Las Virgenes schools make the grade

Local school districts excelled again in the 2005 Academic Performance Index (API) scores, according to the latest report released by the California Department of Education. School districts are ranked and compared to similar districts throughout the state.

The API is based on a scale from 200 to 1,000 and is calculated from the performance of students on California standards testing in English/language arts, mathematics, history/social science and science.

The Las Virgenes Unified School District scored 860 this year, up 19 points from the previous year. The score indicates that the district ranks in the top 10 percent of 8,000 schools that were eligible for testing.

"We are very proud of all of our schools," sand Sandra Smyser, LVUSD superintendent. "Our scores are very high and our schools continue to make progress year after year to score even higher."

In addition to the school district rankings, each elementary school, middle school and high school is ranked on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest. A second score ranks a school in comparison to other schools with similar characteristics. The similar-schools score is based on characteristics such as average class size, student ethnicity, socioeconomic status, percent of students who are English learners, and percent of teachers who are fully credentialed versus those with an emergency credential. Every elementary and middle school in the district posted scores above 800, the benchmark for California schools. Agoura and Calabasas high schools earned similar scores-818 and 822 respectively. Both earned a 10 for statewide ranking, but when compared to similar schools, Agoura High ranked 6 and Calabasas High ranked 9.

Local middle schools also scored well. Alice C. Stelle ranked 10 and earned a 6 in comparison to comparable schools. Lindero Canyon Middle School also claimed the top ranking of 10 and a 5 for comparable schools. A.E. Wright Middle School ranked 9 statewide, yet for comparable schools ranked 7.

All eight elementary schools are highly rated. Seven of the eight schools earned a 10 in the statewide ranking, while Sumac Elementary came in at 9.

Yerba Buena Elementary School in Agoura Hills earned the highest base API score of 925. Four of the eight elementary schools-Chaparral, Lupin Hill, Round Meadow and Yerba Buena-earned double 10s in statewide ranking and in comparison to similar schools, which is the highest score possible.

"Once a school is ranked 10 statewide, the only way to rank even higher is to try to raise the rank compared to similar schools," Smyser explained. "We had several schools improve that rank this year, including Agoura and Calabasas high schools."

For further information about the API, visit www.lvusd.k12.ca.us.