The California Department of Education (CDE) unveiled a new accountability system this school year called the California School Dashboard in response to the Local Control Funding Formula law passed in 2013.

The LCFF allows school districts to determine the spending of state education funds. According to the Assistant Director of Communications for the CDE Robert Oakes, the Dashboard is a necessary addition in order to fulfill the requirements of the LCFF.

“California is changing,” Oakes said. “[The Dashboard] is going to be a much more comprehensive, real-time look at school performance and we promote that heavily.”

The Dashboard analyzes school demographic equity and progress in order to provide information the CDE uses to assist local education agencies such as RJUHSD.

According to the Dashboard website, school performance is measured by “10 indicators of school success.” Six state indicators allow schools and districts to compare their achievements statewide while four local indicators focus directly on the school itself.

Information pertaining to facility is collected through the School Accountability Report Card, an annual report schools must publish in order to receive a stable source of funding. The SARC focuses on student demographics, resources and school performance as well.

“The [School Accountability Report Card] is a tool, but the School Dashboard is becoming and will become the much more comprehensive and useful and interactive tool,” Oakes said.