New School Dashboard

A Focus on Continuous Improvement

California has begun its transition to a new accountability system known as the California School Dashboard.

The California Department of Education first released the Dashboard in March. This initial release serves as an introduction to the new system for both schools and the public.

The Dashboard provides performance indicators in each of the following areas:

  • Chronic Absenteeism
  • Suspension Rates
  • English Learner Progress
  • Graduation Rates
  • Academic Test Scores
  • College and Career Readiness

Focusing on Today While Looking Ahead

Performance indicators are a “score” based on a combination of status and change:

  • Status is where a school is today, based on the most recent data
  • Change is the progress a school has made from one year to the next

Status and change each have five levels:

  • Status: Very High, High, Medium, Low, Very Low
  • Change: Increased Significantly, Increased, Maintained, Declined, Declined Significantly

These level are combined to produce a performance category using the 5×5 grid below. For example, a school with high test scores that have increased from the previous year would receive a performance indicator of green for Academic Test Scores.

5x5-1
The 5×5 grid helps users visualize the relationship between status and change.

Performance Displayed by Color

On the formal report, performance categories are displayed as both a color and as a number of pie segments.

Screen Shot 2017-05-03 at 5.48.37 PM
Pie segments assist with black and white printing & color blindness.

The Dashboard will be released annually beginning in November 2017. But you can review the initial data now for your student’s school by visiting www.caschooldashboard.org.

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Sources

California Department of Education, California School Dashboard Tutorial video

California School Information Services, CALPADS Information Meeting 4.18.17, Training Materials

Corona-Norco Unified School District, California School Dashboard, Featured Image

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