Suspension Rate Indicator

What is this Indicator?

The Suspension Rate Indicator 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 students who were suspended for a combined total of at least one full day at any time during the school year.

For most of the other state indicators, the desired outcome is to have a high percentage in the current year and an increase in percentage from the prior year. However, for this indicator, the desired outcome is reversed and the goal is to achieve a low suspension rate.

This indicator is reported on the Dashboard for any local educational agency (LEA) and school that enroll students in transitional kindergarten through grade twelve.

Additional Reports

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

• 2026 Five-by-Five Suspension Rate Placement Report (Included in the Supplemental Dashboard Release on December 15, 2026)

Resources

General Information about the Indicator

• Suspension Rate flyer(PDF)

Technical Information about the Indicator

• Dashboard Technical Guide - The technical guide is the key to unlocking how state indicators are calculated on the Dashboard. The technical guide is broken up into multiple "mini-guides" for ease of access and provides explanations on the calculation formulas and business rules.
  
  
• Connecting the Dashboard to CALPADS Reports (PDF) - A user-friendly flyer 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.
  
  
• 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: Suspension Rate - Access statewide LEA, school, and student group Dashboard suspension rate results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

Additional Information about the Dashboard

• The Dashboard Communication Toolkit web page provides a variety of informational materials that help explain the data reported on the California School Dashboard.
  
  
• The Dashboard Resources web page provides an extensive selection of resources relating to the California School Dashboard for parents, educators, and community partners.
  • Connect to the Dashboard Measures section on the Dashboard Resources web page to learn about other state indicators reported on the Dashboard.
    
    
• The Dashboard Performance Levels and Categories web page provides the Status cut scores, Change cut scores, and Performance Levels (or colors) for all state indicators excluding growth-based indicators which report Performance Categories.

Archive

Prior Year Technical Guides have been archived and are available at the bottom of the current Technical Guide web page.

Prior Year Dashboard Communication Toolkits have been archived and are available at the bottom of the current Dashboard Communications Toolkit web page.