Information on School Dashboard Additional Reports
Details and commonly asked questions regarding the 2021 Graduation Rate and College/Career Additional Reports.About the Graduation Rate Additional Report
The 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report reflects the following graduation rate data:
- For comprehensive high schools (i.e., high schools not identified as Dashboard Alternative School Status [DASS] schools), the combined four- and five-year graduation rate data for 2020–21 are reported. The combined graduation rate includes only those students who graduated in four or five-years with a traditional high school diploma:
- Fourth-year graduates from the Class of 2021
- Fifth-year graduates from the Class of 2020 who graduated in their fifth year at the end of 2021.
- For DASS Schools, the report reflects the DASS graduation rate for students who graduated at the end of 2021.
- For local educational agencies (LEAs) that have both comprehensive and DASS schools, the graduation rate is based on both the combined four- and five-year graduation rate and the DASS graduation rate.
- LEAs with only comprehensive high schools will have a graduation rate based on the combined graduation rate.
- County offices with only DASS schools have a graduation rate based on the DASS graduation rate.
For more details, refer to the “Read more about this report” accordion menu on the Graduation Rate Additional Report.
About the College/Career Additional Report
The 2021 College/Career Additional Report is based on the students included in the 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report. Graduates were evaluated on their completion of specific courses and exams, and any diploma seals they earned during high school. Table 1 identifies the data measure and amount of data considered for the following graduating classes:
- Class of 2021 students who graduated in four years from a comprehensive (non-DASS) high school,
- Class of 2020 students who graduated in five years from a comprehensive (non-DASS) high school, and
- Students who graduated in 2020–21 from DASS schools.
Table 1
| College/Career Indicator (CCI) Measure | Amount of Data Considered for a Four-Year Graduate from a Non-DASS School | Amount of Data Considered for a Five-Year Graduate from a Non-DASS School | Amount of Data Considered for a Graduate from a DASS School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Placement (AP) Exams | 4 years | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| a-g Completion | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA |
| Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway Completion | 4 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| College Credit Courses | 4 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams | 2 years | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
| State Seal of Biliteracy | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA | Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA |
Table Notes:
- Y/N Completion as Reported by LEA: When a student graduates, LEAs indicate with a Yes or No as to whether the student completed a-g or earned a State Seal of Biliteracy.
- 2 Years = Data based on academic years 2019–20 and 2020–21
- 4 Years = Data based on academic years 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21
- 5 Years = Data based on academic years 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020–21
- Not Applicable = The AP and IB exam results are only calculated for the four-year graduation cohort. Therefore, fifth-year graduates and students in the DASS graduation rate are excluded from the calculation.
Note that the 2021 College/Career Additional Report is different from prior years in that it does not contain any data on Prepared, Approaching Prepared, and Not Prepared levels. This is due to the suspension of the 2020 Smarter Balanced Assessments, which resulted in a lack of assessments for the Class of 2021. Because the Smarter Balanced Assessments is a standalone measure in the CCI, and is also used in conjunction with other measures, determinations for Prepared, Approaching Prepared, and Not Prepared cannot be made.
Questions and Answers
Will the data on the Graduation Rate Additional Report be reported on the 2021 Dashboard?
No. Assembly Bill 130 prohibits the California Department of Education (CDE) from reporting state indicators on the 2021 Dashboard. Therefore, the data within the Graduation Rate Additional Report will not appear on the 2021 Dashboard.
Will the 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report display any Change data or performance colors?
No. The 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report reflects only the 2020–21 data collected in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). It does not report the differences from prior year (Change) or performance colors.
Are there any changes to the graduation rate rules from last year?
No. The 2021 combined four- and five-year graduation rates and Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) graduation rates were calculated using existing rules.
Note that beginning last year with the 2020 reporting, the district of residence rule was applied to the graduation rate at the local educational agencies (LEA)-level. The “district of residence” is also known as the “District of Special Education Accountability” (DSEA) in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and is applicable only to students with disabilities (SWD). For more information on this rule, refer to the California Department of Education (CDE) Changes to the District of Residence Rule for Students with Disabilities flyer(PDF).
The 2021 Dashboard Reference Guide is available. Will there also be a 2021 Dashboard Technical Guide?
