Verified Data Criteria and Data Use Procedures

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• Background
• Criteria to Define Verified Data
• Data Use Procedures Related to Verified Data

Background

A complete description of the information considered by the California State Board of Education (SBE) in their adoption of the academic progress and postsecondary indicators, pursuant to California Education Code Section 47607.2, is provided below:

• November 2020 SBE Agenda Item 14 (DOCX; Posted 23-Oct-2020)
• November 2020 SBE Agenda Item 14 Addendum (DOCX; Posted 04-Nov-2020)
• May 2023 SBE Agenda Item 02 (DOCX; Posted 05-May-2023)

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Criteria to Define Verified Data

The following criteria are to be used to define verified data:

1. Data eligibility: The data relied on for purposes of a renewal shall be from one or more of the data sources (assessments or postsecondary outcomes) adopted by the California State Board of Education (SBE) for the purpose of verified data under California Education Code Section 47607.2.
   
   
2. Participation: To be eligible for inclusion as verified data, a data source (assessment or postsecondary outcome) must include the results of at least 95 percent of eligible students. In the case of academic progress information, the charter school must demonstrate that it has administered the assessment to, and included the results of, at least 95 percent of pupils for whom the assessment is appropriate. An authorizer may consider evidence of the impacts of global pandemic or natural disasters on participation and may waive this requirement if there is evidence that selection bias has not occurred (e.g., the school has not excluded students who are likely to score lower, on average, than students who took the assessment). To put data in context, the charter school’s enrollment must be included (by grade, if appropriate). In addition, the number of missing (in the postsecondary data) or non-tested students must be identified.
   
   Note: Consistent with the U.S. Department of Education’s flexibility that was afforded to states in 2019–20 and 2020–21, the 95 percent participation rate requirement should not apply in those years.
   
   
3. Disaggregation: The data include information so that student groups may be identified, considered, and for postsecondary data, compared with statewide or districtwide data results for similar pupils.
   
   
4. Student groups: The data include all student groups that have at least 11 students (using the groups and minimum size for reporting from the California School Dashboard [Dashboard]) for assessments that report student data for those groups
   
   
5. Methodology: Academic progress and postsecondary outcomes data are to be shown using a methodology consistent with the recommendations adopted by the SBE within November 2020 SBE Agenda Item 14 (DOCX; Posted 23-Oct-2020).

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Data Use Procedures Related to Verified Data

The following describe the implementation process needs to reflect appropriate data use. In support of comprehensive and valid implementation, the following data use procedures are recommended:

1. Flexibility: Neither the charter school nor chartering authority is required to use any particular verified data source.
   
   
2. Multiple measures: The charter school may present and chartering authority may consider multiple verified data sources.
   
   
3. Transparency: The charter school and chartering authority shall share the data relied on for purposes of a renewal with each other (and other authorizing entities in case of an appeal) in a manner that allows each to understand and verify the data.
   
   
4. Security: In particular, the charter school shall affirm that the assessments were administered as intended, consistent with the test’s publishers’ administration and test security procedures (including any special administration guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, if applicable for school years 2019–20 and 2020–21) and that the assessment results were obtained by pupils, without assistance other than approved test accommodations necessary to provide the student access to the assessment program and the ability to demonstrate his/her knowledge and skills. Upon request, the charter school shall provide the authorizer with additional information about test administration and security.
   
   
5. Longitudinal progress: The charter school shall present data based on measuring the same pupils at multiple points in time. The data from different points in time shall not be composed of a different set of pupils.
   
   Note: For specific guidance on one year’s growth, refer to published information or seek out additional guidance from the test publisher.
   
   
6. Differences from California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP): The charter school shall present data for the student groups whose CAASPP performance placed the school in the middle or low performance category when appropriate data for those student groups is available. Appropriate data will meet the minimum n-size for the student group and wherever possible, be considered in terms of student group norms.
   
   
7. Comparability: For purposes of reporting postsecondary outcomes, comparisons to similar peers may include, but are not limited to, similar demographics, pupil subgroups, first-time college attendance, or other similar circumstances, such as school closures and/or evacuation orders for a portion of the academic year, to the extent such information is available. If no data on similar peers are available, comparisons may be made to statewide data that includes all traditional and charter schools serving a similar grade span.
   
   
8. CAASPP for English language arts/literacy and mathematics: Specified CAASPP reported data can only be used in a manner consistent with the data reported on the CAASPP website and Dashboard. CAASPP data, and methodologies for analyzing CAASPP data (e.g., CORE Student Growth Percentiles) that are mutually agreed upon by the chartering authority and charter school, may be used to supplement Dashboard results. However, CAASPP data may not be used to dispute the Dashboard results.
   
   
9. Pandemic/natural disaster considerations: The charter school may present evidence of learning disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or natural disasters, which resulted in school closures.

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