July 2024 Quarterly Regional Training Resources
Information and resources from the July 2024 Quarterly Regional Training, presented by the Charter Authorizer Support Initiative (CASI).Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS): Everything You Wanted to Know About DASS But Never Knew You Needed
The July 2024 CASI Quarterly Regional Training addressed Dashboard Alternative School Status schools, presented by the Santa Clara County, Riverside County, and Los Angeles County Offices of Education, and the California Department of Education. Topics discussed included eligibility, the application process, and renewal criteria.
Disclaimer
The information contained on this page is provided as a reference only. Charter schools and chartering authorities are encouraged to review the laws and regulations and consult with their own legal counsel regarding the application to their specific situations.
Live Video Recording
CASI Quarterly Regional Training, July 2024
(Video; 48:26) (Note: Portions of the video have been edited for length and content.)
Section Menu
What is DASS?
Additional information for alternative schools considering participation in the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) program can be found at California Department of Education (CDE) DASS.
Eligibility Requirements
Alternative schools participating in the DASS program are limited to certain eligibility requirements. Schools are identified as "alternative" through one of two methods: Defined Alternative Schools or Other Alternative Schools:
Defined Alternative Schools
The school has a school type identified in California Education Code (EC) Section 52052(d)
, which automatically qualifies them with an alternative status. These schools will be automatically placed into DASS. The school types identified in EC Section 52052(d) are:
- Continuation
- County or District Community Day
- Opportunity
- County Community
- Juvenile Court
- California Education Authority, Division of Juvenile Justice
- County-Run Special Education Schools
Other Alternative Schools
Other alternative schools serve high-risk youth but are not explicitly required to do so in Education Code. These include: (1) alternative schools of choice and (2) charter schools that serve high-risk students. These schools must have an unduplicated count of at least 70 percent of the school's cumulative enrollment (upon first entry to the school) comprised of high-risk student groups to be eligible for DASS. The high-risk groups include the following:
- Expelled (EC Section 48925[b]), including situations in which enforcement of the expulsion order was suspended (EC Section 48917)
- Suspended (EC Section 48925[d]) more than 10 days in a school year
- Wards of the Court (Welfare and Institution Code [WIC] Section 601 or 602) or dependents of the court (WIC Section 300 or 654)
- Pregnant and/or Parenting Youth
- Recovered Dropouts—The State Board of Education (SBE) defines recovered dropouts based on EC Section 52052.3(b), as students who: (1) are designated as dropouts pursuant to the exit and withdraw codes in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS), or (2) left school and were not enrolled in a school for a period of 180 days
- Habitually Truant (EC Section 48262) or Habitually Insubordinate and Disorderly whose attendance at the school is directed by a school attendance review board or probation officer (EC Section 48263)
- Retained more than once in kindergarten through grade eight
- Students who are credit deficient (i.e., students who are one semester or more behind in the credits required to graduate on-time, per grade level, from the enrolling school’s credit requirements)
- Students with a gap in enrollment (i.e., students who have not been in any school during the 45 days prior to enrollment in the current school, where the 45 days does not include non-instructional days such as summer break, holiday break, off-track, and other days when a school is closed)
- Students with high level transiency (i.e., students who have been enrolled in more than two schools during the past academic year or have changed secondary schools more than two times since entering high school)
- Foster Youth (EC Section 42238.01[b])
- Homeless Youth
Schools that meet the Other Alternative Schools criteria above will need to apply for alternative status.
DASS Application Process
Instructions for applying to the DASS program for alternative schools of choice and charter schools that serve high-risk students can be found at CDE DASS Application Process.
Charter Cycle of a DASS School
Petition Review for DASS
The petition review process is the same for a DASS school as any other charter application, as when the school applies for a charter, it is not a DASS school. DASS schools must apply to become DASS. Follow approval procedures in EC sections 47605
and 47605.6
.
Establishing Metrics for DASS
Per EC Section 47607(c)(7)
, Paragraph (2) and subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 47607.2 shall not apply to a charter school that is eligible for alternate methods for calculating the state and local indicators pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 52064.5. In determining whether to grant a charter renewal for such a charter school, the chartering authority shall consider, in addition to the charter school’s performance on the state and local indicators included in the evaluation rubrics adopted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 52064.5, the charter school’s performance on alternative metrics applicable to the charter school based on the pupil population served. The chartering authority shall meet with the charter school during the first year of the charter school’s term to mutually agree to discuss alternative metrics to be considered pursuant to this paragraph and shall notify the charter school of the alternative metrics to be used within 30 days of this meeting. The chartering authority may deny a charter renewal pursuant to this paragraph only upon making written findings, setting forth specific facts to support the findings, that the closure of the charter school is in the best interest of pupils.
