Los Altos School District

Los Altos School District
Location
California
Santa Clara County
United States
District information
Type Public School District
Grades K-8
Established 1909
Superintendent Jeffrey C. Baier
Budget $40,270,195 USD [1]
Students and staff
Students 4,161 (2007-2008)
Colors Blue
Other information
# of Schools 9
Website http://www.losaltos.k12.ca.us

Los Altos School District (LASD) serves the elementary and intermediate educational needs of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View and Palo Alto, United States. The current Superintendent is Jeffrey C. Baier,[2] and the current Assistant Superintendent is Alyssa Gallagher.[3]

Mission Statement

The Los Altos School District inspires a passion for learning and prepares all K-8 students to thrive in our rapidly changing global community.[4]

History

The desire of the local residents to have a free public education for their children led to the formation of the Los Altos School District in February 1909. During this time, 4.5 acres (18,000 m2) of land along San Antonio Road was purchased and the construction of the first school in the region, San Antonio School, was built. It catered to students in grades K through 8, and was the only academic institution until the ending of World War II.

In the years 1948 through 1961, the city was faced with an increasing student population and state mandates against having single schools with greater than 800 students. In 1948, the district annexed lands and purchased the old Purissima School site (in Los Altos Hills) from the neighboring Palo Alto School District. During this time of expansion, the district included sixteen different schools.

However, during the decline of the early 1970s, the original San Antonio School was demolished and sold, while the number of facilities dwindled. The district currently consists of nine open regular schools (seven elementary and two intermediates), and one closed school (Eastbrook).[5]

API Scores

Los Altos School District students' test scores were among the highest in California, with an average Academic Performance Index (API) score of 966 for elementary schools and 975 for intermediate schools in 2011.

Los Altos School District* consistently scores high on the state examinations; four Elementary Schools score in the top 25 in the state, while both Egan and Blach Junior Highs score within the top 15 middle schools. Although this success can be partially contributed to favorable demographics, the San Jose Mercury News states that "Los Altos elementary schools do well even against schools with similar demographics".[6]

API Scores 2005-2013

SCHOOL 2013 API 2012 API 2011 API 2010 API 2009 API 2008 API 2007 API 2006 API 2005 API
Almond Elementary 955 954 966 962 962 964 964 971 967
Covington Elementary 974 981 983 980 946 950 928 938 963
Gardner Bullis Elementary 947 958 964 957 968 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Loyola Elementary 954 965 964 963 966 970 972 965 965
Oak Avenue Elementary 987 983 983 980 983 978 969 982 964
Santa Rita Elementary 941 956 957 964 966 956 952 957 939
Springer Elementary 955 961 946 954 963 956 948 961 960
Georgina P. Blach Junior High 958 968 971 964 944 931 950 952 952
Ardis G. Egan Junior High 976 979 978 968 954 958 958 961 947
AVERAGE 961 968 969 965 959 956 954 960 949

Elementary schools (K-6)

Bullis Charter School is not chartered by LASD, but through the Santa Clara County Office of Education. LASD provides facilities to Bullis Charter School in accordance with California law.

Intermediate schools (7-8)

Charter School Controversy

The District has been sued several times in the past several years by Bullis Charter School (BCS). After winning the two previous cases, the District lost its most recent case in the appellate court of California. The court found the District to have violated Proposition 39 in regard to providing "reasonably equivalent" facilities for BCS and cited for having undercounted by over 1,000,000 square feet.[7] BCS was founded as a reaction to the LASD board's decision on 10 February 2003 to close Bullis-Purissima Elementary School and has been at odds with LASD administration since the school's inception.

Bullis Charter School and LASD currently have come to a 5 year "cease-fire" agreement over facilities.

References

  1. ↑ LASD Financial Report, 2007
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ LASD History
  6. ↑ Noguchi, Sharon (2008-06-29). "Public, private schools among state's best". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2008-07-27.
  7. ↑ Acuff, Kathleen (2011-11-02). "Bullis wins latest legal fight with LASD". Los Altos Online (Los Altos Town Crier). Retrieved 2012-02-04.

External links

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