The Argos continue to shine on the STAR tests, and strong performance on the May California Standards Test contributed to a 14 point gain on our Academic Performance Index (API), bringing our API score up to 796. On the heels of a 12 point gain last year, and 26 points the year before, that's 73 points in 5 years - Bravo Argos! We still have plenty of work to do in the academic arena to get our score up to 800, the goal for all schools in California. The goal for GGHS is to reach 800 by 2010 - we'll need one more year of substantial growth to get there, but I sincerely believe we have what it takes to gain the 4 points needed to reach the goal.
What in the World is API?
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Q: What does a gain in API do for our school?
A: A higher API increases the rate of college acceptance for our high school. When a college looks at a high school, they first consider our demographics, and then they look at our API score. A few years ago, some of our students were accepted into Harvard. When those students came back, they told us, “Harvard knows about Garden Grove High School.” They see us as a school that beat the odds.
Q: How do we increase our API?
A: The higher the number of students who score in the Advanced and Proficient brackets of the CST’s, the higher our API will be. We also get more points if we have students move up from a lower bracket to a higher one. Every single student needs to do whatever it takes to improve their own skills and learning, and then perform to the best of their ability. We need to focus on math scores the most. That is our most problematic area, and is our lowest scoring subject area regardless of the course. Our science scores have been the highest of any subject area for at least the past 5 years.
Q: What contributed to our incredible gain over the last few years?
A: I sincerely believe our greatest strength as a school lies in the attitudes of our teachers and students. Teachers have embraced the importance of teaching you the skills and concepts you need to know, and they are passionate about supporting your academic growth. In addition, the vast majority of our students take the tests seriously and do their best to score well.
Q: How are we performing with our API compared to that of other schools in the district?
A: I am proud to say that since last year, we have increased our API by 14 points. We are ranked highly not only in the Garden Grove District, but also in Orange County. Even though some schools have demographics almost identical to ours, we have moved far ahead. In our district, only Pacifica and La Quinta stand ahead of us. Our current API is 796, so reaching 800 in the next year or so is not at all impossible. The score is within our grasp, so keep up the fantastic work Argos!
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