Nice story Essbee. I know a few similar stories as well. API score will only tell you on average what the total student body perform at and what each sub ethnic group perform at. It might affect the borderline kids but the smart and driven kids will still be smart and driven even at schools that have API score of 1 (I know a few) and kids who are not as smart and lazy will continue to be average and lazy even at school with API of 10. I know doctors who went to HS with API score of 1 and I know people who went to Torrey Pines HS who can’t even get to a top 100 university. It all comes down to your kids and how you teach them and how much you emphasis you put on education. When you’re compare schools that have API scores of 9 and 10, I think you’re starting to split hair.
Another important thing to remember is, API score will only give you want the average student body perform at. The smart kids will hang around with the smart kids, even at schools with API of 1. The people I know that went to school API of 1 hung out with the other Valedictorians and they tend not to intermingle with the gang bangers. API score is only one metric of assessing the school. It won’t drastically change your kids capability.
