Science Indicator FAQs
The most frequently asked questions about the Science Indicator used for the California School Dashboard.What are the cut points for performance level for the Science Indicator?
The State Board of Education (SBE) has not yet adopted Performance Levels for the Science Indicator. It is anticipated that the SBE will take action on establishing status and change cut points for inclusion in the 2025 Dashboard. Additionally, the SBE will also need to approve a Science Indicator Color Scheme for the Five-by-Five Color Grid for accountability purposes.
Is the Science Distance from Standard (DFS) scale the same as the Academic Indicators?
No, the Science DFS scale is different from the Academic Indicators. It is not recommended that the DFS results be compared between the Science and Academic Indicators.
My school did not reach 95% participation on the California Science Test (CAST) - What will happen?
While we encourage full student participation in the assessments, reaching less than 95% for the Science test has no impact on Accountability for the 2024 Dashboard. With the adoption of this metric by the SBE in 2024, they delayed the inclusion of a 95% participation rate penalty to start with the 2025 Dashboard.
Is participation rate the same thing as completion rate (in Test Operations Management System [TOMS])?
No. Under California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), LEAs can access test completion rates, which is based on the total number of students who took the test at a given school. The participation rates for the Dashboard only includes students enrolled during the “accountability testing window.” This accountability window includes the application of grace periods, which hold an LEA/school harmless when there is inadequate time to administer the assessments.
Do I need to test all my students, even those with the highest cognitive disabilities?
Yes. A participation rate of 95% is required by the U.S. Department of Education to not receive a participation rate penalty. All students should be tested; however, students taking the California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science who receive a LOSS are removed from the DFS calculation. In other words, they need to be tested but will not count against the district if they are unable to perform.
If my school is TK-8, will high school scores be included in my school’s DFS results?
DFS results for schools, LEAs, and Student groups will be based on grades that are tested at your school. For example, a Transitional Kindergarten through grade eight school with students testing in grades five and eight will only include scores from students in grades five and eight.
How do parent opt-outs affect the participation rate?
While California recognizes parent opt-out waivers as a reason not to test, the U.S. Department of Education does not recognize the waiver for the Academic Indicators. The Science Indicator will follow the same rule and not be able to exclude opt-out waivers when calculating the participation rate.
A student left my school before the testing window opened but they are still showing up in TOMS – will this affect my participation rate?
TOMS is a great tool for looking at real-time testing rates within a school or LEA. Completion rates, however, are a similar but different metric than the participation rate. Additionally, students remain in TOMS at their last known school in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). Therefore, if a student never enrolled in another California school, they will appear as needing to test in TOMS. Since these students left before the testing window opened, they will not be included in the numerator or the denominator of the participation rate.
A student logged onto the test but did not complete testing. Will they count against my participation rate?
Students need to log on to the CAST or all four domains of the CAA for Science in order to be counted as participating. If the student only logged on to one of the four domains of the CAA for Science, they will not be counted as participating. If the student did not complete the tests but were provided a score, that score will be used in the DFS calculations.
A student left in the middle of testing but did not start any of the assessments. Will I be held accountable for their test?
If the student is expected to test and did not test, the school and LEA will be held accountable for the student not testing. If the student falls under any of the exemptions including grace periods and is not expected to test, the school and LEA will not be held accountable for the student not testing.
Where can I view my school or district participation rates?
The School Dashboard Additional Reports and Data web page has a special report for science participation rates. Schools, LEAs, and student groups with 11 or more students display the participation rates of the most recently available California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data.
A student left my school during the LEA selected testing window but before we tested any students. Will they affect my participation rate?
No. Students that exit the school before testing has begun are not expected to test and will not be included in either the numerator or the denominator of the participation rate.
How does the Science Indicator calculate participation rate and DFS for high school students?
To report on the participation rate and Distance from Standard, the SBE made the decision to combine current year high school scores. For example, the Science Indicator participation rate numerator for the 2024 Dashboard will include all 10th graders, 11th graders, and 12th graders who tested in 2023–24 who meet the participation rate eligibility requirements. The denominator for the 2024 Dashboard will include all 10th and 11th graders who tested and all 12th graders who meet the participation rate eligibility requirements. The DFS calculation will include all high school (grades 10, 11, and 12) testers from the current year.
Why are my completion reports on the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) not the same as my participation rate on the dashboard?
The TOMS reports provide insight into the students who have taken part in the assessments in “real-time”. However, the Dashboard does not use the same inclusion and exclusion rules and does not collect any testing data until September/October. Therefore, the Dashboard participation rate and the TOMS completion reports can be the same or differ depending on the student.