Glossary

Glossary
Commonly Used Education Acronyms
Agency Acronyms

Glossary

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Academic Performance Index (API)
A number summarizing the performance of a group of students, a school, or a district on California’s standardized tests. A school’s number (or API score) is used to rank it among schools of the same type (elementary, middle, high, or small) and among the 100 schools of the same type that are most similar in terms of students served, teacher qualifications, and other factors.

In 2006-07 the API includes these components:

• For a typical elementary school serving grades K–5: Results from the California Standards Tests (CSTs) in English language arts and mathematics for grades 2–5 make up 89% of the API score. The CST in science (taken by fifth-graders only) makes up 6% and English and math tests from the California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6) account for the remaining 5%.

• For a typical middle school serving grades 6–8: Results from the CSTs in English and math make up 80% of the API score; the CSTs in science and social science (taken by eighth graders only) count for 7% each; and the English and math tests from the CAT/6 make up another 7%. (The total does not add up to 100% due to rounding.)

• For a typical high school serving grades 9–12: Results from the CSTs in English and math make up 47% of the API score; CSTs in science comprise 19%; social science (taken by 10th and 11th graders only) makes up 15% of the score; and the English and math portions of the CAHSEE (10th-grade scores only) each make up 10%.



Accommodations
Changes in the way tests are designed or administered to respond to the special needs of students with disabilities and English learners (EL). Accommodations might include allowing a student to take more time for a test or using Braille forms of the assessment. California distinguishes between accommodations and modifications. Modifications, such as allowing a calculator for a math test, affect the validity of the test results. However, some Special Education students may need modifications in order to take a test.

Account Code
A number that classifies sources of revenues or purposes of expenditures in either a school district budget or the reports districts submit to the California Department of Education (CDE). The account code classifies expenditures according to the types of items purchased or services obtained, and revenues by the general source and type of revenue.



Accountability
The notion that people (e.g., students or teachers) or an organization (e.g., a school, school district, or state department of education) should be held responsible for improving student achievement and should be rewarded or sanctioned for their success or lack of success in doing so.

Achievement Gap
A consistent difference in scores on student achievement tests between certain groups of children and children in other groups. The data document a strong association between poverty and students' lack of academic success as measured by achievement tests. And while poverty is not unique to any ethnicity, it does exist in disproportionate rates among African Americans and Hispanics, and among English learners. The reasons behind the achievement gap are multifaceted. They do to some degree stem from factors that children bring with them to school. However, other factors that contribute to the gap stem from students' school experiences.



Achievement Test
A test to measure a student’s knowledge and skills.

ACT
A set of college admissions tests and the organization that makes them, ACT also offers workforce development programs. Most colleges accept either the SAT or the ACT for admissions purposes.



Adequacy
An approach to school funding that begins with the premise that the amount of funding schools receive should be based on some estimate of the cost of achieving the state’s educational goals. This approach attempts to answer two questions: How much money would be enough to achieve those goals and where would it be best spent?

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Adequate yearly progress is a set of annual academic performance benchmarks that states, school districts, schools, and subpopulations of students are supposed to achieve if the state receives federal funding under Title I, Part A of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In California, the measures include: (1) specified percentages of students scoring "proficient" or "advanced" on California Standards Tests in English language arts and math; (2) participation of at least 95% of students on those tests; (3) specified Academic Performance Index scores or gains; and (4) for high schools, a specified graduation rate or improvement in the rate.



Adult Education
Classes offered by school districts, community colleges, and other public and private organizations for residents 18 years or older who are not enrolled in a high school. State law requires that certain courses, including citizenship and English, be provided at no charge, while others may carry a fee. Adult Education revenues and expenditures must be tracked separately from a school district's general fund.

Advanced Placement (AP) program and AP exams
19A cooperative educational program between high school students and institutions of higher education that offers high school students the opportunity to complete college-level courses and earn college credit for them. The College Board, which administers the AP program, currently offers courses and examinations in more than 20 subject areas including biology, calculus, and American history. Examinations are graded on a five-point scale, five being the highest possible score. College credit is earned by achieving a satisfactory score on an AP exam, usually a three or better. In addition, many college admission officials favor students who have completed AP coursework and have taken the exams.



