Memo:

To:
Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Trustees
Fm: Wayne Martin/Palo Alto, CA
Dt:
January 4, 2012
Re:
Student Performance Distribution in Six-County San Francisco
Bay Area Schools Based On API Scores.
Relative to the issue of whether or not to require Algebra II as a requirement for
graduation in the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD), background data about
educational attainment, costs, and parent involvement in the educational model is being
submitted to the PAUSD Board of Trustees for its consideration. This particular
document contains information about student performance within school districts in the
six-county San Francisco Bay Area that can be seen as a top-down view of not only
student achievement within the districts of each County, but also the performance gap
that exists in many school districts.
Overview
The California Academic Performance Index (API) documents student performance at
the data level (of granularity) of school, which typically involves 200-300 students for
elementary schools, increasing to upwards of 2000-3000 students for high schools. When
attempting to understand the effectiveness of the educational delivery model,
aggregating API scores within school districts, and counties, can be instructive.
Table.1, below, provides a high-level view of the educational achievement, and perstudent costs, of the six-county, San Francisco Bay Area schools:
API Scores vs Cost-to-Educate Recap (2011)

County
San Mateo
San
Francisco
Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
Alameda
Contra
Costa

Number
of
Districts
23

Avg.
Expense
$10,318

High
API
969

Low
API
575

%
Districts
> 800
58.3

%
Districts
< 800
41.7

2
12
31
18

$9,715
$9,355
$9,204
$8,993

796
925
969
939

412
601
420
474

0
66.7
62.5
47.4

100
33.3
34.5
52.6

18

$8,153

957

605

57.9

42.1

Table.1
Aggregating student performance at to high a level, such as at the political unit of
county can also be somewhat misleading, since there are so many factors involved,
such as parent education, and socio-economics, that result in more geographic
distributions of student achievement.

The data provided in this document offers a view of the regions student performance
(API scores) that divides the testing results of each district in 100-point intervals, to
obtain a view of where in the achievement spectrum the students in each district are
performing.
The data presented in each of the tables below (Tables 2-7) are the percentages of the
students in each school district that tested in each the 100-point ranges (900-1000, 800900, 700-800, 600-700 and less than 600). In order to help digest this data, the API subrange with the highest percentage has been identified in blue. The data in each row can
be seen, then, as one measure of the academic achievement of each district. If the data is
distributed across multiple zones, then this spread becomes indicative of an
achievement gap within that district.
Six-county API Distribution Data
The following tables provide the aggregate API scores of each school district in the sixcounty San Francisco Bay Area-Alameda County
County/District
Code
01100170000000
01611190000000
01611270000000
01611430000000
01611500000000
01611680000000
01611760000000
01611920000000
01612000000000
01612180000000
01612340000000
01612420000000
01612590000000
01612750000000
01612910000000
01613090000000
01750930000000
01751010000000
01751190000000

District
Alameda County Office of
Educa
Alameda City Unified
Albany City Unified
Berkeley Unified
Castro Valley Unified
Emery Unified
Fremont Unified
Hayward Unified
Livermore Valley Joint
Unified
Mountain House
Elementary
Newark Unified
New Haven Unified
Oakland Unified
Piedmont City Unified
San Leandro Unified
San Lorenzo Unified
Dublin Unified
Pleasanton Unified
Sunol Glen Unified

Valid
Tests

9001000

800900

700800

600700

<
600

1747
13979
5481
13270
13465
1027
47134
29995

0.0
14.8
18.2
1.5
15.6
0.0
20.9
0.0

9.0
71.1
81.5
28.6
83.9
0.0
70.7
1.7

73.7
13.4
0.0
69.6
0.0
74.9
8.2
78.4

11.4
0.7
0.0
0.2
0.0
25.1
0.0
19.8

5.8
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.5
0.0
0.2
0.1

18374

5.2

89.2

4.8

0.5

0.3

76
9607
18556
58441
3797
12776
16624
8989
22612
374

0.0
0.0
3.2
6.3
100.0
0.0
0.0
19.7
78.0
100.0

0.0
9.7
18.6
10.7
0.0
4.7
10.1
79.9
21.8
0.0

100.0
89.6
81.0
65.9
0.0
79.9
78.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.3
0.0
13.1
0.0
15.2
11.7
0.4
0.2
0.0

