low-cost lunches.

Target: By 2014, all students are supposed to be proficient in both subjects.