In Sacramento, educators suspect that the API is unfair . The riddle is similar to that faced by other high schools statewide. The problem may in fact be norming problems with Harcourt-Brace's national sample. San Francisco Unified has fewer schools qualifying for awards because of very low participation rates. Fifty-one schools are under investigation by the Dept. of Education.
Excessive erasures are the tip-off.
When the API was announced in January, Martha Groves of the Los Angeles Times took note of the number of schools that fell short of the magic threshhold of 800. Teachers at Balboa High School in San Francisco forgot to give part of the SAT-9 test last spring. Columnist Dan Walters predicts that the test program will get a tough review from the two new education committee chairs in the Senate and Assembly. Some assessment pros suspect a bad high school student national sample from Harcourt-Brace. The editors of the Sacramento Bee come out in favor of the API , but offer somewhat critical support.