The Los Nietos School District Board of Trustees extended congratulations on May 5, 2011, to Aeolian Elementary and Los Nietos Middle School staff as the California Department of Education released the 2010 State and Similar School Rankings. Both schools received a Similar School Ranking of 10, the first time since the Public School Accountability Act was enacted in 1999 that Los Nietos School District has had two schools ranked “10” in either the State or Similar School Rankings at the same time.
California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, issued a press release this morning describing the State and Similar School Ranks, and how the ranks are calculated. A school's statewide rank is based on the school's Base API and is calculated separately for three types of schools: elementary, middle, and high schools. Ranks are established by deciles. Each decile contains 10 percent of all schools of each type. It is important to note that there will always be schools ranked 1 and schools ranked 10 because of the nature of the decile system. Ten percent of schools will always be in each decile.
The similar schools rank is similar to the statewide rank, except that each school is ranked relative to a group of 100 schools determined to be similar to the comparison school based on certain school, student, and teacher characteristics. The school's similar schools rank is the decile where that school's Base API falls compared with the Base APIs of the 100 other similar schools in the comparison group.
The Los Nietos Middle School in addition to being the only middle school in Los Angeles County to exit out of Program Improvement in 2010, is also the only middle school in the Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, and Norwalk-La Mirada area to receive a State or Similar rank of “10”.
Aeolian School’s meteoric rise in student achievement is also a remarkable accomplishment. When principal Amber Lee-Ruiz was first hired in 2007, Aeolian School had a State and Similar School Rank of 1/1. Under her leadership, guidance, and ability to get her staff and parents working together towards a common goal of increased student achievement, Aeolian School now has a State Rank of 6 to go along with the Similar School Rank of 10. Aeolian’s Similar School Rank of “10” is the perfect compliment to Aeolian receiving a 2010 API Score of 803.
As Los Nietos School District celebrates its Sesquicentennial anniversary, there is much to be proud of at all four schools in the Los Nietos School District. However, with two schools receiving ranks of “10” Los Nietos is truly having a year worth celebrating!
California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, issued a press release this morning describing the State and Similar School Ranks, and how the ranks are calculated. A school's statewide rank is based on the school's Base API and is calculated separately for three types of schools: elementary, middle, and high schools. Ranks are established by deciles. Each decile contains 10 percent of all schools of each type. It is important to note that there will always be schools ranked 1 and schools ranked 10 because of the nature of the decile system. Ten percent of schools will always be in each decile.
The similar schools rank is similar to the statewide rank, except that each school is ranked relative to a group of 100 schools determined to be similar to the comparison school based on certain school, student, and teacher characteristics. The school's similar schools rank is the decile where that school's Base API falls compared with the Base APIs of the 100 other similar schools in the comparison group.
The Los Nietos Middle School in addition to being the only middle school in Los Angeles County to exit out of Program Improvement in 2010, is also the only middle school in the Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, and Norwalk-La Mirada area to receive a State or Similar rank of “10”.
Aeolian School’s meteoric rise in student achievement is also a remarkable accomplishment. When principal Amber Lee-Ruiz was first hired in 2007, Aeolian School had a State and Similar School Rank of 1/1. Under her leadership, guidance, and ability to get her staff and parents working together towards a common goal of increased student achievement, Aeolian School now has a State Rank of 6 to go along with the Similar School Rank of 10. Aeolian’s Similar School Rank of “10” is the perfect compliment to Aeolian receiving a 2010 API Score of 803.
As Los Nietos School District celebrates its Sesquicentennial anniversary, there is much to be proud of at all four schools in the Los Nietos School District. However, with two schools receiving ranks of “10” Los Nietos is truly having a year worth celebrating!