1. Academic Performance Index API Overview of Criteria and Requirements February 1st, 2008

2. What is API?
The Academic Performance Index (API) is the cornerstone of California's Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999 (PSAA). It is required under Education Code Section
API is designed to measure the academic performance and growth of schools.
API determinations are based on a numeric index (or scale) that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000.
A statewide API performance target is set at 800 for all schools. A school's growth is measured by how well it is moving toward or past the 800 goal.
A school's API Base (previous year’s API performance) is subtracted from its API Growth (current year’s API performance) to determine how much the school improved in a year.

3. How does the API Work?
Simply put, the API is calculated by converting a student’s performance on a statewide assessment into points on the API scale. These points are then averaged across all students and all tests. The result is a school’s API. An API is also calculated for groups of students – ethnic groups, students living in poverty, students learning English, and students with disabilities – so that the public can clearly see how all significant groups of students are performing at every school.

4. How does the API Work?
Growth or decline in the API determines eligibility for either state awards or intervention programs. A school’s or student group’s annual target for improvement (growth target) is determined by taking 5 percent of the difference between a school’s or group’s current API and the statewide performance target of 800. A school and its student groups must make a minimum five-point gain. This means that lower-performing groups have larger growth targets than higher-performing groups. A school must meet both its school and student group targets to be considered successful.

5. How does the API Work?
The API system is based on year-to-year improvement. It measures the success of a school solely on the basis of how much student achievement improves. This model supports reasonable but rigorous targets that are unique to each school. In the API system, lower-performing schools have a larger growth target than higher-performing schools. This recognizes that not all schools start at the same place, and encourages schools to focus attention on students with the greatest needs.

6. Why does the API Work Best for California Schools?
API supports high expectations
A growth model such as the API supports California’s rigorous standards and a rigorous definition of what constitutes “proficiency.” Since the API values the net improvement of individual districts and schools, there is no advantage to be gained from lowering expectations by redefining what constitutes “proficient.”
API requires continuous improvement
Even a high-performing school will find that test score gains will be reflected in API increases. This constitutes an incentive for continuous improvement for all schools.

7. Why does the API Work Best for California Schools?
API is sensitive to improvement by all students
The API is sensitive to improvement by students across the academic spectrum. For example, the school receives credit not only if a student moves from the basic to proficient levels of performance but also if a student moves from the far below basic to the basic performance level or even from the proficient to the advanced performance level.
API supports closing achievement gaps
Prior to 2007, targets for student groups were 80 percent of the school’s target. Beginning with the 2007 API, growth targets will be calculated separately for large enough student groups within a school and set at 5 percent growth (or a minimum of five points) toward an API of 800. This will require schools to address the achievement gaps that persist between traditionally higher- and lower-scoring groups of students.

8. Why does the API Work Best for California Schools?
API focuses on the lowest-performing students
Because it gives extra points to a school for the improvement of students at the lowest levels of performance, the API encourages schools to focus on the instructional needs of these students.
API is comprehensive
The API incorporates results from a variety of statewide assessments, including the California Standards Tests in science and history/social science. Therefore, it is a more comprehensive measure than the federal system, which focuses solely on percentages of students scoring proficient or above on one assessment in English-language arts and one in mathematics.

9. Why does the API Work Best for California Schools?
API allows for the addition of new measures
The API, which focuses on year-to-year growth, enables the future incorporation of new measures, such as attendance rates and graduation rates, without a fundamental change to the accountability system.
API identifies the right schools for intervention
It makes little sense to identify California schools for corrective action when they are making significant improvement as reflected by the API. By emphasizing growth, the API system enables the state to identify the schools most in need of intervention.

10. When is API reported?
An API reporting cycle consists of two components: (1) base information and (2) growth information.
Generally, base reports are provided after the first of the calendar year, and the growth reports are provided each August.
Both the base and Growth API reports are based on APIs that are calculated in exactly the same fashion, with the same indicators, but using test results from two different years.

11. What is included in the API growth model?
Statewide performance target of 800 on a scale of 200 to 1000.
Compensatory (by student and content areas).
Subgroup targets are the same as school targets – 5% growth toward an index score of 800.
School results reported in decile rankings:
Statewide
Similar Schools rankings
Schools meet both school-wide and subgroup API criteria by achieving:
Growth target of 5% of the distance to 800, OR
API of 800 or above (statewide performance target)
All subgroups meet the same growth targets as the school.
The minimum growth target for a school is one point.
A school with an API of 800 or more must maintain its API of at least 800.
Districts do not receive APIs under the state requirements of the Public School Accountability Act (PSAA); APIs are reported for districts in order to meet NCLB requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

