Science Indicator

What is this Indicator?

The Science indicator is one of several state indicators that the California Department of Education (CDE) reports on the California School Dashboard (Dashboard) and reflects how well students are meeting grade-level standards for science by reporting the average distance from standard (DFS). The Science indicator will not be used for accountability and is for informational purposes only on the 2024 Dashboard.

This indicator is reported on the Dashboard for any local educational agency (LEA) and school who test students on the California Science Test and California Alternative Assessments in Science (CAA-Science) in grades five and eight and high school (grades 10, 11, and 12).

Additional Reports

Designed for educators, the School Dashboard Additional Report offers information and data beyond what are reported on the Dashboard, including summarized views across all state indicators. The Science Indicator has one additional report:

• 2024 Participation Rate Report

Resources

General Information about the Indicator

• Science Indicator flyer(PDF)

Technical Information about the Indicator

• 2024 Dashboard Technical Guide - This guide is the key to unlocking how the state indicators are calculated for the Dashboard. An extensive review of the Science Indicator, and all other state indicators is covered with explanations on the calculation formulas and business rules.
  
  
• Information on the Participation Rate(PDF) - Access this flyer to learn how the participation rate requirement impacts the Academic- English Language Arts (ELA) and Academic - Mathematics Indicators. The Science Indicator will use a similar participation rate methodology beginning in 2025.
  • Translated Versions of Information on the Participation Rate Flyer (Coming January 2025)
    
    
• District of Residence flyer(PDF) - The District of Special Education Accountability rule is applied to all state indicators. Download this flyer to learn more.
  
  
• Crosswalk Between the California School Dashboard and DataQuest(DOCX) - This document provides a short overview of the differences in the way that data are produced for the Dashboard and DataQuest.
  
  
• Downloadable Data Files: Science Indicator (Coming December 2024) - Access statewide LEA, school, and student group Dashboard science results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Science Indicator FAQs web page addresses the common questions received on this state indicator.

Additional Information about the Dashboard

• Connect to the Dashboard Measures tab on the Dashboard Resources web page to learn about other state indicators reported on the Dashboard.
  
  
• View the Dashboard Communication Toolkit to enhance your knowledge about the 2024 Dashboard.
  
  
• Resources for parents, educators, and those new to the Dashboard are available on the Dashboard Resources web page.
  
  
• You can access information about the California's statewide student assessment system by clicking on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) link
  

Next Steps

Creating a Performance Level: Status Cut Points, Change Cut Points and Approval of a Science Indicator Color Scheme for the Five-by-Five Color Grid

In order to establish Performance Levels for the Science Indicator, the State Board of Education (SBE) needs to take action on the following three steps:

• Approval of Science Indicator Status Cut Points: five Status levels of performance (i.e., Very High, High, Medium, Low, and Very Low),
• Approval of Science Indicator Change Cut Points: five Change levels of performance (i.e., declines significantly, declined, maintained, increased, and increased significantly), and
• Approval of a Science Indicator Color Scheme for the Five-by-Five Color Grid.

It is anticipated that the SBE will act in 2025 to review these components of the Science Indicator.

State and Federal Accountability for the Science Indicator

The SBE must take action on the following two items to include Science in state or federal accountability:

• Choosing to Include the Science Indicator within the State Accountability System through Differentiated Assistance Criteria, and
• Choosing to Include the Science Indicator within the Federal Accountability System through Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Eligibility Identification.
  

It is anticipated that the SBE will act in 2025 to review these accountability options for the Science Indicator.