Campbell Schools Do Well on State API Report

The California Academic Performance Index base report was released May 5 and overall, Santa Clara County schools, including Campbell did very well.

The API is a tool that the state uses in order to rate a school's performance on scale of 200 to 1,000. California's benchmark, or expected average is 800.

The base number is compiled between the total API growth (released in Aug. 2010) and the 2009 base. From there, schools and districts are given an expected growth number, the total they should aim for.

overall raised its API score by 25 points, from 806 to 831. The highest API score goes to Marshall Lane Elementary, with a score of 959 and the lowest API score goes to , with a score of 727.

The biggest jump goes to Sherman Oaks Community Charter School, which raised its API score from 742 to 830--an 88-point jump. The biggest drop happened at Lynhaven Elementary, whose API score fell from 791 to 773--an 18-point drop.

"I think it reflects a tremendous focused effort the staff and community pulled together," says Donna Tonry, Principal at Sherman Oaks. "It was a tremendous effort that they (teachers) made with collaboration and intense focus."

The school is the only dual immersion program in Campbell Union School District, with the instruction being taught half the time in English and the other half in Spanish.

"It puts Sherman oaks on the map," Tonry says. "We strive to be the dual immersion school that everyone wants to attend. And this is a big step in getting us to that point."

The school district is also excited about how well its schools are doing.

"We’re very happy about the gains," says Marla Olszeweski, district spokeswoman. "What it shows us that the work that they’re doing is showing results, its paying off. Teachers are able to be more targeted at helping children learn."

But API is not the end all, be all to judge a school, she cautions.

"There’s a lot to figure out in what makes a school the best," Olszeweski. "It's seductive to have one number. Its easy to say, 'give me a number.' Looking at one number, its like the doctor taking your blood pressure only and telling you you’re healthy. It's not a complete picture."

In Moreland School District, all school have raised their total API.

The district overall raised its API by 40 points, from 830 to 870. The highest API score goes to Country Lane School, with a score of 941 and the lowest API score goes to Anderson Elementary, with a score of 810.

The biggest jump goes to , which raised its API from 768 to 843--a 75-point jump.

In , all schools raised their total API.

The district overall raised its API by 14 points, from 747 to 761. The highest API score goes to Leigh High School, with a score of 817 and the lowest API score goes to , with a score of 701.

The biggest jump goes to Del Mar, which raised its API from 680 to 701--a 21-point jump.

Editor's Note: The initial story said that CUSD raised its score by 24 points, when in fact it raised it by 25. The numbers on Blackford Elementary were also incorrect. The corrections have been made. We appologize for the mistake.