School Test Scores Improve

Most schools in the San Leandro Unified School District saw their scores rise in statewide exams given last year.

Eight of the district's 11 campuses improved their scores from a year ago, although only two schools scored above the state's target index.

The state superintendent's office released the so-called API test scores Wednesday.

The API is used by the state to determine how districts and individual schools are performing in English-language arts and mathematics.

The score is determined by results from the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) test and the California High School Exit Exam.

The target for schools to meet is an API score of 800.

The San Leandro Unified District scored 738 in the 2011 test results. That was an eight-point improvement over its 2010 score of 730.

Asian students scored the highest, notching an API index of 861. That was 11 points higher than the year before.

Students of two or more races scored the next highes,t with an index of 814. That was 59 points higher than 2010.

The other group to top the 800 mark were Filipino students. They scored 801, an increase of 16 points from the year before.

White students were next with a score of 781. They, however, were the only ethnic group whose score decreased. They were four points lower than in 2010.

Hispanic and Latino students scored 695, an increase of 12 points, while African American students came in at 674, a rise of 10 points.

For more district-wide test results, go to this web site.

At the school level, James Madison Elementary had the highest score at 848. However, that was 18 points lower than 2010.

Roosevelt Elementary also topped the 800 mark with a score of 822. That was one point higher than the year before.

James Monroe Elementary tallied 799, an increase of 38 points. It was one of the four district schools that met the state's growth target goals.

McKinley Elementary scored 784, a rise of five points.

Garfield Elementary came in at 782, an increase of 27 points. It also hit the state's growth target.

Woodrow Wilson Elementary scored 771, a decrease of two points.

Washington Elementary totaled 763, an increase of 42 points. It topped the state's growth target, too.

Jefferson Elementary scored 760, a rise of seven points.

John Muir Middle School scored 751, an increase of 29 points. It also hit the state's growth target.

Bancroft Middle School came in with 714, an increase of 13 points.

San Leandro High School scored 699. That was a decrease of four points.

Lincoln Continuation High tallied 483, a decrease of 42 points. However, state officials said fewer than 99 students took the exams, so the results can be misleading.

For more school results, go to the website.

In the state, 49 percent of California schools exceeded or met their API target. That is a record.

API scores showed continued improvement across the board, with statewide growth of 11 points, propelled by a 14-point gain among English learners and Hispanic students and a 10-point gain among African American students. Asian and white students posted gains of 8 and 7 points.

The API scores tend to go down at the higher grade levels.

Fifty-five percent of elementary schools, 43 percent of middle schools and 28 percent of high schools met or surpassed the state API target of 800.

“I applaud the hard work our students, teachers, parents, school employees and administrators are doing to improve — even in the face of severe cuts to school funding,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. “At school after school, and among every significant ethnic group, California’s students are performing better than ever. The failure here is in our politics, not our public schools.”