Alternative Schools Accountability Model

Added to Programs No Longer Administered by the California Department of Education (CDE) on July 28, 2017.

This information is for historical purposes only and it is possible that information contained here may not be current.

The previously administered Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM) was developed in 2000, by the California Department of Education (CDE) in conjunction with the 1999 Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) Subcommittee on Alternative Accountability.

In 2013, California’s accountability system significantly changed with the adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). This new accountability system, the California School Dashboard (Dashboard), contains state indicators and standards to help identify a school’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas in need of improvement. Because these state indicators and standards were developed for traditional (non-alternative) schools, they do not fairly evaluate the success or progress of alternative schools that serve high-risk students.

Currently, all alternative schools and schools participating in ASAM are not held accountable to the same standards established for traditional schools. Therefore, the CDE, along with the Statewide Advisory Taskforce on Alternative Education Accountability, and other stakeholder groups, are in the process of developing robust accountability indicators for alternative schools. At the July 12, 2017 State Board of Education (SBE) meeting, the SBE approved the CDE’s development of the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) program for alternative schools. The DASS program replaces the ASAM and holds alternative schools accountable for alternative accountability indicators that will be incorporated in the Dashboard beginning in the Fall 2018 release.

For more information on the DASS program, please visit the DASS Web page.