Hello.
California's public schools receive Academic Performance Index scores
that are "on a scale of 200 to 1000." The API score "is based on the
performance of individual pupils on Stanford 9 (all content areas) as
measured through national percentile rankings (NPRs) and on the
California Standard Tests as measured through performance levels in
ELA, mathematics, and history/social science."
source: California Department of Education
http://www.cde.ca.gov/psaa/api/api0203/base/expn02b.htm#sbf2
Additionally, based on California's Academic Performance Index scores,
"all schools... are ranked in deciles by school type: elementary,
middle, and high. A rank of 10 is the highest and 1 is the lowest.
Each decile in each school type contains 10% of all schools of that
type."
Let's see how Palo Alto, Los Altos and Portola Valley measure up.
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PALO ALTO
--------------------------
Based on the California Academic Performance Index, Palo Alto has
outstanding elementary, middle and high schools.
http://api.cde.ca.gov/api2002base/2002Base_Co.asp?cYear=&cSelect=43,SANTA,CLARA
Eleven of the twelve elementary schools have a ranking of 10, meaning
that they're in the top 10% of schools. Only one school, Juana Briones
Elementary, has a ranking of 9. Even that is actually pretty good (top
20%).
All three of the Palo Alto middle schools have rankings of 10.
Both of the high schools, Palo Alto High [
http://www.paly.palo-alto.ca.us/ ] and Henry M. Gunn High [
http://www.gunn.palo-alto.ca.us/ ], have rankings of 10.
In fact, a statewide ranking in 1999 placed Gunn High 6th in
California, while Palo Alto High came in 16th overall.
See: Associated Press
http://www.ap.org/california/schools/hstenth.html
Moreover, in 2001, Henry M. Gunn High School had the 3rd highest
average SAT scores in California. Palo Alto High School was not far
behind, placing 9th statewide for SAT scores.
http://www.redshift.com/~jmichael/html/2001Top50.html
With such high SAT scores, students from Gunn and Palo Alto High are
undoubtedly in a strong position for college admission.
Indeed, GreatSchools.net lists these outstanding facts about Gunn
High:
# 95% of students take the SAT.
# Average SAT scores: 593 verbal, 649 math.
# Less than 20% of graduates go to 2-year colleges.
# 80-100% of graduates go to 4-year colleges.
# 13 AP Courses in art history, biology, calculus, chemistry, computer
science, English, French, physics, Spanish language, Spanish
literature, statistics, U.S. history and Psychology.
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/5611
--------------------------
LOS ALTOS
--------------------------
Again, we consult the California Academic Performance Index:
http://api.cde.ca.gov/api2002base/2002Base_Co.asp?cYear=&cSelect=43,SANTA,CLARA
The elementary schools in Los Altos are excellent. All have rankings
of 10. Additionally, they all have API scores in the 930 range. This
is even better than Palo Alto, where about two-thirds of the
elementary schools are below 930 (mostly in the 880-900 range).
Similarly, the two Los Altos middle schools are fantastic. Both have
rankings of 10. One middle school has an API score of 921 while the
other has a score 919. By comparison, the three Palo Alto middle
schools have scores of 893, 886 and 875.
Despite an overall ranking of 10, Los Altos High School has an API
score of 770. This is quite a bit below Palo Alto High's 865 and
Gunn's 869.
On the SAT, Los Altos ranked 23rd in the state. While this is
outstanding, it is, of course, below the Palo Alto schools.
http://www.redshift.com/~jmichael/html/2001Top50.html
Also, note that a smaller percentage of Los Altos High students are
actually taking the SAT (i.e., 71% at Los Altos High versus 95% at
Palo Alto's Gunn).
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/5580/
In the 1999 rankings listed by AP, Los Altos came in 120th overall for
the state.
http://www.ap.org/california/schools/hsninth.html
--------------------------
PORTOLA VALLEY
--------------------------
This time, we consult the California Academic Performance Index for
San Mateo County:
http://api.cde.ca.gov/api2002base/2002Base_Co.asp?cYear=&cSelect=41,SAN,MATEO
Portola Valley's elementary and middle schools are outstanding. Each
school received a ranking of 10.
Ormondale Elementary has an API score of 930. This is comparable to
Los Altos and higher than Palo Alto.
The middle school, Corte Madera, had a score of 906. This is Los
Altos' middles schools, but above Palo Alto's.
Portola Valley residents attend Woodside High School.
"Students who live in Portola Valley are in the Woodside attendance
area."
http://www.seq.org/dept/pubinfo/boundaries/wmap1.html
Unfortunately, Woodside High School ranks rather poorly in comparison
with the high schools in Los Altos and Palo Alto. Woodside has an
overall ranking of 6, which means that it is only in the top 50% for
the state. Woodside High has an API score of 656, approximately 100
points below Los Altos High and 200 points below the Palo Alto
schools.
In the 1999 rankings listed by AP, Woodside High ranked 415th overall
for the state.
http://www.ap.org/california/schools/hsfifth.html
Woodside High has average SAT scores of 490 verbal and 500 math. These
scores are mediocre. Also, consider the fact that a relatively small
percentage (49%) of Woodside students are even taking the SAT.
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/print/6954
By comparison, Palo Alto's Gunn High has average SAT scores of 593
verbal and 649 math.
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/ca/5611
A few years ago, there was some talk of creating a new charter high
school for Portola Valley.
http://www.almanacnews.com/morgue/2000/2000_01_26.pvschool.html
http://www.almanacnews.com/paw/paonline/almanac/morgue/2001/2001_05_02.canadaland.html
That project apparently evolved into a school called Summit Prep which
opened recently in Redwood City:
http://www.almanacnews.com/morgue/2003/2003_05_28.smmta.html
http://www.summitprep.org/
--------------------------
CONCLUSION
--------------------------
Based on your focused on test scores and college admissions at the
high school level, Palo Alto is the clear winner here.
Portola Valley and Los Altos are excellent at the elementary and
middle school levels. However, at the high school level, which is your
primary concern, Woodside High is simply not on the same level as the
two Palo Alto schools. While Los Altos High is strong, the two Palo
Alto high schools are even stronger.
search strategy:
california, department of education
Academic Performance Index
SAT, "palo alto high", etc.
I hope this helps. If anything is unclear or needs amplification,
please use the "request clarification" feature. Thank you, and good
luck! |
