A wealth of data about the performance of Ventura County schools and districts is now available in the 2019 California School Dashboard, which was released today by the California Department of Education (CDE). In addition to reporting on test scores in math and English language arts, the Dashboard provides a more complete picture of school performance by looking at five other areas that impact student success:
- Chronic Absenteeism
- College/Career Readiness
- English Learner Progress
- High School Graduation Rate
- Suspension Rate
Dashboard users can see how various student groups are performing in each of the six measures. The Dashboard reports results by race and ethnicity as well as for these special student groups:
- English Learners
- Foster Youth
- Homeless
- Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
- Students with Disabilities
Educators and parents can use the dashboard to easily see how a particular school or an entire school district’s performance has changed in each area compared to the prior year. “This current version of the California School Dashboard builds on the intent of the State Board of Education to make district performance data accessible to the public. By grouping indicators into three clusters Academic Performance, Academic Engagement, and Conditions and Climate, and embedding equity reports by student group, all stakeholders benefit from a multifaceted view of student outcomes,” says Dr. Antonio Castro, Associate Superintendent for Educational Services at the Ventura County Office of Education. “As districts, charter schools, and county offices of education engage in studying student performance patterns, the Dashboard assists us in highlighting improvements and serving as a common communication tool for continuous improvement,” Castro said.
The Dashboard’s Colors
The Dashboard uses a system gauges that show performance by pointing to one of five levels represented by the colors blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Red represents the lowest performance and blue the highest.
New Dashboard Tools: An App and a Map
A smart phone app for the California School Dashboard is available on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store by searching for the term “CA Dashboard.” More information about the app and links to the app stores are on the Dashboard Mobile Application web page.
CDE has also launched the California School Dashboard Navigator, an interactive map of Dashboard performance by district and school to make important data more transparent and accessible to parents and community members. The Navigator is available at this link.
Helpful Resources on Using the Dashboard
The 2019 California School Dashboard is now available at www.caschooldashboard.org. The following links provide information on how to use the Dashboard:
- Getting to Know the California School Dashboard
- Getting to Know the Six Measures
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Dashboard
- Video: California School Dashboard – Let the Conversations Begin
About the Ventura County Office of Education
The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.
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