- A charter school may apply to the CDE for DASS.
- The authorizer shall meet with the charter school during the first year of the charter’s term to mutually agree to discuss alternative metrics. The authorizer shall notify the charter school of the alternative metrics within 30 days of this meeting.
Oversight for DASS
Authorizer Oversight Statutory Requirements
Per EC Section 47604.32
, each chartering authority shall:
- Identify at least one staff member as contact person for charter school
- Visit each charter school at least annually
- Ensure school complies with all reports required of charters by law, including Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and LCAP annual update
- Monitor fiscal condition of each charter school
- Provide timely notification to the CDE of renewal, revocation, or a school that ceases operations
Oversight Best Practices
- Conduct site visits (at least one per year, but multiple if needed)
- Provide annual reports, with eye to renewal (look at the totality of reports)
- Monitor finances (recommend monthly)
- Attend charter board meetings and/or monitor and review agendas (at least annually, but can be monthly)
- Review school data (demographic, academic, etc.):
- Enrollment, attendance, and exists on CALPADS, Principal Apportionment Data Collection (PADC), and school information system
- California Schools Dashboard
- LCAP
- School Accountability Report Card
- Comprehensive Safety Plan
- Maintain open and positive relationships
Renewal Process for DASS
The CDE provides guidance and information on specific laws and procedures of the charter school renewal process at Charter School Renewals.
Dashboard Alternative Schools Status (DASS) schools are not included in the data file. DASS schools have their own renewal criteria and are not eligible to be placed in a performance category. A list of DASS schools is available at Active DASS Schools.
EC Section 47607(c)(7) requires a chartering authority to consider a DASS school's performance on the Dashboard (all performance indicators and local indicators) as well as on “alternative metrics.” These alternative metrics are to be mutually determined by a charter school and its chartering authorities during the first year of the charter school's charter term. A chartering authority is to notify a DASS school of the alternative metrics to be used within 30 days of the meeting where metrics were discussed and agreed to. Denial of the renewal of a DASS school must include written findings of fact supporting the supposition that the closure of the charter school is in the best interest of the pupils. Additional information on renewal of DASS Charter Schools is available at Charter School Renewals.
Renewal Timelines
- The charter school must submit a renewal petition including a signed certification of completion
- 60 days from submission, the charter authorizer must hold a public hearing
- 90 days from submission, the charter authorizer must hold a decision hearing
- The charter authorizer must post findings and recommendations 15 days prior to the decision hearing
- The charter school may appeal within 30 days if denied and submit the petition to both the district and county at same time
- The county must remand the petition back to district if the petition is materially changed and the district must re-review within 30 days
- Submission deadlines for SBE Appeals can be found at California State Board of Education Appeals
Non-Renewal Standards for DASS
Per EC Section 47607(c)(7)
, the denial of the renewal of a DASS school must include written findings of fact supporting the supposition that the closure of the charter school is in the best interest of the pupils.
Closure for DASS
Per EC Section 47607(f)
, a charter (including DASS schools) may be revoked by the chartering authority if the chartering authority finds, through a showing of substantial evidence, that the charter school did any of the following:
- Committed a material violation of any of the conditions, standards, or procedures set forth in the charter;
- Failed to meet or pursue any of the pupil outcomes identified in the charter;
- Failed to meet generally accepted accounting principles; or engaged in fiscal mismanagement; and
- Violated any law.
Additional Resources
CDE Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS)
Eligibility Criteria, Applications, List of Schools, FAQs.
CDE Charter School Database
CDE list of all charter schools and their term dates
CDE Charter Schools Data Files and Directory Information
A compilation of data files and directory information pertaining to California charter schools.
SCCOE Charter Renewal Materials
Link to Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) page which includes oversight documents, charter renewal process, review matrix for both countywide and district appeal schools, and renewal petition certification forms.
CCAP Charter Petition Review Toolkit
Link to initial charter petition review toolkit; information in the toolkit may also be applied to review renewal petitions.
National Charter Schools Institute: Assessing Global Access, Academics, Mission & Equity (A-GAME)
Sample alternative metrics, DASS data for context.
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