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College/Career Indicator FAQs

Frequently asked questions relating to the California School Dashboard (Dashboard) College/Career Indicator (CCI).
In 2023, the College/Career Indicator (CCI) only displayed status without performance colors. When will change and performance levels return?

The CCI will display colors once again on the 2024 Dashboard. There will be two consecutive years of data, so change and performance levels can be calculated and displayed alongside status.

I understand that the U.S. Department of Education denied the use of the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) one-year graduation rate for DASS schools. Which students are included in the denominator of the CCI for DASS schools?

Due to the U.S. Department of Education’s denial of California’s waiver to continue using modified methods for accountability, the combined four-and five-year graduation rate that is calculated for the Graduation Rate Indicator is used as the denominator for the CCI for all schools.

How is a student counted as prepared or approaching prepared within the CCI?

The following two flyers identifies the Prepared and Approaching Prepared criteria that have been approved by the State Board of Education:

For the College Credit measure, do students need to receive college credit to be counted?

Yes. Students must receive college credit, pass the course with a grade of C minus or better (or Pass), and complete a minimum number of semesters, quarters, or trimesters of college coursework to be counted in the CCI.

We had 15 students who completed college courses with a C- or better and the students receive college credit for the courses. However, our CCI and the College/Career Measures Additional Report do not show us receiving any credit for these students. Why is this?

Local educational agencies are encouraged to review their California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) data to ensure that the data are submitted or are submitted accurately. For example, at times, we find that college courses are either not submitted in the End-of-Year data collections, or they have been submitted as non-college credit course codes. Additionally, we have found final course grades submitted as numerical values (rather than a letter grade). Any of these errors will result in CDE being unable to provide any credit to schools/LEAs.

Will a student be considered Prepared if they take a college credit course as part of their CTE pathway?

No. The intent is that students must complete two separate activities in order to be Prepared. For example, completing a CTE pathway in agriculture and a college course in astronomy would be considered Prepared. However, a CTE pathway in agriculture with the CTE capstone course in agriculture that is also college credit would not be considered Prepared.

We have a Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway course that is articulated with a college course. Does the articulation count the student as prepared on the CCI?

No. Pleasee see the answer above.

What is the definition of a long-term English Learner (LTEL) student for a graduating student in the CCI?

A pupil who has not attained English language proficiency within 7 years of initial classification as an English learner (EL) is a long-term English learner..

Specifically, for the CCI, students who have been an EL for 7+ years during the last four or five years in high school will be considered an LTEL.

If a long-term English learner (LTEL) reclassifies during their junior year, will they still be considered an LTEL in the CCI?

Yes. A student that meets the LTEL criteria any time during the cohort period is counted as LTEL in the cohort.

Where can I access more information on what data sources are used for the CCI?

There are two resources that identifies what data are used to calculate the measures in the CCI:

  1. Dashboard Technical Guide for the CCI, and
  2. Connecting California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) to the Dashboard Handbook

Both documents can be accessed through the College/Career Indicator web page.

Is there any way I can confirm the data I submit in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) prior to it being used to calculate the CCI?

Yes. The Connecting CALPADS to the Dashboard Handbook identifies specific CALPADS reports you can review to confirm if your data is accurate prior to the close of the CALPADS certification window.

Can I make corrections to my CCI data after it is released on the Dashboard?

No. The California Department of Education extracts certified data from the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) End-of-Year (EOY) submission. Any data revisions that are made in CALPADS after the submission deadline cannot be incorporated into the Dashboard (or DataQuest).

What measures are currently included in the CCI?

The following measures have been approved by the State Board of Education for inclusion into the CCI:

  1. Advanced Placement Exams
  2. a–g Completion
  3. Career Technical Education Pathway Completion
  4. College Credit Course (formerly called Dual Enrollment)
  5. International Baccalaureate Exams
  6. Leadership/Military Science
  7. Registered Pre-Apprenticeships
  8. Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments in English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics (Grade 11)
  9. State and Federal Job Programs
  10. State Seal of Biliteracy
  11. Transition Classroom and Work-Based Learning Experiences
Questions:   Analysis Measurement and Accountability Reporting Division | Dashboard@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Thursday, November 14, 2024
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