It goes up as students move from one band to the next. Those students who are right on the cusp of moving up to the next band have a much greater chance of helping to raise the overall school's score. However, because of the larger point value assigned to the lower bands when calculating the API, the upward movement of low achieving students counts more in raising the overall school score than movement in the higher achievement bands. There are high stakes sanctions and rewards connected with the API for each school. When a school does what your school is doing, they have lost sight of why we are in the profession.
Every student is important.
Assisting lower achieving students is expected, and giving extra help to those in need is part of what we do. To isolate a group of students who have the best chance of helping schools look good demeans our profession. All rights reserved.