The California Department of Education (CDE) released its Academic Performance Index (API) scores Thursday, August 29. The high school’s growth API jumped six points, peaking just under 900 at an all time high of 895.

“Our growth, especially among Latino and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, is a testament to LAHS’ commitment to challenging and supporting students,” Coordinator Joanna Miyahara said in the press release.  “Staff development efforts, such as reading apprenticeship and growth mindset, have helped create a culture where students are encouraged to take on challenging tasks and learn much more effectively through explicit coaching and metacognition.”

The Latino group saw a score increase of 22 points, jumping from the base 2012 score of 766 to the growth 2013 score of 788, while the socioeconomically challenged group saw a score increase of 37 points, arriving at a score of 791 from 754.  Every other numerically significant group saw an increase in API score also, although the growths were smaller when compared to the Latino and socioeconomically challenged groups.

The API was implemented in 1999 in California to allow for accountability in public K-12 education. The API is calculated by aggregating students’ California Standards Tests (CSTs), California Modified Assessments (CMAs), Calfornia Alternate Performance Assessments (CAPAs) and California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) scores into one comprehensive measure to allow for cross state comparisons. The school’s score has been on the rise since 2004, when the school had a base API score of 791.

As districts across California are unsure of what form of standardized testing will be implemented for Common Core, these API scores might well be the last comparable data point for intra-school comparisons of growth.