The September 15th release of the California's Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports validate the strong performance of the ten elementary schools within the Newhall School District. Newhall's district-wide API leaped from 879 last year to 890 this year. The district's API has steadily increased for the last six years and it once again is the highest ranking school district in the Santa Clarita Valley. Newhall has topped the Santa Clarita Valley's district API list for the last five years.

The state goal for the API is 800 and every school in the Newhall district exceeds this benchmark. Four of Newhall's schools (Stevenson Ranch, Valencia Valley, Oak Hills, and Pico Canyon Elementary Schools) have APIs that exceed 900 on the state's 1000 point scale. Oak Hills School moved its score 28 points to 933. Valencia Valley showed a 23 point gain this year, rising to 929. McGrath Elementary increased its score by 20 points moving to 857 this year.Newhall School made a 22 point gain and now has an API of 814.

The API is based on the State's STAR testing so the results came as no surprise to Newhall administrators who have been analyzing STAR scores since they were released in late August. Nancy Copley, assistant superintendent of instruction for Newhall, said there are many factors that contribute to the district's success.

"We have been training teachers in a coherent writing program for six years. Writing is such a powerful skill that it affects every other aspect of achievement and we are seeing the results. We have also been concentrating on the academic needs of English Language Learners and training teachers in effective instructional methods for these students. Our teachers have effective instructional techniques and work very hard, at every site, to take all children to their highest potential. The API is a validation of their efforts."

The district also reached its Adequate Yearly Progress benchmarks. The Adequate Yearly
Progress report is required by the No Child Left Behind Act. This measure requires that all groups within the school, by ethnicity, language ability, disability, and socio-economic standing make adequate progress towards proficiency as measure by the state's STAR assessments.

The current API in Newhall is an admirable accomplishment in a district where about 25% of the students have limited English skills. At some sites (McGrath, Newhall, Wiley Canyon, Peachland Schools) the limited English speaking students make up a third to a half of the student population. These schools also have some of the highest level of students living in poverty in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The school wide index at sites impacted by limited English speaking students often masks even stronger achievement among other groups. If one peels apart the API, one finds that nsd's Anglo students, generally unencumbered by language barriers, are doing extraordinarily well.

The API at the district's namesake school, Newhall Elementary, tells this story. While the schoolwide index of 814 is above the statewide goal of 800, Anglo students at the site actually achieved an API of 916, placing them solidly among Anglo students at the district's other schools.

2009 Academic Performance Index - All Students Ranked High to Low
N/A = not a significant subgroup

Site API

Anglo Students School API Ranked High to Low

Site API

"Our Anglo student group does extraordinarily well at every site, including Newhall, Peachland, and Wiley Canyon Schools, where they are in the minority," said Marc Winger, superintendent of schools. "The 916 Anglo student API at Newhall School, where Hispanics make up almost 70% of the population, is one of the highest scores in the district. While our Hispanic student group, made up of high numbers of limited English speakers, presents us with our biggest instructional challenge we clearly meet the needs of all students in all of our schools."

Hispanic Students School API Ranked High to Low
Note: This population includes a significant number of English Language Learners who, by definition, are not yet proficient in English

Site API
2008/09 % of total enrollment

"It is a huge challenge to insure that certain groups, especially those with limited English skills or those living below the poverty line, reach proficiency in the required numbers," said Mike McGrath, president of the district's Governing Board. "The fact that we continue to reach overall State goals, even with large numbers of students who, by definition, should not be proficient because of their language limitations, is a tribute to our hard working teachers and effective principals. We are very proud of the job our staff does at all our schools."

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