No. A 2021 Dashboard Technical Guide will not be released. To access the full business rules used to process graduation rates for 2021, please refer to the 2019 California School Dashboard Technical Guide(PDF).
With the absence of state indicator data on the Dashboard for two consecutive years, the 2021 Dashboard Reference Guide was developed to assist LEAs locate where they can access available state and local data that is associated with each state indicator.
There are data errors in my graduation rate data. Can I still make the corrections in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) so that these errors can be fixed?
No. The amendment window to make any adjustments to the data closed on August 30, 2021. The data reflected in the Graduation Rate Additional Report is final.
Are the graduation rates the only data that are being released this year?
No. In addition to the Graduation Rate Additional Report, the College/Career Additional Report is also published through the School Dashboard and Additional Reports web page. Furthermore, the suspension rates, expulsion rates, chronic absenteeism rates, absenteeism by reason reports, four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates and outcomes, five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates and outcomes, and stability rates are some of the 2020-21 data that are available on DataQuest.
Were the graduation rates published in the 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report used to determine Comprehensive Support and Intervention (CSI) Low - Graduation Rate exits?
Yes. To get more information, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) CSI Low – Graduation Rate FAQs web page.
Will the College/Career Additional Report be reported on the 2021 Dashboard?
No. Assembly Bill 130 prohibits the CDE from reporting state indicators on the 2021 Dashboard. Therefore, the data within the College/Career Additional Report will not appear on the 2021 Dashboard.
Will the 2021 College/Career Additional Report display any Change data or performance colors?
No. The 2021 College/Career Additional Report does not report the differences from prior year (Change) or performance colors.
In the 2021 College/Career Additional Report, which students are counted in the numerator for?
- Completed a-g Requirements
Students who complete either University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) a-g requirements with a grade C or better are counted in the numerator.
- Completed at Least One Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway
Students who complete at least one CTE pathway, including completing the capstone course with a grade of C minus or better, are counted in the numerator.
- Completed College Credit Courses
Students who pass a specific number of college-level course with a grade of C minus or better and earn college credits upon completion of the course are counted in the numerator. The courses may be in either academic disciplines (e.g., English) or CTE disciplines (e.g., welding). Physical education courses are not counted. To access the list of California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) fields used for academic and CTE college credit courses, please see the table on pages 84 and 85 in the 2019 Dashboard Technical Guide(PDF).
Note that the college-level course does not have to be taken in sequential order. For example, two classes taken during one fall quarter will be counted as completing two quarters of college coursework. Year-long and summer courses are also counted for this measure. One full year term is equivalent to one semester. One summer term is equivalent to one quarter.
- Earned the State Seal of Biliteracy
Students who earn the State Seal of Biliteracy are included in the numerator.
- Advanced Placement (AP) Exam and International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam
Students who scored 3 or higher on at least two AP exams are included in the numerator for AP exam. Students who scored 4 or higher on at least two IB exams are included in the numerator for IB exam. Keep in mind that the denominator for both are based only on the four-year graduation cohort. Therefore, fifth-year graduates and students in the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) graduation rate are excluded from the numerator and denominator.
I understand that this year’s College/Career Additional Report is different from prior year reports. Does the data take into consideration the District of Residence rule that was applied last year?
Yes. As noted earlier, beginning in 2020, the district of residence rule was used to calculate both the 2020 Graduation Rate Additional Report and the 2020 College/Career Additional Report. To view more information on this rule, see the California Department of Education (CDE) Update to the District of Special Education Accountability for Students with Disabilities flyer(PDF).
I see data errors in my College/Career Additional Report. Can I still make the corrections in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) so that these errors can be fixed?
No. The amendment window to make any adjustments to the data closed on August 30, 2021. The data reflected in the College/Career Additional Report is final.
Will state indicators be reported on the 2022 Dashboard?
It is anticipated that state indicators, except for the College/Career Indicator (CCI), will be displayed on the 2022 Dashboard. The data will display Status only based on data from the 2021–22 school year. Change and performance colors will not be reported.
Note that because the 2021 Smarter Balanced Assessments will not be used for accountability, these assessments cannot be used as a measure in the CCI for the Class of 2022.