System of Support
California's system of support is a key aspect of California's accountability and continuous improvement system. The goal of the system of support is to help local educational agencies (LEAs) and their schools meet the needs of each student they serve.
LEAs Eligible for Assistance
California's accountability and continuous improvement system is based on a three-tiered system:
- General assistance – resources and assistance that is made available to all local educational agencies
- Differentiated assistance – local educational agencies that meet certain eligibility criteria for additional support
- Intensive Intervention – local educational agencies with persistent performance issues over a period of time
LEA eligibility criteria for differentiated assistance:
Please note the College/Career Indicator will only report on Status level on the 2023 Dashboard, and, as a result, a Status level of Very Low will be used as a proxy for Red for differentiated determinations.
Eligibility criteria for charter schools is the same as for districts and county offices of education with the exception that charter schools must meet the criteria in two Dashboard years (2023 and 2022 Dashboards).
LEAs Eligible for Assistance Data File
The data files for LEAs eligible for assistance can be accessed on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) web page.
Schools Eligible for Assistance
Schools are eligible for assistance under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The categories for ESSA assistance are:
- Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI)
- Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)
Comprehensive Support and Improvement
The California School Dashboard (Dashboard) is used to determine school eligibility and exit for the following categories of schools:
- Low Graduation Rate
- Low Performing
Schools with a three-year graduation rate average below 68 percent are eligible under the CSI – Low Graduation creteria.
After schools are determined eligible under the CSI – Low Graduation Rate criteria, school eligibility under the CSI – Low Performing criteria is determined from the pool of remaining Title I-funded schools. California will identify not less than five percent of Title I-funded schools for CSI – Low Performing using the following hierarchical criteria:
- Schools with all Red indicators
- Schools with all Red indicators but one indicator at another status level
- Schools with five or more indicators where the majority are Red
Please note the College/Career Indicator will only report on Status level on the 2023 Dashboard, and, as a result, a Status level of Very Low will be used as a proxy for Red in CSI – Low Performing and ATSI determinations.
Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)
The student groups used for ATSI are:
- Race/ethnicity (i.e., Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American, Filipino, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, White, and two or more races)
- Homeless Students
- English Learner Students
- Foster Youth Students
- Student with Disabilities
- Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students
After schools are determined eligible for CSI – Low Graduation Rate and CSI – Low Performing, school eligibility for ATSI is determined from the pool of all remaining schools. The criteria outlined below will only apply for 2022–23 CSI – Low Performing eligibility determinations. California will identify not less than five percent of Title I schools for CSI – Low Performing using the following hierarchical criteria:
For 2023–24 ATSI determinations, California will return to using two consecutive years of Dashboard data. In order to meet the ATSI eligibility requirements, a student group (e.g., the EL student group) would have to meet the criteria in both the 2022 and 2023 Dashboards.
2022 Dashboard criteria:
- Schools with all indicators at the lowest status level
- Schools with all indicators at the lowest status level but one indicator at another status level
- Schools with five or more indicators where the majority are at the status lowest level
2023 Dashboard criteria:
- Schools with all Red indicators
- Schools with all Red indicators but one indicator at another status level
- Schools with five or more indicators where the majority are Red
Please note the College/Career Indicator will only report on Status level on the 2023 Dashboard, and, as a result, a Status level of Very Low will be used as a proxy for Red in CSI – Low Performing and ATSI determinations.
More information about ATSI is located on the ATSI web page.
ESSA Assistance Eligibility Status Data Files
The ESSA Assistance Eligibility Status Data Files can be accessed on the ESSA Assistance Status Data Files web page.
Dashboard Technical Guide
More detailed information on how California makes assistance determinations for LEAs and schools can be accessed here:
Archive
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Criteria for Differentiated Assistance (PDF)
2022 Dashboard Technical Guide
2019 Dashboard Technical Guide (PDF)