Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

DataQuest Update, Issue #11

DataQuest is an online data reporting resource that provides access to a wide variety of data reports and downloadable data files.

image of DataQuest and California Department of Education

January 18, 2022

DataQuest is the California Department of Education’s (CDE) public data reporting web site that provides meaningful data and statistics about California’s K-12 public education system that supports a wide variety of informational, research, and policy needs. The purpose of the DataQuest Update is to provide: (1) announcements regarding public data releases and availability; (2) general information and analysis on various data reporting topics; and (3) practical tips on how to effectively use DataQuest to obtain information. For questions regarding DataQuest, please submit an email to dataquest@cde.ca.gov.

Release of New Data Reports on DataQuest

Assembly Bill (AB) 130 External link opens in new window or tab. (Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021) suspended the reporting of state indicators on the 2021 California School Dashboard (Dashboard). However, the statute requires that available data that would have been included in the Dashboard are reported on the CDE’s website if they are determined to be valid and reliable.

While the CDE encourages local educational agencies (LEAs) to utilize the information made available on the CDE website, it is also critical that LEAs review their locally collected data to inform supports for at-risk students on a regular basis. On January 11, 2022, the CDE conducted a webinar on the Dashboard Local Indicator Process. On January 18, 2022, the CDE will conduct another webinar on the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Required Goals. The presentations for these webinars and prior webinars that support the planning process can be found on the CDE Tuesday @ 2 Webinar Series web page.

Pursuant to the data reporting requirements outlined in AB 130, the following data reports, which are based on data submitted and certified in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) by districts and charter schools, are now publicly available on the CDE DataQuest website. More information about this data release can be found in the CDE Press Release #22-03. This press release provides information about accessing the 2020–21 statewide assessment data.

2020–21 Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) and Outcome Reports

  • Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate
  • Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Outcomes

2020–21 Five-Year Cohort Graduation Rates and Outcome Reports

  • Five-Year Cohort Graduation Rate
  • Five-Year Cohort Outcomes
  • Five-Year and Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rate Comparison

2020–21 Suspension Data Reports

  • Suspension Rate
  • Suspension Count by Most Serious Offense Category

2020–21 Chronic Absenteeism Reports

  • Chronic Absenteeism Rate

2020–21 Dashboard Graduation Rate Additional Report

  • Combined Four- and Five-Year Rates for Comprehensive High Schools
  • One-Year Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) Graduation Rates

2020–21 Dashboard College/Career Indicator Additional Report

  • Data on specific measures included in the College/Career Indicator (CCI)
Additionally, the following data, which are not utilized in the Dashboard, are now publicly available on the CDE DataQuest website:

2020–21 Expulsion Data Reports

  • Expulsion Rate
  • Expulsion Count by Most Serious Offense Category

2020–21 Absenteeism by Reason Reports

  • Absenteeism by Reason

2020–21 Stability Rate Reports

  • Stability Rate

2020–21 Survey Reports

  • California Healthy Kids Survey
  • California School Staff Survey

Accessing DataQuest Reports

Users may access the above DataQuest reports by performing the following steps:

  • Navigate to the DataQuest Homepage
  • Select the desired Level (State, County, District, or School)
    • Select desired report from drop down menu
  • Select "Submit"
  • Select the desired Year
    • 2020–21
  • Select "Submit"
  • Select desired report from the menu
    • Four-Year Cohort Graduation Rates and Outcomes
    • Five-Year Cohort Graduation Rates and Outcomes
    • Suspension and Expulsion Data
    • Absenteeism Data
    • Stability Rate
    • Dashboard Additional Reports and Data
    • California Healthy Kids Survey
    • California School Staff Survey
  • Select "Submit"

Users may also access these reports from the CDE Data Reports by Topic web page.

Many of the DataQuest reports listed above include Report Description, Report Glossary, and Report Filters and Options sections. To change the way the data are displayed in the report, open the expandable (+) Report Options and Filters section.

These reports also include some useful filters that allow the data to be viewed along with a variety of dimensions, including for charter schools and non-charter schools, for alternative and traditional schools, by gender, and by multiple student groups.

Supporting Downloadable Data Files

As part of this public data release, the CDE is providing the following supporting downloadable data files, available here:

2020–21 Graduation Data Files

2020–21 Discipline Data Files

2020–21 Absenteeism Data Files

2020–21 Stability Rate Data Files

Additional Downloadable Data Files

In compliance with the reporting requirements outlined in Education Code section 47607(d)(1)(A), the CDE has publicly posted the following downloadable data file regarding the number of students who were cumulatively enrolled during the 2020–21 academic year.

