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Schools with Notable African American Student Achievement

AAachieve This section grew out of our research for Raising African American Student Achievement: California Goals, Local Outcomes, which looked at how the state's African American students are doing academically in the K-12 system.

The report found that African American academic achievement varies widely across California districts and schools, with African American students in some schools doing very well as measured by the Academic Performance Index (API). This section includes data on schools with especially high African American API scores in 2007 and interviews with principals at some of these schools.

On this page:
Schools with high African American APIs
Principal Interviews

 

Schools with high African American APIs

In 2007, 45 elementary, 18 middle, and 16 high schools received African American Growth API (Academic Performance Index) scores that were well above average: at least 1.5 standard deviations above the mean for their respective school levels. These schools are listed in the following downloadable tables:

(Note: All data are current as of February 1, 2008)

 

Principal interviews

To enrich our understanding of the issues related to supporting African American student achievement in California, EdSource interviewed principals from a number of elementary, middle, and high schools that received African American Growth Academic Performance Index (API) scores that were substantially above average in 2007.

These schools represented a broad range of types, sizes, locations, and demographic configurations. The principals discussed the practices and policies that, from their perspectives, contribute to the higher than average academic outcomes among African American students in their schools.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Ralph Bunche Elementary School (K–5)
Compton Unified, Los Angeles County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 417
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 100%
  • Percent African American Students: 51%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 846
  • African American Growth API (2007): 836
Interview: Synee Pearson, Principal; Mikara Davis, Former Principal

 

Grass Valley Elementary School
Oakland Unified, Alameda County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 221
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 46%
  • Percent African American Students: 92%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 793
  • African American Growth API (2007): 795
Interview: Rosella Jackson, Principal

 

Signal Hill Elementary School (K–5)
Long Beach Unified, Los Angeles County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 756
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 88%
  • Percent African American Students: 18%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 848
  • African American Growth API (2007): 823
Interview: Karen Williams, Principal

 

Victoriano Elementary School (K–5)
Val Verde Unified, Riverside County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 510
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 58%
  • Percent African American Students: 28%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 901
  • African American Growth API (2007): 882

Interview: Rick Aleksak, Principal; Chuck Holland, Former Principal

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MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle School (6–8)
Los Angeles Unified, Los Angeles County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 1,925
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 56%
  • Percent African American Students: 12%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 753
  • African American Growth API (2007): 809
Interview: Travis Collier, Principal

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School (6–8)
Oceanside Unified, San Diego County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 1,812
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 52%
  • Percent African American Students: 10%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 774
  • African American Growth API (2007): 772
Interview: Bob Rowe, Principal

 

KIPP San Francisco Bay Academy (5–8), a Charter School
San Francisco Unified, San Francisco County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 257
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 78%
  • Percent African American Students: 40%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 866
  • African American Growth API (2007): 834

Interview: Lydia Glassie, Principal

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HIGH SCHOOLS

City Honors High School (9–12)
Inglewood Unified, Los Angeles County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 370
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 42%
  • Percent African American Students: 61%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 794
  • African American Growth API (2007): 775
Interview: Thelma Brown, Principal

 

Clovis West High School (9–12)
Clovis Unified School District, Fresno County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 2,690
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 18%
  • Percent African American Students: 5%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 833
  • African American Growth API (2007): 810
Interview: Ben Drati, Principal; Jeanne Hatfield, Former Principal

 

Rancho Cucamonga High School (9–12)
Chaffey Joint Union High, San Bernardino County

  • 2006–07 Enrollment: 2,794
  • Percent Free/Reduced-price Meals: 19%
  • Percent African American Students: 15%
  • Schoolwide Growth API (2007): 781
  • African American Growth API (2007): 744
Interview: Todd Haag, Principal

 

(Note: All data are current as of February 1, 2008.)


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