State Rankings Buoy School District

A quick glance indicates Los Alamitos Unified School District scored high on the Academic Performance Index (API) test results released last week.

All eight schools surveyed are within the top 20% of the state, four are in the top 10% and, because of that, the district will be rewarded with cash bonuses of up to $150 per student.

But upon closer inspection, why didn’t the local schools score as well in the comparison of similar schools? The answer is unknown, said Elaine Hamada, director of curriculum for the district.

She said that particular ranking takes into account the parents’ levels of education, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, the percent of teachers with emergency permits, the percentage of English-language learners and other factors like student mobility.

It may be that the data in that category are not accurate, or “it could be that we are not doing as well as we think we are.”

She said that one school ranked very high overall, but not as well when compared to similar schools: “That communicates to us that even if we’re doing well in the statewide rankings, maybe we’re not doing as well as our peers.”

She said if two schools match with a high score, then parents can be assured that it’s truly an outstanding school.

Collecting the data required to compare schools can be especially frustrating. For example, last year Hamada sent every parent in the district a questionnaire on their level of education. Less than half responded and some said that it was none of the district’s business.

“We did not have the option to say the information was not available,” she said. District staff then began the process of guesstimating by sorting through information cards each school office had filed at the beginning of the school year. Based on what parents had written down as their occupation, school officials guessed at their level of education.

Still, Hamada is pleased with the district’s level of excellence and said the results will be used to identify areas where they can grow.

Home buyers may also be interested in the results. She said it is not unusual for real estate agents and prospective buyers to call and ask about schools and test results, although she said that she stresses parents should always visit the schools.

Dixie Fried, a real estate agent with Remax College Park, said the API scores only “reinforces what we already knew.” The Rossmoor resident moved to the area 20 years ago. Her children went through the district’s schools and now her grandchildren attend.

Fried has already saved and clipped some newspaper articles on the rankings.

“It will be nice to have this on a piece of paper,” she said.

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Ana Cholo-Tipton can be reached at (714) 966-5890.