The Amador County Unified School District has increased its state academic achievement scores in California's Academic Performance Index Accountability Progress Report.

The 2009 API score for the district is 772, which is a six-point increase from 2008's score of 766. The API and the Accountability Progress Report scores are part of the state's Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999. The API is a crucial number for California schools from kindergarten through 12th grade in the wake of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

"I think across the board, we're making incremental growth," said ACUSD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti. "I am proud of how hard teachers and staff work."

The Accountability Progress Report is the federal measure that takes into account the percent of students scoring proficiently, participation rates and the English/language arts section of the California Standardized Tests. Elementary and junior high schools' progress-report scores are determined from the CST test and high school scores are based on the CST and the California High School Exit Exam. Progress-report criteria include four areas - participation rate, percent proficient, API and graduation rate. API does the same, except in a weighted formula.

California's overall target for students across the state is an API score of 800, with a state goal of students scoring 100 percent proficient by the year 2014. In 2009, Amador High School students scored a total API of 791 - up three points from last year's score of 788. Argonaut High School earned six more points in 2009, achieving an API of 772-up from 2008's score of 766. Plymouth Elementary School improved the most in the district by increasing its API by 38 points, scoring 786 in 2008 and 824 in 2009.

Ione Junior High and Pioneer Elementary schools had a decline in scores from 2008. Ione decreased 14 points with a score of 786, down from 800. Pioneer scored an API of 790, down from 803 the previous year. Chapin-Pinotti said that these small decreases are nothing to be too concerned about.

"Once above 800, a little fluctuation is OK," she said. "We look at each student's overall score and subgroups and target an intervention based on the individual needs of the students. It's the only way to drive up scores."

According to Chapin-Pinotti, a number of factors are responsible for the fluctuation of API scores. One in particular is the increase in the number of English learner students. She also stated that just a handful of students slipping from the proficient-level can contribute to a decrease in the overall score.