In compliance with the reporting requirements outlined in Education Code section 49006, the CDE has publicly posted the following downloadable data file regarding the number of students subjected to mechanical restraint, physical restraint, and seclusion during the 2020–21 academic year

Users may also access the above data files from the CDE Downloadable Data Files by Topic web page. Please refer to the file structure for important details about the associated data files, including the data layout, which data are contained in the file, and the levels at which data are provided in the files (e.g., state, county, district, and school levels).

Release of 2021 California School Dashboard

The 2021 Dashboard is now available on the California School Dashboard web site at California School Dashboard External link opens in new window or tab.. Pursuant to the data reporting requirements outlined in AB 130, the 2021 Dashboard contains the following information and data:

  • Contact information for schools and districts.
  • Enrollment data reflective of the 2020–21 school year which are based on the 2020 Census Day information that LEAs submitted and certified to CALPADS. Note that at the LEA-level, the data excludes charter school data as they are treated as LEAs under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF).
  • Local indicators that LEA Dashboard Coordinators were required to upload onto the Dashboard by October 15, 2021.

Additionally, the 2021 Graduation Rate Additional Report,which displays the combined four- and five-year graduation rate and the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) graduation rate, is now available on the CDE School Dashboard Additional Reports and Data web page.

Further details about the 2021 data release can be found on the COVID-19 and Data Reporting web page, the COVID-19 Accountability FAQs web page, the 2021 Dashboard Reference Guide(DOCX), and the Information on the 2021 Additional Reports web page.

Upcoming Data Releases

In Spring 2022, the CDE plans on publicly releasing the following data:

  • 2021–22 Annual Enrollment reports and downloadable file
  • 2021–22 English Learner reports and downloadable files
  • 2021–22 Free or Reduced-Price Meal reports and downloadable file
  • 2020–21 Transitional Kindergarten Participation reports and downloadable file
  • 2020–21 Teacher Assignment Monitoring related reports and downloadable files

Please Note: The release of the 2019–20 and 2020–21 staff, course, and class data has been impacted by assignment monitoring activities and related state and federal reporting requirements that utilize these data. Additionally, in response to internal and external stakeholder requests, the CDE is also working on developing new DataQuest staff, course, and class reports with enhanced functionality along with new supporting downloadable files. Thank you for your patience, and we apologize for the continued delay.

Questions: Data Reporting Office | dro@cde.ca.gov | 916-327-0219 
Last Reviewed: Friday, February 16, 2024
Recently Posted in Accessing Educational Data
  • DataQuest Update, Issue #20 (added 17-May-2024)
    DataQuest is an online data reporting resource that provides access to a wide variety of data reports and downloadable data files.
  • File Structure: CBEDS by Race/Ethnic & Gender 2023 (added 16-May-2024)
    File structure for CBEDS data by race/ethnicity, gender, and school for 2023-24. Data include classified staff and home-to-school transportation data.
  • File Structure: CBEDS Data About Schools/Districts (added 16-May-2024)
    File structure for California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) data about schools and districts for 2023.
  • File Structure: Census Day Enrollment Data (added 16-May-2024)
    File structure for downloadable files containing Census Day TK/K–12 enrollment data from the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) disaggregated by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and other student details.
  • Census Day Enrollment Data (added 16-May-2024)
    Downloadable data files containing annual Census Day TK/K–12 enrollment data disaggregated by grade, race/ethnicity, gender, and other student details.

  • Annual Aggregate Reports (added 09-Apr-2024)
    The page displays the annual California State Preschool Program enrollment data by Statutory Age and Program Length for fiscal years 2020−23, providing an unduplicated count of children served by the California Department of Education (CDE).
  • CSPP Enrollment by Provider County Reports (added 09-Apr-2024)
    The page provides links to annual October California State Preschool Program (CSPP) enrollment reports by provider county for 2020−22 in XLSX format.
  • Single-Month Reports (added 09-Apr-2024)
    The page displays California State Preschool Program (CSPP) Enrollment by Program Length, Statutory Age, Agency Classification, and Race/Ethnicity.
  • Two-Month Average Data Reports (added 09-Apr-2024)
    The page displays two-month average Early Education Division (EED) enrollment data for children by Program Length and Statutory Age for October/April in 2020−23.