College/Career Indicator

This indicator, reported on the California School Dashboard, applies to districts and schools with students in grades 9–12.

What is this Indicator?

The College/Career Indicator (CCI) is one of several state indicators that the California Department of Education (CDE) reports on the California School Dashboard (Dashboard). It represents the percentage of high school graduates who are prepared for college or a career. This indicator was designed to encourage high schools to provide all students with a rigorous broad course of study that prepares them for postsecondary success. The following measures have been approved by the State Board of Education for inclusion into the indicator:

Advanced Placement Exams
a–g Completion
Career Technical Education Pathway Completion
College Credit Course (formerly called Dual Enrollment)
International Baccalaureate Exams
Leadership/Military Science
Pre-Apprenticeships
Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments in English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics (Grade 11)
State and Federal Job Programs
State Seal of Biliteracy
Transition Classroom and Work-Based Learning Experiences

This indicator is reported on the Dashboard for any local educational agency (LEA) and high school that enrolls students in grade twelve.

Additional Reports

Designed for educators, the School Dashboard Additional Reports offer information and data beyond what are reported on the Dashboard, including summarized views across all state indicators. One report specific to this indicator is the:

College/Career Measures Report

Resources

General Information about the Indicator

College/Career Indicator(PDF)
Measures of College Readiness(PDF) A list of college measures used to determine whether a student is “Prepared” or “Approaching Prepared” for postsecondary education.
Measures of Career Readiness(PDF) A list of career measures used to determine whether a student is “Prepared” or “Approaching Prepared” for the work-force.

Technical Information about the Indicator

2023 Dashboard Technical Guide - This guide is the key to unlocking how the state indicators are calculated for the Dashboard. An extensive review of each state indicator is covered with explanations on the calculation formulas and business rules.
Work-Based Learning Measures in the College/Career Indicator - Be informed of the definitions and guidance on the CCI work-based learning measures
Handbook on the Connections Between CALPADS and the Dashboard(DOCX) - A user-friendly handbook filled with print screens to help you confirm your California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) data before it is used for the Dashboard.
District of Residence flyer(PDF) - The District of Special Education Accountability rule is applied to all state indicators. Download this flyer to learn more.
Downloadable Data Files: College Career Indicator - Access statewide LEA, school, and student group Dashboard graduation rate results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The College/Career 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 2023 Dashboard Communication Toolkit to access the latest information about the 2023 Dashboard.
Resources for parents, educators, and those new to the Dashboard are available on the Dashboard Resources web page.
Status Cut Scores for the 2023 Dashboard – Because the CCI is reported on the 2023 Dashboard as Status only, this web page displays the Status cut scores and levels used to determine performance for this state indicator.

Next Steps

At the September 2023 State Board of Education (SBE) meeting, as part of the 2023 CCI Workplan, the SBE approved the removal of the Non-Registered Pre-Apprenticeship measure from the CCI beginning with the 2023–24 school year. Information on this action, along with all actions taken by the SBE at the September 2023 meeting, was emailed to Dashboard Coordinators in October 2023. For more information of the September 2023 SBE meeting, refer to the SBE September 2023 Agenda Item 8(DOCX).

As part of the 2023 Accountability Workplan, the SBE approved that potential new career measures (i.e., internships, student-led enterprise, simulated work-based learning, and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery [ASVAB]) should not be included in the CCI for the 2023 Dashboard. Therefore, the CDE will continue to collect data on these measures for the 2023–24 school year.