This glossary defines key terms shown on the school, local educational agency, or state Content Area Weights section of the 2009 Base Academic Performance Index Report, which is part of the 2009–10 Accountability Progress Reporting system. Terms described below are listed in the order in which they appear on this section of the 2009 Base Academic Performance Index Report. More detailed information may be found in the 2009–10 Academic Performance Index Reports Information Guide.
State Accountability: Academic Performance Index
State legislation, the Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) of 1999 (Chapter 3, Statutes of 1999), established the Academic Performance Index (API), which summarizes a school's or a local educational agency's (LEA's) academic performance and progress on statewide assessments. (An LEA is a school district or county office of education.) The API also is used as an additional indicator for federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements.
Test Weights (Grades Two Through Eight or Grades Nine Through Twelve)
The following tables show the test weights used in the 2009 Base API calculations for the California Standards Tests (CSTs), California Modified Assessment (CMA), California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA), and California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Grades eleven and twelve of the CAHSEE are counted in the API only if the student passed. The test weights shown in these tables do not reflect the content area weights for an individual school or LEA, which will vary based upon these weights and the number of valid test scores in each content area at the school or LEA.
Test Weights
Grades Two Through Eight
| Content Area | 2009–10 API Test Weights |
|---|---|
| CST/CMA/CAPA in English-Language Arts, Grades 2-8 | 0.48 |
| CST/CMA/CAPA in Mathematics, Grades 2-8 | 0.32 |
| CST/CMA/CAPA in Science, Grades 5 and 8 | 0.20 |
| CST in History-Social Science, Grade 8 | 0.20 |
| Assignment of 200, CST in Mathematics, Grade 8 | 0.10 |
Note: The Assignment of 200 weight is assigned as scores for students
who did not take the CST in mathematics, grade eight.
Test Weights
Grades Nine Through Twelve
| Content Area | 2009–10 API Test Weights |
|---|---|
| CST/CAPA in English-Language Arts, Grades 9-11 | 0.30 |
| CST/CAPA in Mathematics, Grades 9-11 | 0.20 |
| CST in Science, Grades 9-11 | 0.22 |
| CST/CAPA in Life Science, Grade 10 | 0.10 |
| CST in History-Social Science, Grades 9-11 | 0.23 |
| CAHSEE English-Language Arts, Grades 10-12 | 0.30 |
| CAHSEE Mathematics, Grades 10-12 | 0.30 |
| Assignment of 200, CST in Mathematics, Grades 9-11 | 0.10 |
| Assignment of 200, CST in Science, Grades 9-11 | 0.05 |
Note: The Assignment of 200 weights are assigned as scores for students
who did not take the CST in mathematics, grades nine through eleven,
or the CST in science, grades nine through eleven.
Valid Scores
This item is the number of students in the school or LEA tested in the 2009 STAR Program less any mobile students who were not continuously enrolled in the school or LEA since the 2008 CBEDS data collection date to the date of STAR Program testing. This item on the State Report includes all students regardless of mobility with the exception of English learners who were first enrolled in U.S. schools for less than a year.
Weight x Scores
This item is the product of Test Weights multiplied by Valid Scores.
Content Area Weights
Content Area Weights are the weights for each tested content area for a particular school, an LEA, or the state. Content Area Weights are based on the test weights, established by the State Board of Education, and the number of valid test scores for each test type. Content Area Weights are not needed in calculating an API but are provided on the API reports for information only.
