Inside the
API rankings

The California Academic Performance Index, the API, is not easy to understand or to explain to someone not familiar with the complexity of statistics. However, there is a user-friendlyWebsite page that Sacramento wants us to use. I do not understand why this and other newspapers do not publish it. You will easily access whatever county you want, whatever district, whatever school you want to check. When you navigate across the state, be prepared for shock at the lousy scores of our high school students.

Type in http://api.cde.ca.gov. Read the disclaimer, click on the red words, (new page) then click on the first bullet, (new page) then click on the third bullet, (new page) and type in Conejo Valley.

You will see that a third of our schools again failed to make the minimum required which is 800 points, or approximately 73 percent of the total possible points awarded. There are 1000 points, but it starts at 200. Therefore, using easy math, you will see that 80 points makes each 10 percent. Therefore, the real top 10 percent is 920 and above, next 840 and above, the next 780 and above, and so on.

What the State reports in the "rankings" is really what stanine group your school falls into. The State is not awarding a rank. It is reporting all the scores that the students made, and then dividing those sad scores by ten groups. The high school top stanine is so embarrassingly bad that schools could score as low as 804 as Westlake did, and still be in the #10 group.

Click on Thousand Oaks High School ethnic breakdown and you will see that for the last few years between 10 and 11 percent of the school is an "economically disadvantaged" group that only scored between 560 and the low 600s.

That is what is newsworthy. How are these kids going to get jobs? Are we going to see an increase in crime with these kids? The district must address this terrible situation and get some education into these students. The Board is always highlighting the accomplishments of the students who give them good PR while ignoring this crisis.

Remember, at 11 percent, that’s more than one out of every 10 kids walking the halls at Thousand Oaks High School only have 40 to 50 percent of the Academic Performance Index criteria. Would you dare to say that such a school is among the best in the nation? Some would, and some fools would say that the Emperor’s clothes are made of silk and jewels.

The top elementary school this year is Sleepy Hollow in Orinda, Contra Costa County with 962. Click on it and then "similar schools." You will see the top schools in the state, many scoring 100 points higher than our district average of 828. You should also look at Santa Clara County, Los Altos Elementary. That’s where I’m from and that is my standard for excellence. The average for the elementary schools in the district is 936. That means some of their students scored even higher. The middle school there, Eagan, was the No. 1 junior high in the state for three years. I pulled my kid out of Los Cerritos and sent him there.

Do not continue to report that our schools here are getting "the highest scores possible." These are not scores, these are merely groups that they fall into. Think of it like a beautiful baby contest with 10 prizes. Ten babies are entered, but nine are ugly. All the "prizes" will be awarded and the parents can claim glory and honor for their offspring, but the neighbors will know the truth. This is the scene in California public education. Those of you who are "neighbors" from out of state or have kids in private schools understand what I’m saying. But try to explain it to a stubborn and brainwashed public, and it will be like telling the truth to the "winners" in what’s really an "ugly baby" contest.

We have a crisis in California education and the media must expose the truth, not continue this false sense of accomplishment. Do not spread misinformation that a "10" indicates the highest possible achievement. Next year, please report how many schools in this district and the county will be put on notice in Sacramento because they will have failed again to make the generous 73 percent minimum requirement of 800 points.

Cathy Carlson

Founder, Accuracy in School Accountability