There is a wealth of information about California public schools on the Internet. Access to some of the most valuable information can be found from the Schools section of this web site including access to the Standardize Testing and Reporting (STAR) results and the Academic Performance Index (API).
What is the STAR testing program?
One part of the state testing system is the Standardized Testing
and Reporting (STAR) program. This program, administered
annually, was authorized in 1997 by state law (Senate Bill 376).
The purpose of the STAR testing program is to help measure how
well students are learning basic academic skills.
Who must take the STAR tests?
All students in grades 2 through 11 must take the designated
STAR tests. Students learning English and students in special
education programs are included. Only students who's Individual
Education Plans specifically exempt them from statewide testing
and students with written parent/guardian requests to exempt
them do not take the STAR tests.
How are the STAR test results used?
Teachers, parents/guardians, and students use individual STAR
results to help monitor each student's academic progress. Individual
student results are combined to prepare grade-level reports for each
school, district, county, and the state. These results are used with
other information about student achievement to help make decisions
about ways to improve student learning and school programs.
Stanford 9 test results also are used to calculate the Academic
Performance Index (API) school reports. The API, a major component of the state 's
accountability program, is used to rank the
academic performance of California public schools, measure growth,
and monitor progress over time. The Stanford 9 results for 2000 are
being used to see how well schools met 1999 -2000 growth targets.
What is the API?
The API measures the performance and progress of a school. It
is a numeric index or scale that ranges from a low of 200 to a
high of 1000. The state has set 800 as the API score that
schools should strive to meet. Schools that fall short of the
target will be required to meet annual growth targets until the
statewide target of 800 is reached. Schools that already meet or
exceed the statewide target of 800 should continue working to
improve the academic performance of all their students.
different backgrounds and needs. As a result, schools face
different educational challenges and opportunities. For this
reason, it is helpful to provide information about a school's
academic achievement as it compares to similar schools.