0.0
0.4
0.0
4.0
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0

Table.2

Contra Costa County

County/District
Code
07100740000000
07616300000000
07616480000000
07616550000000
07616630000000
07616710000000
07616970000000
07617050000000
07617130000000
07617210000000
07617390000000
07617470000000
07617540000000
07617620000000
07617700000000
07617880000000
07617960000000
07618040000000
07618120000000

District
Contra Costa County Office of
Acalanes Union High
Antioch Unified
Brentwood Union Elementary
Byron Union Elementary
Canyon Elementary
John Swett Unified
Knightsen Elementary
Lafayette Elementary
Liberty Union High
Martinez Unified
Moraga Elementary
Mt. Diablo Unified
Oakley Union Elementary
Orinda Union Elementary
Pittsburg Unified
West Contra Costa Unified
San Ramon Valley Unified
Walnut Creek Elementary

Valid
Tests
808
8000
26166
12846
2530
108
2306
729
4960
10249
5700
2770
49548
6972
3846
5152
41273
44038
5150

9001000
0.0
86.7
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
100.0
0.0
10.5
100.0
5.8
0.0
100.0
0.0
1.6
86.7
67.2

800900
13.0
12.9
5.3
96.6
78.5
100.0
0.0
100.0
0.0
15.1
88.3
0.0
18.4
17.4
0.0
8.5
7.2
12.9
32.8

700800
60.6
0.0
84.7
3.4
21.5
0.0
100.0
0.0
0.0
98.0
0.0
0.0
67.4
82.6
0.0
91.5
69.8
0.3
0.0

600700
10.4
0.4
11.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.3
0.7
0.0
8.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
19.3
0.0
0.0

<
600
16.0
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.7
0.5
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.1
0.1
0.0

Table.3
San Francisco County
County/District
Code
3810389000000
0
3868478000000
0

District
San Francisco County
Office of
San Francisco Unified

Valid
Tests

9001000

800900

700800

600700

< 600

434

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

100.0

75035

7.9

17.6

66.4

6.6

1.4

Table.4

San Mateo County

County/District
Code
4110413000000
0
4168858000000
0
4168866000000
0
4168874000000
0
4168882000000
0
4168890000000
0
4168908000000
0
4168916000000
0
4168924000000
0
4168932000000
0
4168940000000
0
4168957000000
0
4168965000000
0
4168973000000
0
4168981000000
0
4168999000000
0
4169005000000
0
4169013000000
0
4169021000000
0
4169039000000
0
4169047000000
0
4169062000000
0
4169070000000
0
4169088000000
0

District
San Mateo County Office of
Edu

Valid
Tests

9001000

800900

700800

600700

<
600

321

0.0

0.0

57.0

0.0

43.0

Bayshore Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores
Element

651

0.0

0.0

91.9

8.1

0.0

4609

71.3

28.7

0.0

0.0

0.0

Brisbane Elementary

842

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Burlingame Elementary

4087

19.8

80.2

0.0

0.0

0.0

Cabrillo Unified

4875

1.1

21.0

77.9

0.0

0.0

Hillsborough City Elementary

2411

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Jefferson Elementary

9483

0.0

25.5

74.5

0.0

0.0

Jefferson Union High

6905

0.0

13.1

74.1

12.1

0.6

Pacifica

4208

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

La Honda-Pescadero Unified

511

0.0

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

Las Lomitas Elementary

1932

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Menlo Park City Elementary

3811

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Millbrae Elementary

3407

0.0

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Portola Valley Elementary

1112

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Ravenswood City Elementary

5665

0.0

11.5

62.3

26.2

0.0

Redwood City Elementary

13244

4.1

14.2

70.4

11.4

0.0

San Bruno Park Elementary

3820

4.5

71.3

24.3

0.0

0.0

San Carlos Elementary

880

71.6

28.4

0.0

0.0

0.0

San Mateo-Foster City

15508

16.7

66.3

17.0

0.0

0.0

San Mateo Union High

11976

0.0

76.2

23.2

0.0

0.6

Sequoia Union High

11402

0.0

15.4

84.0

0.0

0.6

South San Francisco Unified

13485

0.0

88.3

11.6

0.0

0.2

692

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Woodside Elementary

Table.5

Santa Clara County

County/District
Code
43104390000000
43693690000000
43693770000000
43693850000000
43693930000000
43694010000000
43694190000000
43694270000000
43694350000000
43694500000000
43694680000000
43694840000000
43694920000000
43695000000000
43695180000000
43695260000000
43695340000000
43695420000000
43695750000000
43695830000000
43695910000000
43696090000000
43696170000000
43696250000000
43696330000000
43696410000000
43696660000000
43696740000000
43696820000000
43696900000000
43697080000000
43733870000000

