However, a school that continues to fall short of its growth target may eventually be subject to strong local or state sanctions. Remember, the API is based on the results of the Stanford 9 test, and the whole point is to measure how a particular school's student academic performance improves from year to year. Currently, the API is based on a test that's not aligned to state standards. This is a major limitation. It was implemented in January 2000.
Many educators see that as a serious limitation.
The API may be too faulty for such high stakes. Many school communities feel like the API can make or break their school's reputation. But the API is far from flawless. Hopefully, in the future, the Academic Performance Index will truly become a complete measure of academic performance. Please send us your feedback .