As a whole, Napa Valley Unified School District is improving, but it is still on the equivalent of probation under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The district’s Academic Performance Index score — which measures performance based on standardized tests — jumped nine points from 755 in 2007 to 764 in 2008, according to data released Thursday by the California Department of Education. API scores can range from 200 to 1,000.

Of all schools in the district, 76 percent achieved API growth. Although this represents a victory for administrators, teachers and students, NVUSD did not achieve all the objectives it is required to under federal No Child standards.

Called Adequate Yearly Progress, the federal benchmark is determined by participation rates in math and language arts testing, the percentage of students scoring at proficient or advanced levels in math and language arts, API scores and graduation rates. The district met 40 of the 42 AYP criteria, said Elena Toscano, Napa Valley Unified School District assistant superintendent of instruction.

“The students, teachers and administrators worked incredibly hard,” NVUSD Superintendent John Glaser said at a district board meeting Thursday night. “I wish we had met all our district targets, (but) we’re in this for the long run.”

Because the district did not meet all federal criteria, it’s in its third year of program improvement under No Child. In a worst-case scenario, schools or districts that don’t emerge from program improvement are subject to overhauls of their curriculum or staff. Schools and districts can overcome program improvement status by meeting the criteria for two consecutive years.

Yet 16 NVUSD schools scored higher than the state API goal of 800. Nine federally-funded schools in the district achieved “notable growth” in their API scores, including Phillips-Edison Charter School, Northwood Elementary School, West Park Elementary School, Browns Valley Elementary School, Salvador Elementary School, Silverado Middle School, Napa Junction Elementary School, Vintage High School and River School, Toscano said.

Shearer Elementary School, where more than 80 percent of students are English learners, also got some good news when test results revealed it has met federal AYP requirements and will be released from program improvement. Also notable is that Bel Aire Park Elementary, Napa Valley Language Academy and Silverado Middle School hit their AYP targets. If they do it again this year, they will be able to exit program improvement.

Napa County Office of Education

The Napa County Office of Education made a 91-point gain in its district-wide API score, from 418 in 2007 to 509 in 2008, according to the California Department of Education’s Web site. Although NCOE did not achieve the AYP benchmark, Napa County Office of Education Superintendent Barbara Nemko said the district’s API gains are unprecedented.

“It is almost twice as much growth as any other school in the county. ... We’re doing somersaults over here. We have a long way to go, but this was one giant step for NCOE,” she said.

The schools that contributed to the gain include Creekside Middle School, Chamberlain High School, Crossroads School, Liberty High School, Wolfe High School and Hilltop High School, which closed this year.

Nemko attributed the gain to “a heavy emphasis and focus on standards,” curriculum changes, more professional development assistance for teachers, acquiring new technologically-based tools for students and other factors.

Like many California school districts, NCOE and NVUSD are facing sizable challenges.

A student’s standardized test score can meet state criteria while falling short of federal requirements, and vice-versa.

In addition, benchmarks are substantially ramped up after districts show marked improvements in their test scores.

Finally, schools are charged with educating increasing numbers of English learners — students held to the same state and federally-mandated academic standards as their native English-speaking counterparts.

“Closing the achievement gap is what we need to be doing. ... I just couldn’t be more appreciative or more proud of the people out there who are helping to keep that focus,” said Glaser.

Toscano added that the complex accountability system presents additional challenges because its requirements are constantly changing. And while the state system credits districts for growth, she said, the federal system follows a “pass or fail” model.

One of the strategies NVUSD may use to help meet these benchmarks is offering supplemental math programs in the district’s middle schools, many of which fell short of meeting their targets in the subject.

“We are celebrating our success and putting our efforts into areas that we need to improve. That’s the best part of an accountability system. It highlights areas where you’re making progress and areas where you need to make efforts,” Toscano said.