District
Santa Clara County Office of
E
Alum Rock Union
Elementary
Berryessa Union Elementary
Cambrian
Campbell Union
Campbell Union High
Cupertino Union
East Side Union High
Evergreen Elementary
Franklin-McKinley
Elementary
Fremont Union High
Gilroy Unified
Lakeside Joint
Loma Prieta Joint Union
Elemen
Los Altos Elementary
Los Gatos Union Elementary
Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint
Union
Luther Burbank
Moreland Elementary
Morgan Hill Unified
Mountain View Whisman
Mountain View-Los Altos
Union
Mt. Pleasant Elementary
Oak Grove Elementary
Orchard Elementary
Palo Alto Unified
San Jose Unified
Santa Clara Unified
Saratoga Union Elementary
Sunnyvale
Union Elementary
Milpitas Unified

Valid
Tests

9001000

800900

700800

600700

<
600

3033

24.1

34.3

8.8

24.7

8.0

18547
12501
4947
10713
10448
26967
33784
20855

0.0
3.6
9.2
16.5
0.0
94.4
0.7
19.2

18.4
82.6
90.8
63.7
11.6
5.6
10.4
74.4

78.4
13.8
0.0
19.9
87.7
0.0
73.8
8.6

3.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
14.5
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.7
0.0
0.7
0.0

14507
14917
16149
108

0.0
21.0
1.2
100.0

16.5
69.7
74.4
0.0

83.5
9.2
74.1
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.7
0.0

649
6689
4686

100.0
100.0
100.0

0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0

4598
722
5926
13674
6742

72.2
0.0
14.0
2.8
5.6

27.8
0.0
86.0
9.7
81.7

0.0
100.0
0.0
87.0
12.8

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.0

5102
3951
16908
1280
17574
46972
21050
3605
9131
1887
14676

0.0
0.0
2.4
0.0
91.3
7.9
4.2
100.0
9.3
86.8
3.3

98.8
0.0
76.0
0.0
8.7
11.7
71.4
0.0
71.0
13.2
94.3

0.0
100.0
21.6
100.0
0.0
72.9
23.3
0.0
19.7
0.0
2.1

1.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.3
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.7
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.3

Valid
Tests

9001000

800900

700800

600700

<
600

925

42.9

0.0

0.0

55.2

1.8

146

100.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

Table.6
Santa Cruz County
County/District
Code
44104470000000
44697320000000

District
Santa Cruz County Office of
Ed
Bonny Doon Union
Elementary

44697570000000
44697650000000
44697730000000
44697810000000
44697990000000
44698070000000
44698150000000
44698230000000
44698490000000
44754320000000

Happy Valley Elementary

Live Oak Elementary
Mountain Elementary
Pacific Elementary
Pajaro Valley Unified
San Lorenzo Valley Unified
Santa Cruz City Elementary
Santa Cruz City High
Soquel Union Elementary
Scotts Valley Unified

186
2962
158
144
27733
3704
2754
6691
2797
3935

100.0
0.0
100.0
0.0
1.6
0.0
14.3
0.0
0.0
25.1

0.0
3.7
0.0
100.0
12.1
93.9
64.9
8.4
100.0
74.9

0.0
96.3
0.0
0.0
59.6
6.1
20.8
89.8
0.0
0.0

Table.7
API Distribution Recap By County
County
Alameda
Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
San Mateo
San
Francisco
Contra
Costa

Valid
Tests
296324
52135
373298
125837

9001000
14.87%
5.22%
21.72%
14.33%

800900
35.41%
29.11%
39.21%
44.48%

700800
42.80%
50.25%
38.47%
37.83%

600700
6.15%
15.59%
2.63%
3.09%

< 600
0.94%
0.20%
0.27%
0.27%

75469

7.89%

17.53%

66.01%

6.61%

1.97%

233151

27.57%

19.48%

46.68%

6.59%

0.60%

Table.8

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
27.2
0.0
0.0
1.1
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.7
0.0
0.0

