On a scale of one to 10, California's schools are given a similar schools ranking that compares them to 100 other schools that educate students from similar neighborhoods, share like demographics and whose teachers claim similar experience. According to the report released by the California Department of Education Wednesday, many schools in Gilroy not only gained a few points on the previous year's score, but moved closer to the top of the list when compared to the pool of similar schools.

Trustee Jaime Rosso is pleased with the success but was careful to point out that these scores reflect performance on the tests taken in the 2006-2007 school year, not the current year, before many of the district's new administrative hires were placed.

"I recognize it's only looking at past history," Rosso said. "But there was some good stuff in there."

The results are an indication that the district is moving in the right direction, Rosso said.

Compared to schools like Herbert Hoover Middle School and August Boeger Junior High in San Jose, South Valley Middle School posted the largest jump in scores in Gilroy and managed to move nearly to the top of the pile with a score of nine, a four point gain over last year's ranking and the largest gain of any school in the district.

After wrapping up a morning celebration with his teachers, SVMS Principal John Perales expressed his excitement.

"We take full ownership," he said. He has only added a handful of new teachers to his staff this year so a large majority of the current staff played a role in the results. "I believe in South Valley, I believe in what we're doing."

This time of year is especially hard for Perales, he said. This is the time when students are given the opportunity to opt out of schools that are in Program Improvement, a federal designation for schools that don't meet their target test scores. With SVMS in its fourth year of PI, Perales said he exhausts himself trying to talk parents out of choosing another school. Only a few students elect to attend another middle school once they've seen what SVMS has to offer, he said.

"It's a bummer," he said, when parents won't give his school a chance. "These rankings really validate that we are a good place for kids."

"I think moving from a five to a nine is spectacular," said Basha Millhollen, assistant superintendent of educational services. This is Millhollen's first year with the district and it's her goal to see all of the schools' similar school rankings hold steady or improve.

This year, only one school dropped a few points from its previous score. Antonio Del Buono Elementary's score tumbled from a seven to a four. Millhollen said several reasons could explain the drop but felt that an increase in the school's English learner population could have been a key factor. ADB's EL population jumped from 29 percent to 36 percent. The school has implemented changes to address that population shift, Millhollen said, but because these scores reflect last year's academic performance, the results aren't visible on paper yet.

All news is good news, she said, because it helps staff identify weaknesses and areas that need extra attention. These scores also help pinpoint areas that have changed and find new ways to address students' educational needs.

ADB Principal Velia Codiga is taking the data to heart, ordering new materials and adapting the school's programs to meet the needs of the different "clientele."

"This is my school and these are my kids and we are trying to be very proactive," she said.

Meanwhile Ascencion Solorsano Middle School held its seat at the top of the class, scoring 10 points like last year, when compared to schools like Willow Glen Middle School and Columbia Middle School in Sunnyvale.

"I'm thrilled that they're making progress," said Edwin Diaz, former superintendent for the Gilroy Unified School District. "I'm pleased that the hard work is being reflected in the scores."