Rancho Santa Fe School District taking steps to keep API test scores high

As recently reported in this newspaper, the Rancho Santa Fe School District earned its best API scores ever, but now what? Trustee Todd Frank posed the question of “what’s next” at the Nov. 7 board meeting.

“We got exceptional results this year but what’s the target list for how to improve our results next year?” Frank asked.

District superintendent Lindy Delaney said that preparations for next year are already in the works and continue all year long.

“Right after the test scores we look at every single child and see what’s happening,” Delaney said. “We figure out as soon as we can their needs.”

As needed, students are placed in intervention programs or accelerated programs and teachers are constantly in discussions. They also use testing for students they have concerns about.

“Of course we don’t want to lose any ground,” Delaney said. “If a child is advanced in English language and below basic in math, we have to really dig into that…The idea is to catch students and see what they need.”

Delaney said the district’s high test scores this year can be attributed to the methods they have been using to meet every student’s individual needs. She noted that other districts have been calling to see what they are doing and have asked for their secrets.