News
News Release:
 San Diego Unified Meets 45 of 46 Federal Progress Targets
Shares Top Spot Among State’s Biggest Districts
August 31, 2007

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Unified School District tied for best among California’s large urban school districts in helping all groups of students meet federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) growth in test scores, according to figures released today by the state Department of Education.

In addition, the district increased the number of schools achieving at least 800 on the Academic Performance Index (API), and, as a whole, the district’s API increased.

No large urban district in California met the federal AYP goals, according to the state, however San Diego Unified came closest, meeting 45 of 46 targets. Sacramento City Unified School District matched San Diego’s performance.

“We are encouraged by the latest results, but we’re not complacent,” said Geno Flores, Deputy Superintendent.”

To meet Adequate Yearly Progress requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, districts and individual schools must test at least 95 percent of students overall and in “numerically significant” subgroups, plus meet minimum academic, API and graduation rate targets.

The district and each of the following subgroups met all of their 2007 academic achievement targets: African American or Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Filipino, Hispanic or Latino, Pacific Islander, White, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged and English Learners. Students with Disabilities did not meet minimum levels in English Language Arts.

The AYP and API results are generated from a student’s performance on three tests: the California Standards Tests, the California High School Exit Exam and the California Alternate Performance Assessment. The AYP is a federal mandate, while the API is a California standard.

Under state guidelines, a school with an API score of 800 is considered a high-achieving campus. San Diego Unified increased the number of schools above 800, with 54 in 2007, versus 53 in 2006. The district’s overall API increased to 735, from 731 in 2005-06.

“A dozen of those above-800 schools tested above 900, which is really something to celebrate,” said Flores. “Those students and teachers have been working very hard and have success to show.

“But we still have many schools that don’t meet the 800 level. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work to bring those scores up.”