[Student Reporters] Raising the API

Nicole Kim / <11th, Beverly Hills High School>

Beverly Hills High School has started a new effort to improve the school's standing among other high schools. The Student Body Action Committee has been created this year for the sole purpose of raising the school's API the academic performance index. This is the almighty list that shows up every once in a while in Korean newspapers for parents to scrutinize for their kids. The scores range from 200 to 1000 and are based on both STAR testing scores and the CAHSEE scores. The significance of the API score is that it measures how difficult it is to earn a good grade in the school thus demonstrating the quality of the offered education.

Ashley Chiu a member of the SBAC reveals that in 2008 Beverly dropped 19 points to a score of 805. The average change in other schools in California has been positive 14 points. Beverly which has been reputed to be a fairly good school is suffering immense humiliation from this regression. If its score drops to 800 the state will take over and attempt to solve the problem.

The main cause of the decline in API scores at Beverly seems to be that most students do not care how they do on the STAR tests since it does not appear on their transcripts. Vivien a Korean student from Beverly says that she has always tried her best and actually looks forward to the STAR tests. Many of the Korean students are just like Vivien always taking the STAR tests as seriously as any other test and scoring no less than advanced in each category. The ones who do not take the tests seriously but fill in smiley faces and hearts on the answer sheet say that the class environment is less than conducive to the necessary test-taking attitude. They also state that the imminent regular classes and homework after the STAR tests discourage them from even trying on the test.

Ashley says that students have been suggesting all sorts of incentives to help them do better on this year's test. Students have proposed starting the test at 9 AM instead of 8AM so that they can sleep in a little more before facing the sleep-inducing reading comprehension and math problems. Free breakfast and elimination of homework during the testing period have also been mentioned.

The SBAC cannot make any changes on its own. It can only pass on the students' suggestions to the administration for consideration. Hopefully the new group will successfully help the school raise its API score. The future is looking good as the students seem to finally understand the importance of the number that they once deemed as unimportant.