Table 1. Characteristics of Observation Schools Compared With Bay Area and California Schoolsa,b .
| Characteristic | California Schools (n = 9,888) | Bay Area Schools (n = 1,747) | Observation Schools (n = 24) | Schools That Declined Participation (n = 20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School type, n (%) | ||||
| Elementary | 5,736 (58) | 1,030 (59) | 8 (33) | 6 (30) |
| Middle | 1,305 (13) | 245 (14) | 8 (33) | 7 (35) |
| High | 1,264 (13) | 227 (13) | 8 (33) | 7 (35) |
| School locale, n (%) | ||||
| Rural | 1,582 (16) | 70 (4) | 6 (25) | 4 (20) |
| Town | 890 (9) | 35 (2) | 6 (25) | 2 (10) |
| Suburb | 3,460 (35) | 646 (37) | 6 (25) | 11 (55) |
| City | 3,856 (39) | 996 (57) | 6 (25) | 3 (15) |
| Student enrollment, mean no. | ||||
| Elementary | 530 | 475 | 385 | 519 |
| Middle | 810 | 741 | 687 | 682 |
| High | 1,402 | 1,247 | 1,644 | 1,481 |
| Eligible for free or reduced-price meals, n (%) | 3,404,790 (55) | 382,353 (39) | 8,254 (38) | 6,936 (38) |
| APIc growth score | 767 | NA | 801 | 804 |
| Race/ethnicity, n (%) | ||||
| African American | 424,327 (7) | 78,431 (8) | 1,521 (7) | 1,095 (6) |
| Latino | 3,118,404 (50) | 323,530 (33) | 7,603 (35) | 6,206 (34) |
| White | 1,673,278 (27) | 284,314 (29) | 6,951 (32) | 7,119 (39) |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 720,311 (12) | 225,490 (23) | 3,910 (18) | 3,468 (19) |
| English learners, n (%)d | 1,468,771 (24) | 215,686 (22) | 4,127 (19) | 3,651 (20) |
Abbreviation: NA, not applicable.
a Participating schools did not differ statistically from schools that declined in terms of school type, urban-centric locale, mean student enrollment, percentage of students who qualified for free/reduced price meals, student race/ethnicity, or percentage of English learners (P > .05).
b Data obtained from Education Data Partnership (15).
c API refers to the Academic Performance Index, a measure of academic performance in California schools based on standardized testing. The score ranges from 200 to 1,000, with a target score of 800 for California.
d Students who report a primary language other than English and who have been determined by the state of California to lack clearly defined English language skills necessary to succeed in the school’s regular instructional programs.