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See your school performance: California School Dashboard
More information at your fingertips to understand how your schools are doing.
California is field-testing a new web resource that gives families and community members across the state a better idea of how our public schools are performing. At Folsom Cordova, we want to make sure our stakeholders understand how to use this resource to make informed decisions about their neighborhood schools.
Remember the Academic Performance Index, or API? The single number, based primarily on test scores, that for years we used to rate and rank public schools? That’s gone.
The new system, called the California School Dashboard, doesn’t rely just on test scores to tell you how a school is doing. It also gives you detailed information on graduation rates, suspension rates, English learner progress, and more. Are schools that have challenges making changes to improve student success? Are historically high-performing schools improving outcomes for all students? The dashboard gives you much more information to help answer those questions.
Please use this website - its videos, resources, and answer to common questions - to learn more about the new state website. Then take some time in the driver’s seat to explore Folsom Cordova schools!
VIDEO OVERVIEW AND TUTORIALS
California School Dashboard from ACOE on Vimeo.
Why a new system and new tool?
The Dashboard is a key part of California's commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. California's future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate ready for college, careers and life. For schools to reach this goal, teachers, parents and the community need clear and useful measures of progress. As an accountability tool, the Dashboard will help the state identify schools (including charter schools) and districts needing targeted assistance.
What’s different?
In the past, accountability systems for districts and schools relied solely on test scores. But one test taken on one particular day doesn't provide a complete picture of all the ways schools are helping students succeed.
Think of it this way: You can’t drive a car by only watching the speedometer. You also keep your eye on the road, check the mirrors, monitor the gas tank and pay attention if the engine light comes on. Similarly, the Dashboard provides information on different aspects of student performance, which will give a more complete picture of a school’s progress. The Dashboard also reports on growth to show a school’s trajectory over time.
What’s next?
The Dashboard is deliberately designed to be a work in progress: Metrics and reports will be added over time. During the field testing phase, the state will be gathering feedback to make additional modifications.
The exciting changes taking place in education will take time to fully implement. While schools are making progress in many key areas there is always more work to do. The Dashboard is part of an ongoing conversation with our community on both how we're doing and how we can do better. Meeting goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for every student.
RESOURCES
Getting to Know the California School Dashboard (PDF flyer)
Frequently Asked Questions, from California Department of Education:
News Releases and Articles
- Folsom schools score high with the Cal DOE (03/21/17, Folsom Telegraph)
- California School Dashboard Debuts, Provides Multiple Measures of School Progress and Performance , California Department of Education (03/15/2017)
- CDE Releases the California School Dashboard, ICOE (03/15/2017)
- Introducing the California School Dashboard, your new guide to understanding your child's education , Los Angeles Times (03/13/2017)
- State braces for March opening of new accountability website , Cabinet Report (02/06/2017)
- School dashboard to help public check student achievement , The San Diego Union-Tribune (01/13/2017)
- Education officials approve Academic Indicator in school accountability system , Monterey Herald (01/13/2017)
- State Board Approves California School Dashboard , California Department of Education (01/12/2017)
- Newly-proficient ELs added to academic accountability list , Cabinet Report (01/12/2017)
- Why California parents will soon have a new way to think about test scores , LA Times (01/12/2017)
- State board chooses new way of measuring school progress on tests , EdSource (01/11/2017)