The district elementary scores are:

Ione 771 up from 757 the year before

Jackson Elementary 777 up from 775

Pine Grove Elementary 805 down from 817

Pioneer 829 up from 811 last year

Plymouth Elementary 756 up from 740 last year

The district’s two Junior High Schools also experienced substantial growth with increased scores. Ione Jr High School scored 780 up from 767 last year. Jackson Junior High scored 779 up from 766. The two High Schools also showed improvement with Amador High School scoring 749 up from 734 and Argonaut High School also scoring 749, a full 70 points above last year’s scores. In efforts to raise test scores the Amador County Unified School District has implemented multiple programs to improve student academic success and in turn, higher test scores.

The Academic Performance Index (API) is based on the school’s scores and is one way to look at school performance based on a variety of tests that students take. The API includes CAT/6 scores, standards-based results for English language arts, mathematics, science and social science, the results from the California Alternative Performance Assessment (CAPA) and results of the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Each school's STAR results are calculated into a complex formula that assigns the school a base API between 200 and 1000 (1000 being the best score). The state has set 800 as the target API score that schools should try to achieve. This number is translated into a ranking, 1 to 10, from under performing to high performing. It is used to help schools track their own progress and to hold schools accountable for improvement. The results may result in sanctions or rewards for schools.

Local school API’s show growth as well with API ranking reaching 8 out of 10 for Pioneer Elementary and Jackson Junior High school. Pine Grove, Sutter Creek, Ione Junior High, Amador High School and Argonaut High School all scored 7 on the scale. Ione and Jackson Elementary both ranked at a 6. Plymouth Elementary at a 5. According to Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti, Superintendent of Curriculum, “To continue the steady increase in our individual schools and overall district API scores -- ACUSD provides comprehensive professional development to help teachers help students, each school has after school remediation, tutoring and enrichment programs for students who need extra help and schools extensively analyze group and individual data to help each student with identified areas of weakness.  This district has two itinerate reading and math specialist who help students individually and in small groups.  And, once again, some district schools will use the CST as what they are -- Standards Tests -- and use the scores to positively influence grades -- a contributing factor to last year's jump in scores for Argonaut.”

The API Similar Schools Rank compares the test score performance of schools with comparable demographic profiles using a scale of 1 to 10. A school with a low API but high Similar Schools Rank may be more effective than a school with low ranks all around. The California Department of Education calculated the Similar Schools Rank by comparing each school to 100 schools with similar demographic factors, including parent education levels and the percent of students receiving a free or reduced-price lunch. In Similar School ranking Pioneer Elementary scores a 9 on the 10 scale. Jackson junior High and Argonaut are also ranked above the median with rankings of 6 when compared against their similar schools.  Plymouth Elementary ranks at a 5, Pine Grove Elementary ranks at a 4, Amador High and Jackson Elementary School both rank with 3’s and Ione Elementary, Ione Jr High School and Sutter Creek Elementary all score 2’s.

As a fundamental part of the Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA), API scores are used to meet state and federal requirements for school accountability and are an important component for measuring a school’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. These ratings can have substantial consequences for schools. Under-performing schools are given additional funds to encourage improvement and high-ranking schools may be eligible for additional acknowledgement.