Annotations are voluntary and are reserved for those schools that wish to add supporting information to the indicator performance reports. Schools that participate in the Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM) can submit annotations when the grounds for annotating fall into at least one of the three categories described below. The California Department of Education (CDE) will approve or deny annotations for inclusion on ASAM School Reports. The annotation narrative may not exceed 100 words. Documentation and evidence should not exceed 500 words (excluding relevant data). Please delete or obscure any student names that appear in supporting documentation.
Schools must submit a Request for ASAM School Report Annotation form to WestEd with the detailed data or evidence attached no later than December 15. A peer group, including representatives from professional organizations working with ASAM schools, will review submitted annotation requests and forward recommendations to the CDE.
Grounds for Submitting an Annotation for an Indicator Performance Standard
- School has improved performance on an indicator, but its performance standard does not reflect the improvement. Each ASAM indicator has designated performance ranges which determine whether a school is Commendable, Sufficient, in Growth Plan, or needing Immediate Action. When a school improves its performance on an indicator, but its ASAM performance standard does not change, additional data can be submitted that explains the local context and documents the year-to-year improvement that occurred but is not reflected in the ASAM performance standard.
- Student population was notably different from the “typical” population of the school and overall ASAM population (within and across school years). Supporting documentation should establish the unique and atypical character of the student population that is outside the norm for the ASAM school.
- Other special circumstances. The school has identified another compelling reason for submitting additional data in relation to the performance standard status.
The Request for ASAM School Report Annotation (DOC; 59KB; 1p.) form must be completed, signed, and submitted with supporting documentation.
