Laguna Beach schools rank high

Laguna Beach’s public schools ranked high in academic achievement compared to schools statewide, according to new figures released by the state.

However, they ranked relatively low when compared to similar schools.

Top of the World Elementary School received the top overall rank in the state Academic Performance Index (or API). The district’s three other schools also received high overall scores.

Nearly one in five public schools in the county received the highest rank of 10, including Top of the World.

“In many places, there is such an emphasis on tests — but my belief is that if you teach to the whole child, they will do even better than if you just focused on academics,” Principal Ron La Motte said.

The city’s other three public schools all received a rank of 9, considered to be nearly perfect.

The ranking runs from 1 to 10, and compares schools to the rest of the state.

However, another ranking compares “similar schools” to each other.

In order to cluster pools of these similar schools for comparison, the state examined students’ ethnicity and socioeconomic status; average class sizes; numbers of credentialed teachers; and other data.

By those standards, Top of the World also scored the highest within Laguna Beach, with a rank of 3.

But this is far from its overall statewide ranking of 10, meaning that other comparable schools received higher overall API scores.

Many other schools in Orange County that received an overall ranking of 10 also received a comparative ranking of 10.

El Morro Elementary ranked a 2, while Laguna Beach High and Thurston Middle schools both received the lowest comparative rankings of 1, despite their high overall scores.

No Laguna Beach school was given targets for future achievement, as they already are considered excellent by the state.

The new figures are updated versions of the 2007 rankings, which were first announced last August.

In determining a school’s API score, the state considers standardized tests and the high school exit exam.

Rankings for 2008 will be released late this summer.