Schools Improve On State Tests But Many Fall Short Of Federal Goals

Sacramento, CA — Progress reports on how well the state´s schools are doing is showing mixed results.

State officials say that most California schools hit their targets for academic performance this year, but nearly half failed to meet a separate federal benchmark.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O´Connell says eight of ten public schools improved their standardized test scores enough to meet their goals on what is called the Academic Performance Index, or A-P-I.

That figure is up from the 64 percent that met the target last year. But while schools´ performances improved according to the state measurement, the number of schools who met the federal goal declined.

According to the federal Adequate Yearly Progress measurement, 56 percent of all California schools showed what it termed “adequate yearly progress.” Last year, 65 percent of California schools met that goal.