12. What are the subgroups used to determine API?
Subgroup API information is calculated for the following 10 categories of students:
African American or Black (not of Hispanic origin)
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Filipino
Hispanic or Latino
Pacific Islander
White (not of Hispanic origin)
Socioeconomically disadvantaged
English learner
Students with disabilities
"Socioeconomically disadvantaged" is defined as a student whose parents both have not received a high school diploma OR a student who participates in the free or reduced-price lunch program (also known as the National School Lunch Program).
"English Learner" is defined as an English learner or as a reclassified-fluent-English-proficient (RFEP) student who has not scored at the proficient level or above on the CST in ELA for three years after being reclassified.
"Student with Disabilities" is defined as a student who receives special education services and has a valid disability code.

13. What are the student testing policies related to API calculations?
Eighty-five percent (85%) of all students must be tested for each content area, i.e., Math, ELA, Science, History-Social Science in order for the school to receive a valid API.
API is based on the results of:
California Standards Tests (CSTs)
English-language arts (ELA), grades two through eleven, including a writing assessment at grades four and seven
Mathematics, grades two through eleven
History-social science, grades eight, ten, and eleven
Science, grades five, eight, and nine through eleven
California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA)
ELA, grades two through eleven
Norm-referenced test (NRT)
California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey) in reading, language, spelling, and mathematics, grades three and seven
California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE)
English-language arts and mathematics, grade ten (and grades eleven and twelve if the student passed the test)

14. How are test weights used to determine APIs?
Statewide test results are incorporated into the API calculation according to the amount of weight, or emphasis, given to each test.
Each school’s content area weights are determined based on test weights established by the State Board of Education (SBE) and on the number of valid test scores in each content area and grade level at a school.
API calculations result in content area weights that may be slightly different for each individual school.
The test weights apply to test results at the individual student test level rather than at the school level.
Test weights are shown as decimals rather than percentages and are the same for the API Base and the API Growth within an API reporting cycle.
The test weights are the same for all schools (based on grade spans two through eight and nine through eleven) and are the same for a school's API as well as for its subgroup APIs.
The test weights were adopted by the SBE and implemented beginning with the API reporting cycle. The weights are the same for the API reporting cycle.

15. 2005-06 API Reporting Cycle Test Weights for Grade Levels Two Through Eight
Note: The Assignment of 200 weight is assigned as scores for students
who did not take the CST in mathematics, grade eight.

16. 2005-06 API Reporting Cycle Test Weights for Grade Levels Nine Through Eleven
Note: The Assignment of 200 weights are assigned as scores for students
who did not take the CST in mathematics, grades nine through eleven,
or the CST in science, grades nine through eleven.

17. API Performance Level Weighting Factors
Note: Each student’s performance level weighting factor is multiplied by a test weight and summed for all content areas for the school. This sum is divided by the sum of the test weights for the school to produce a single number between 200 and 1000, which is the API for a school. The API is calculated separately for grades two through six, seven through eight, and nine through eleven.

18. What is the significance of “Statewide” and “Similar” Schools Rankings?
API decile ranks are listed on the API Base reports.
Schools are ranked in ten categories of equal size, called deciles, from one (lowest) to ten (highest).
The statewide rank compares a school to other schools of the same type statewide. A school's statewide rank is the decile where that school's API occurs compared to other schools statewide. To calculate the statewide ranks, schools' API scores are first sorted separately within school type: elementary, middle, and high schools. For each of the three categories, schools’ API scores are organized from lowest to highest statewide. This list of school APIs is divided into ten groups of equal size and numbered from one (lowest) to ten (highest).
The similar schools rank compares a school to 100 other schools of the same type and similar demographic characteristics. To calculate the similar schools ranks, schools are separated by school type. Next, a School Characteristics Index (SCI) is determined for each school. A comparison group of 100 similar schools is formed based on similar SCIs. The APIs of the comparison group is organized into deciles from one (lowest) to ten (highest). A school's similar schools rank is the decile where that school's API occurs compared to the 100 other schools in the comparison group.

19. Accountability Quiz Question 1
What formula is used to calculate the Academic Growth Target for a School and each significant subgroup?
(800 - API Base Score ) X API Base Score
(800 - API Base Score ) X API Base Score
(800 - API Growth Score ) X API Base Score
(800 - API Base Score ) X API Base Score 19

20. Accountability Quiz Question 2
What Percentage of all Students must take the CST in each Content area in order for the school to receive an API score?
75%
85%
90%
95% 20

21. Accountability Quiz Question 3
Which assessment has the most weight in determining a student’s API in grades 2-8?
CST Science
CAHSEE ELA
CST Mathematics
CST English Language Arts 21