SACRAMENTO

The California Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (SBE) are launching #CADashboardWeek from September 16–20 to raise public awareness about the California School Dashboard, a website that gives parents, students, and educators access to valuable school and district data.

“The Dashboard is a valuable tool for both parents and educators to get a sense of what’s going on in their respective schools,” said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. “Academic performance is critical but students are more than just test scores. The Dashboard evaluates important factors of student success such as engagement and school climate, and empowers local communities to identify opportunities and resources to better serve their students.”

Using the motto “Get Into It,” local school districts and schools are encouraged to utilize a suite of free communication tools provided by the CDE for educators and parents. These tools include a new Dashboard mobile app, as well as an interactive map of California that allows the public to understand the performance of districts in the state. Also included in Dashboard Awareness Week is information on language translations, equity reports, and ways to display and share the Dashboard’s informational videos.

The Dashboard is a key component of California’s overhaul of the state’s school accountability system. It displays statewide data based on status (how each school or district performed) and change (how much they have improved or declined over time). School and district performance levels are indicated by color, with red the lowest and blue the highest. The Dashboard also breaks down information by student group (low-income, English learner, foster youth, etc.) to help pinpoint and address achievement gaps.

The California School Dashboard is scheduled to be updated in early December with data from the 2018–19 academic year. The Dashboard app is available on the iOS App Store, the Google Play Store, and the Microsoft Store by searching for the term “CA Dashboard.” More information about the app and links to the app stores are on the CDE CA Dashboard Mobile Application web page.