School Rankings in Palos Verdes Mainly Positive

Almost all schools in the ranked among the top 10 percent of schools statewide, according to public school test-score-based rankings released last week by the state Department of Education, though some scored lower when compared to others with similar demographics. 

The state ranks schools academically on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing the top 10 percent, to determine a school's standing compared to other schools statewide. The rankings are based on the school's base Academic Performance Index, or API, which is calculated for elementary, middle and high schools based on results of the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program and California High School Exit Exam.

The base API is determined based on the previous year's performance on the standardized tests.

Because of the nature of the system, 10 percent of schools statewide will always be in each decile. Where a school falls, according to score, changes over the years as schools improve their scores.

In the PVPUSD, all schools except , which received a rank of nine, earned the highest rank of 10. Though, four elementary schools—, , and —scored in the bottom 20 percent when compared to schools with similar demographics. Miraleste Intermediate also scored in the bottom 20 percent in its "similar schools" rank.

No PVPUSD schools received a rank of 10 when compared with similar schools. , and ranked ninth when compared to schools with similar demographics.

About a fifth of local schools in the South Bay and Harbor Area fared in the top 10 percent of campuses statewide, according to a Daily Breeze report.

Manhattan Beach schools did generally better than Peninsula schools when it came to the "similar schools" rank, according to the Breeze report.

Six schools in the South Bay and Harbor Area earned the best possible scores, including Goethe International Charter School in Marina del Rey and Park Western Place Elementary in San Pedro, according to the report. Read the full Breeze story here.

View the complete rank data for PVPUSD here.

What do you think of the local rankings? Tell us in the comments section below.