Graphical Recap of Six-County SF.BayArea API Distribution

Data
Distribution of API Scores In Six-County
San Francisco Bay Area Schools (2011)

Percent of
Students In
Given API
Segment

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Alameda

<600
600-700
700-800
800-900
900-1000

Santa
Clara

San
Francisco

Counties In San Francsico Bay Area

API Distribution Using 800 As A Center Point (2011)

County
Alameda
Santa Cruz
Santa Clara
San Mateo
San
Francisco
Contra
Costa

Valid
Tests
296324
52135
373298
125837

> 800
50.28%
34.33%
60.93%
58.81%

<800
49.90%
66.03%
41.37%
41.19%

75469

25.41%

74.59%

233151

47.05%

53.87%

Table.9

API Scores Above /Below "Proficient" in

Six-County San Francisco Bay Area (2011)

Percentage of
Student
Scores
Above/Below
800

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

<800
>800

Alameda

Santa
Clara

San
Francisco

Counties

Observations:
The following observations can be made from the data above

The blue score represents the center of mass of academic achievement in a

given school district.
Student achievement varies considerably, from district to district.
About 50% of the Six-Countys schools are performing at less than the California
State target API score of 800.
School Districts testing in the Advanced zone generally represent 15% of the
student body.
Achievement Gaps exists across counties, and often within school districts.
Santa Clara County tests highest in the Six-County SF.BayArea (based on
percentage of students scores over 800).

To Do:
Data presentations such as this one invariably open more doors than they close. The
following additional data would be needed to fully appreciate the API vs Cost-ToEducate data presented herein

Link API data into Census Block Data.

Plot API data geographicallyperhaps identifying achievement/nonachievement zones for subsequent study.
Link API distribution data with parent educational achievement data.
Link API scores to high school graduation standards.
Link API distributions to SAT/ACT scores.
Link API distributions to high school graduation rates.
Link API distributions to college acceptance rates.
Refine the 700-800 API score zone, computing timelines for school districts to
achieve 800 scores.
Investigate school districts with >900 scores to better understand teaching
methodologies.
Investigate other graphic approaches to displaying education data such as this.

Conclusions
The depth and breath of the educational model that has emerged in California today is
so complicated that any attempt to analyze the vast store of data available to the public
almost defies any goal of understanding the reality of the system. Concepts like an
Academic Performance Index (API), which reduce the year-long efforts of all of the
staff, students, and the students parents, in a given school, a school district, a county and
ultimately the whole state to a single number, can hardly express anything meaningful
about the state of education of all of those involved in the educational process. It is,
unfortunately, the best that we have at the moment to describe educational achievement
in California.
From the distribution of API testing data in the Six-County San Francisco Bay Area, the
following can be inferred, however-

Uniform testing across all school districts results not likely in foreseeable future.
More than 50% of Bay Area students will test at/over 800 (API) within ten years.
Parent education and socio-economics far more important in predicting student
performance than generally given credit by the education establishment.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) goals of a national achievement level of
proficiency by 2014 is not possible.

This data presentation has been developed for the Palo Alto Unified School District
Board of Trustees in order to help create a big picture about the local school district
requirements for graduation from high school. Since this data involves all of the school
districts in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area, school officials in those districts are
advised to consider this data when making similar decisions in their districts.
Wayne Martin
Palo Alto, CA
On-the-Net:
API Scores vs Per-Student-Cost-To-Educate In Six-County
SF.BayArea Schools:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/76979363/California-API-Scores-vs-Per-Student-Cost-toEducate-Data-For-Six-County-San-Francisco-Bay-Area
API Scores vs Parent Education in Six-County SF.BayArea
Schools:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/76542173/API-Scores-vs-Parent-Education-2011-For-SixSan-Francisco-Bay-Area-Counties
California Public School Statistics:

http://california.educationbug.org/public-schools/
California Public Schools: 9,324
6,298,92
Number of Students:
8
California Elementary Schools: 5,580
California Middle Schools: 1,341
California High Schools: 1,839
3,191,19
Number of Male Students:
6
3,021,49
Number of Female Students:
6
Asian-Pacific Islander
704,678
Students:
American Indian-Alaskan
52,706
Students:
Black Students: 510,697
2,898,32
Hispanic Students:
8
2,046,28
White Students:
3