Surf City schools score well on API

Andrew Edwards

Several Huntington Beach schools rank among the best in the state,

according to the latest round of Academic Performance Index scores.

Local schools compare well with their California counterparts, but

many still have a way to go before hitting the state’s target.

The API is the state’s primary tool to track schools’ performance.

The 2003 base score, released this week, sets targets for schools to

move up the academic ladder. Scores are calculated from various

standardized tests that students take each spring.

Schools that reach targets can be eligible for bonus funding,

though the awards programs are not being funded.

In the Huntington Beach City School District, only two schools,

Perry Elementary and Dwyer Middle, earned less than the state target

score of 800 points. Scores range from 200 to 1,000.

In the Ocean View School District, five of the district’s 11

elementary schools surpassed 800 points, as did two of the district’s

four middle schools. The school needing to make the biggest jump is

Oak View Elementary, which is in a primarily Latino community where

most of the children are still learning English. Oak View must up its

score by eight points to reach a target score of 656. Oak View was

ranked in the top 10 percentile among similar schools.

Some schools that earned high statewide rankings did not fare as

well when compared to similar schools.

“My direction to [school administrators] is to take a look at

similar schools and talk with schools in our district that have

higher scores,” said Karen Colby, Ocean View School District’s

assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Sun View Elementary received the lowest possible ranking when

compared to similar schools. This denotes a problem, administrators

say. Principal John Drake said he hopes to improve scores by

increasing the amount of time Sun View children spend in reading

classes and by teaching all kindergartners and some first-graders

using a phonics-heavy program. Teachers would select first-graders

needing extra help to participate in the program.

“Oftentimes, we were waiting too long to identify kids who had

special needs,” Drake said.

No schools in the Huntington Beach Union High School District

topped 800 points, but fared well when compared to similar campuses.

Jerry White, the high school district director of curriculum,

denied the importance of this batch of scores.

“I can’t really tell anything from this,” White said. “All I can

say is, ‘This is our new target.’”

Of Huntington’s four high schools, Ocean View High School has the

most ground to cover this year: a six-point gain to make 682. Edison

and Marina high schools both need to improve their scores by three

points, and Huntington Beach High must up its score by four points to

reach its target.

White said it was generally tougher for high schools to score 800

points than elementary schools, since high school students can have a

hard time getting back on track if they fall behind.

“The higher up you go, the more difficult it is,” he said.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

HOW THEY SCORED

HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

*--*

2003 State- Similar 2003-04 2004

Base wide Schools Growth API

scores Rank Rank Target Target

Elementary

Schools

Eader 837 9 1 A A*

Hawes 817 10 3 A A

Huntington

Seacliff 885 10 3 A A

Kettler 802 8 2 A A

Moffett 862 9 5 A A

Perry 741 6 3 3 744

Peterson 866 9 7 A A

Smith 835 9 2 A A

Middle

Schools

Dwyer 776 8 2 1 777

Sowers 816 9 2 A A

*--*

OCEAN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT

*--*

2003 State- Similar 2003-04 2004

Base wide Schools Growth API

scores Rank Rank Target Target

Elementary

Schools

Circle View 892 10 9 A A

College View 780 7 7 1 781

Golden View 782 7 2 1 783

Harbour View 843 9 5 A A

Hope View 837 9 3 A A

Lake View 751 6 6 2 753

Oak View 648 3 10 8 656

Star View 824 9 7 A A

Sun View 699 4 1 5 704

Village View 864 9 9 A A

Westmont 739 6 8 3 742

Middle

Schools

Marine View 806 9 9 A A

Mesa View 808 9 10 A A

Spring View 777 8 7 1 778

Vista View 753 8 8 2 775

*--*

HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

*--*

2003 State- Similar 2003-04 2004

Base wide Schools Growth API

scores Rank Rank Target Target

Edison 748 9 10 3 751

Huntington

Beach 727 8 8 4 731

Marina 742 8 9 3 745

Ocean View 676 6 8 6 682

*--*

*An A means the school has met its target

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers education and crime. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7177, (949) 494-4321 or [email protected].