Gary Thomas, Ed.D. County Superintendent

Superintendent's Message

Schools Across County Continue To Show Academic Gains

More San Bernardino County schools cleared the state's benchmark for the Academic Performance Index for one year than any other since the first year of annual reporting 10 years ago. That was one highlight among many this year from the California Department of Education's Accountability Progress Report.

With 28 schools exceeding the state standard of 800 on the Academic Performance Index (API), there now are a total of 112 schools countywide above the state's benchmark. The state's annual accountability measurement rates schools and districts on a scale of 200 to 1,000 with the benchmark of 800 that all schools and districts are looking to exceed.

In addition, the county's API Growth jumped this year to 716, an increase of 12 points, which is the biggest gain by the county since 2004. It also marked the eighth time in the past nine years in which county scores improved.

Possibly best of all, for the second consecutive year, we bucked the state trend and saw a reduction in the number of schools that are in Program Improvement (PI). With 10 schools exiting Program Improvement - following last year's reduction of 15 PI schools - San Bernardino County has seen a net loss of schools in PI each year, despite the fact that performance targets in both math and English language arts have risen. Schools, districts, and county offices of education that receive federal Title I funds and do not make federal criteria defined under Adequate Yearly Progress for two consecutive years are subject to identification for PI. Schools in PI are subject to a five-year timeline of intervention activities.

The 10 county schools by district that exited Program Improvement this year are:

Adelanto: George Visual and Performance Arts Magnet (Year 1 of PI) and Theodore Vick Elementary (Year 1);

Chaffey Joint Union High: Ontario High (Year 3);

Fontana: Citrus Elementary (Year 3) and Live Oak Elementary (Year 3);

Needles: Educational Training Center (Year 2);

Ontario-Montclair: Del Norte Elementary (Year 3), Elderberry Elementary (Year 1) and Ramona Elementary (Year 4);

Rialto: Garcia Elementary (Year 4).

Looking ahead, all schools - not just those in the county - face the challenge of meeting progressively higher performance targets enacted under the federal No Child Left Behind legislation. Realistically, more schools face the daunting task of staying out of PI, unless there is a change in the law.

I am hopeful that something more closely resembling California's growth model adopted through its accountability measure in API eventually will be applied. Having two accountability systems for parents, students and other educators to follow is confusing for many. Our California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell has been leading the charge to add more flexibility to the federal accountability model, touting the fact that California's standards for all of its students have been recognized among the highest in the nation. We do need accountability for our schools, but they need to represent those that stakeholders of public education not only can understand, but embrace.