Letter Template for Families and Guardians

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The 2019 California School Dashboard is now available. Visit the site to see the latest data available on student test scores, graduation rates, attendance, college/career readiness, suspensions and English Learner progress.

The Dashboard is part of California’s school accountability and support framework that is designed to empower local communities to address the needs of local schools.

To learn more about California’s continuous improvement efforts, visit California School Dashboard and System of Support

Why a new system and a new tool?

California’s future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate ready for college, career 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 and local communities identify strengths and challenges and create improvement plans.

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 the many aspects of student performance, which will give a more complete picture of a school’s progress. The Dashboard also reports on how schools are making progress over time.

What’s next?

Districts eligible for assistance are connected with local support and more specialized help through the State System of Support, which includes experts at agencies across California.

Local communities can get involved in continuous improvement by participating in the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) process. The LCAP is your school district’s blueprint for setting goals, reviewing data and aligning resources to support for struggling students.

These 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.

California Department of Education: December 2019