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 an aggregate total of one full day anytime 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 kindergarten through grade twelve. Students in transitional kindergarten are unable to be reported separately from kindergarten and are therefore included in the enrollment counts for the suspension rate.

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. One report specific to this indicator is the:

• 2023 Five-by-Five Suspension Rate Placement Report

Resources

General Information about the Indicator

• Suspension Rate flyer(PDF)

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.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• 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

• 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 enhance your knowledge about the 2023 Dashboard.
  
  
• Resources for parents, educators, and those new to the Dashboard are available on the Dashboard Resources web page.
  
  
• Five-by-Five Colored Tables – Access the Status cut scores, Change cut scores, and Performance Levels (or colors) for each state indicator.

Next Steps

There are no next steps or upcoming changes for this indicator.

Archive

Archived materials from prior Dashboard releases.

• 2022 Suspension Rate flyer(PDF)
  
  
• 2022 Dashboard Communications Toolkit
  
  
• 2022 Dashboard Technical Guide
  
  
• Status Cut Scores for the 2022 Dashboard – Access the Status cut scores for Suspension Rate indicator.
  
  
• 2019 Dashboard Technical Guide(PDF) - 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.
  
  
• Five-by-Five Colored Tables - Access the 2019 Status and Change cut scores for all state indicators.
  
  
• 2019 Suspension Rate flyer(PDF)