Dixon Montessori Tops District Test Scores, Though All Schools Saw Drop

Dixon Unified Schools saw a drop in API scores in 2013, with the largest decrease recorded from Gretchen Higgins at -33 points. 

Dixon Montessori Charter School (DMCS) saw the smallest decrease of only -2 points, maintaining their achievement of the highest scoring school in town.

DMCS Director Joanne Green credits collaboration for their success. 

"I am proud of the students, staff, and families who all come together to make it work," said Green, "I think it’s the relationships we build with our students and families that help our children succeed." 

Green believes the overall difference between DMCS and other schools in the district is the Montessori philosophy that caters to the needs of each individual child.    

Maine Praire Continuation High School saw a huge increase of 72 points, from 463 to 535, however their numbers are considered unreliable due to the size of the school.

The API is a score ranging from 200 to 1,000 that measures how well students do on a variety of tests, including the California Standards Test and the state’s high school exit exam. The state has set 800 as the API target for all schools to meet. Here’s a detailed summary of the API from the California Department of Education.

Statewide, the number of California schools meeting the state target for student performance on standardized tests dropped by 2 percent.

In 2013, 51 percent of the state’s schools earned an Academic Performance Index score of 800 or above, compared to 53 percent the previous year.

Based on 2013 test scores, 56 percent of elementary schools, 50 percent of middle schools, and 31 percent of high schools are now at or above the 800 mark.

In the last decade, the number of schools meeting the target of an 800 API has increased by 30 percent.