Hermosa Schools Top API Rankings

and both earned coveted 10-10 ratings, ranking them among the top 10 percent of schools statewide as well as the top 10 percent of schools when compared to similar schools, according to public school test-score-based rankings released Thursday by the state Department of Education.

The state ranks schools academically on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the top 10 percent, to determine a school's standing compared to other schools statewide. The rankings are based on the school's base Academic Performance Index, which is calculated for elementary, middle and high schools based on results of the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program and California High School Exit Exam.

The base API is determined based on the previous year's performance on the standardized tests.

Because of the nature of the system, 10 percent of schools statewide will always be in each decile. Where a school falls, according to score, changes over the years as schools improve their scores.

Both Hermosa schools schools scored above the statewide performance target of 800 in 2010. Hermosa Valley's base score of 937 remained unchanged between 2010 and 2011, while Hermosa View's base score rose 13 points to 951.

The state also released base API scores for districts today. The target API score set by the state Department of Education is 800. The Hermosa Beach school district's base API—based on 2011 standardized testing—was 938, two points higher than it was in 2010.

The API score, which shows how each school is performing academically in comparison to other schools, ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1,000.

The statewide base API was 778, according to the state. The base for elementary schools was 808, while it was 778 for middle schools and 741 for high schools.

Statewide, the base API was 845 for white students, 859 for Filipinos and 898 for Asian students. The API was 696 for black students, 729 for Hispanics, 706 for English-learners and 726 for financially disadvantaged students.

The release of the base API marks the beginning of the 2011-12 test-score reporting cycle, according to the state, representing each school's baseline score.

—City News Service contributed to this report.