The Mountain View Los Altos High School District is among the finest in Silicon Valley and a major factor in the decision of many families to buy a house in these communities, Dr. Barry Groves, superintendent of the school district, told members of the Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® last week. The superintendent dropped in at the REALTORS®' meeting in Los Altos last Friday and shared information comparing Mountain View and Los Altos high schools with neighboring high schools and at the statewide and nationwide levels.
Mountain View High School has 1,800 students; Los Altos has 1,600 students; and Alta Vista High School, the district's alternative high school, has 125 students. The district has 3,640 students in grades 9-12, 5,000 MVLA Adult School students and 400 employees. Groves noted the school attracts top teachers, as it offers one of the highest salaries in the state. Nearly 60 percent of its teaching staff has a post-graduate degree.
Groves indicated the Los Altos and Mountain View high schools are similar in size, sports offerings and academics, and offer similar courses, including AP classes. Groves also proudly noted the district's academic performance test score has increased for nine straight years. This year, the high school district improved its API (Academic Performance Index) score to 860, a six-point gain from last year. Mountain View High School's score of 861 remained unchanged, while Los Altos High School scored 875, an 18-point gain from last year. Compared to other neighboring high schools, "our students are doing incredibly well," Groves remarked.
The school remains financially solvent, as well, said Groves. Groves said the district is fortunate because it is classified as a basic aid district, so 85 percent of its dollars comes from property taxes. The district maintains a $50 million budget and even as the state has reduced funding by $2.3 million over the past two years, the district has been able to retain all classes and programs. Groves said thanks to the passage of Measure A, a $41 million bond measure, the district is now able to add 12 new classrooms, which should be in place by August 2013.
Groves noted 96 percent of graduates attend either four or two-year colleges. Over 50 percent of students participate in at least one of its 23 interscholastic sports before they graduate. The district offers over 70 student clubs and organizations.
Groves said the district expects 200-300 more students in each high school over the next five years. Among the district's six-year goals are aligning the curriculum, grading system and practice; maintaining fiscal stability; enhancing academic achievements for all students and opportunities and achievements in science, technology, engineering and math.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.