Petaluma schools rate well in new performance model

Petaluma City Schools receive favorable performance marks in the first year of the new California Accountability Model,|

Petaluma City Schools received generally favorable performance marks in the first year of the new California (School) Accountability Model.

Petaluma District students maintained or increased achievement in a variety of new measures. District and school performance marks are reported via the California School “Dashboard,” a new website from the California Department of Education, which became accessible to the public on March 15.

In the new Accountability Model, districts and schools are measured in a variety of state and local indicators that compare the most recent achievement results to those of prior years. State indicators currently include attendance, suspension and graduation rates as well as student performance in English, mathematics and English learner progress. Soon to be added to the assessment system this fall will be a series of local indicators, including the measurement of student college and career readiness.

Cliff De Graw, assistant superintendent of educational services, states, “While we are happy with our initial across-the-board performances in many indicators, the new accountability model will help us identify the performance level of unique subgroups of students with more depth and accuracy. We will use this data to continue developing priorities and goals towards progress and growth.”

Of particular note are the high performance marks in the areas of student graduation rates and English Language Arts. Petaluma City Schools and other school districts throughout the state will be developing additional local assessment measures that will be used in future years to measure critical areas of school and student growth. De Graw states that Petaluma City Schools plans to build on areas of current successes, while also focusing on improving math performance for all students and increasing the achievement of English learners.

For more about the new Accountability Model and School Dashboard, visit www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/.

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