The Cupertino Courier

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Dilworth Elementary score is biggest API improvement

By ERIN HUSSEY

Both the Cupertino Union School District and the Fremont Union School District averaged well above the target 800 score in the Academic Performance Index (API) for 2006.

This element of California's Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999 measures the academic performance and growth of schools on a variety of academic measures. All schools in the state are given an API score on a scale of 200 to 1,000.

The CUSD's overall score of 930 represents an improvement of 10 points over last year's results. Nineteen schools in the district scored above 900. Nine boasted double-digit growth.

"I am pleased with the outstanding academic achievement exhibited in our 2006 Accountability Progress Report," CUSD superintendent Phil Quon said.

"Our strong district-wide and school site API scores are a result of the dedication of our staff and the hard work of our parents and students."

Dilworth Elementary registered the highest point gain with a total of 28, for a score of 988.

"Although we have high API scores, the teachers are making classroom instruction interesting, and the kids are having fun," said Supriya Makineni, co president of the Home and School Club and a school site council member at Dilworth.

The scores also impressed Kathleen Erikson, a second-grade teacher at Dilworth.

"We were pretty excited about the test scores because we had a lot of first-year teachers last year," she said. "I think our consistency and the way we work together in each grade level has made a big difference."

Faria Elementary once again received a perfect 1,000 score.

As for the high schools, Fremont, Homestead, and Lynbrook showed the greatest improvements. The Firebirds went from 699 in 2005 to a 708, the Mustangs jumped 18 points to an 842 and the Viking's 17 point growth resulted in a 912.

Although Monta Vista and Cupertino High Schools lost points, their scores still remained high, posting 916 and 814. The combined district score was 845, nine points higher than last year.

As for the high schools, Fremont and Homestead showed the greatest improvements. The Firebirds went from 699 in 2005 to a 708 and the Mustangs jumped 20 points to an 842.

Bryan Emmert, the FUHSD curriculum, standards and assessment coordinator, attributes a part of the score's increase to the district's focus on individualized teaching and its encouragement of students to participate in the test.

"A lot of kids say, 'I don't want to take it,' so we have to be more creative in our ways to get kids to take the test," he said. "Fremont did a good job at that, by making a lot of phone calls to students and families.

"I think it's always the case of saying that the scores are good," Emmert said, "but we can always do better."

Complete API test results can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/.