The percentage of Sonoma County schools outpacing their peers throughout California dropped from this time last year though most local schools remain in the top half of the statewide ranking system, according to testing data released Thursday by the California Department of Education.
Ten Sonoma County Schools earned the top score of 10 out of 10 when compared with similar schools in the state and three of those also earned a top score of 10 when compared with all public schools in California. Last year, 16 schools earned a similar-schools top score of 10.
Similar schools ranking is determined by comparing schools with similar demographics, including poverty rates and the number of English language learners.
"It's an attempt to say, &‘What are they doing to help their children more?'" said Nancy Brownell, assistant superintendent of instruction for the Sonoma County Office of Education. "The trouble is, it's not a perfect (ranking) system."
The Academic Performance Index or API is a key measurement of student achievement using tests linked to state academic standards in English, math and science in various grade levels. The results are based on tests taken in spring 2010 and give an index score up to 1,000 that is then used for comparison rankings on a scale of 1 to 10.
"My hope is that (parents) ask hard questions as to what those numbers mean, as a first step. I think that is something principals and teachers should have answers to," she said.
A low similar-schools ranking is "an urgent message for schools that says &‘We may be doing some good things, we have some good practices, but we have high-need students and they are not making enough progress," Brownell said.
Fifty-seven percent of Sonoma County schools earned an overall statewide rank of five or higher based on last year's Standardized Testing and Reporting program scores. Twenty-one percent of local schools increased their state rank, while 37 percent went down. Forty-two percent remained unchanged.
In the similar-schools rankings, 38 percent of local schools increased their standing over last year, 33 percent fell and 29 percent remained the same.
Liberty and Meadow elementary schools in Petaluma and Technology High School in Rohnert Park earned a 10 out of 10 in both categories.
At Meadow, where 18 percent of students are English language learners and 11 percent qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch, students spend a portion of every day in a small group that targets their reading level.
"It's the obligation of teachers to reach each child and to teach children at whatever level they are at," said Principal Melissa Becker. "We expect every child to excel to their capability."
At Monroe Elementary, nearly every student on campus is considered economically disadvantaged and more than seven out of 10 are English language learners. Monroe received a statewide ranking of 4 and a similar schools ranking of 10.
The changing demographics on campus have pushed the Monroe staff to adjust strategies to focus on students with evolving needs, said Principal Rachel Valenzuela.
"We are looking at data and making all of our decisions based on data, not just saying &‘We have always done this, so we are just going to continue to do it,'" she said.
Monroe remains in Year 5 of federal sanctions under the No Child Left Behind law - the maximum penalty allowed. Reaching a top score on the state similar schools ranking while continuing to endure federal sanctions is frustrating, Valenzuela said.
"The way it is set up, it makes it very hard to exit Program Improvement," she said. "So long as we see marked improvement, we are on our way."
In Sonoma Valley, two elementary schools earned a score of 1 in both statewide and similar schools rankings. When officials got preliminary test results back in August for Flowery and Sassarini elementary schools they made immediate changes, said director of curriculum Lynn Fitzpatrick.
"That is when we made the determination that we need to respond immediately when we see kids struggling," she said. "There just isn't time to wait."
The district is now providing tutorials before, during and after school rather than waiting for remedial summer school sessions to address students' struggles, she said.
The district has reached out parents to in an effort to inspire confidence in helping at school and with school work regardless of their own educational or language experience.
"We are trying to communicate how parents really can help their kids regardless of their own education and help them recognize what school readiness looks like," she said.
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