New Haven Unified Sees Slight Growth in API Scores

The New Haven Unified School District saw very little growth in student test performance last year, according to numbers released Thursday by state school chief Tom Torlakson. 

The district increased its score by 1 point to 775. New Haven remains below the state's target of 800.

The latest figures from the state, however, did not include results for James Logan High School.

Searles Elementary saw the largest increase in performance of 11 points, raising their score to 758. Alvarado Elementary saw the largest drop of 46 points to a score of 810, which still exceeds the district's average and the state's goal.

Eastin Elementary, which saw a 1 point increase in scores, has the highest API in the district with a score of 896.

The API is a score ranging from 200 to 1,000 that measures how well students do on a variety of tests, including the California Standards Test and the state’s high school exit exam. The state has set 800 as the API target for all schools to meet. Here’s a detailed summary of the API from the California Department of Education.

Statewide, the number of California schools meeting the state target for student performance on standardized tests dropped by 2 percent.

In 2013, 51 percent of the state’s schools earned an Academic Performance Index score of 800 or above, compared to 53 percent the previous year.

Based on 2013 test scores, 56 percent of elementary schools, 50 percent of middle schools, and 31 percent of high schools are now at or above the 800 mark.

In the last decade, the number of schools meeting the target of an 800 API has increased by 30 percent.

The state’s overall API dropped two points to 789 from 791, but Torlakson was quick to note that the statewide API for poor students and students learning English increased five points and one point, respectively.