A-G Courses
The set of 15 one-year college prep courses high school students must take to be eligible to enter either the California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) systems. Required a-g courses beginning with the class of 2003 and beyond include:
(a) Two history/social science;
(b) Four English language arts;
(c) Three math (through Algebra II or Integrated Math III);
(d) Two laboratory science (two different disciplines);
(e) Two foreign language (same language);
(f) One visual/performing arts; and
(g) One elective from the above subjects.
Students must also meet other criteria to gain admission to the university systems.

Alignment
The degree to which assessments, curriculum, instruction, textbooks and other instructional materials, teacher preparation and professional development, and systems of accountability all reflect and reinforce the educational program’s objectives and standards.



Alternative Assessments
Ways, other than standardized tests, to get information about what students know and where they need help, such as oral reports, projects, performances, experiments, and class participation. (See portfolio assessment.)

Alternative Certification
An alternative method to qualify an individual to teach. Teachers generally require a college degree in education and a state certification to teach. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), states are encouraged to offer other methods of qualification that allow talented individuals to teach subjects they know.



Alternative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM)
An alternative way of measuring student performance in schools with mostly high-risk students—such as continuation schools or some county office of education schools—and schools with fewer than 11 valid test scores.

Annual Measurable Objective (AMO)
A measurement used to determine compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). States must develop annual measurable objectives (AMOs) that will determine if a school, district, or the state as a whole is making adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward the goal of having all students proficient in English language arts and mathematics by 2013-14. For California, the AMOs are the percent of students that must score proficient or advanced on English language arts and mathematics tests aligned with state content standards (such as the California Standards Tests and the California High School Exit Exam). For example, for an elementary school in 2004–05, the AMO in English language arts is that 24.4% of its students must test proficient or above on the California Standards Test in that subject.



Apportionments
Funds that federal or state governments distribute to local education agencies (LEAs) or other governmental units according to certain formulas.

Appropriations
Funds set aside or budgeted by the state or local school district boards for a specific time period and specific purpose. The state Legislature and local school boards must vote every year on appropriations.



Aprende 3 La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición
A norm-referenced assessment in Spanish that is administered to Spanish-speaking English learners who have been in school in the United States fewer than 12 months when tested or who were receiving instruction in Spanish regardless of how long they have been in school in the United States. Aprenda 3 La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición (Aprende 3) replaces Spanish Assessment of Basic Education, Second Edition (SABE/2) as the test for Spanish speakers in the STAR testing program.

The Aprende 3 test is gradually being replaced by a designated primary language test.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1200
Legislation passed in 1991 that defined a system of fiscal accountability for school districts and county offices of education to prevent bankruptcy. The law requires districts to do multiyear financial projections; identify sources of funding for substantial cost increases, such as employee raises; and make public the cost implications of such increases before approving employee contracts. County offices review district budgets, and the state reviews countywide school districts.



Assessed Value
The value of land, homes, and businesses set by the county assessor for property tax purposes. Assessed value is either the appraised value of any newly built or purchased property or, for continuously owned property, the value on March 1, 1975 plus annual increases. These increases, tied to the California Consumer Price Index, may not exceed 2% annually. (See Proposition 13).

Assessment
Another name for a test. An assessment can also be a system for testing and evaluating students, groups of students, schools, or districts. (See STAR.) Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), schools must administer tests in each of three grade spans: grades 3–5, grades 6–9, and grades 10–12 in all schools. Beginning in the 2005–06 school year, tests must be administered every year in grades 3 through 8 in math and reading. Beginning in the 2007–08 school year, science achievement must also be tested.



Assessment of Applied Academic Skills
A standards-based matrix test (a test in which not all students would take every section) that was administered to pupils in grades 4, 5, 8, and 10. The purpose of this assessment was to gauge school and district performance. It did not yield individual student scores. It was defined by the California State Legislature in Assembly Bill 265 (1995).

Assessments in Career Education (ACE)
A program designed to recognize California high school students who demonstrate achievement in selected career-technical areas including agriculture, computer science and information systems, and health care. Students who do well on an ACE exam receive an Award of Excellence from the state and have their achievement recorded on their high school transcripts.



Association of California School Administrators


Average Class Size
The number of students in classes divided by the number of classes. Because some teachers, such as reading specialists, have assignments outside the regular classroom, the average class size is usually larger than the pupil-teacher ratio.



Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
The total number of days of student attendance divided by the total number of days in the regular school year. A student attending every day would equal one ADA. ADA is not the same as enrollment, which is the number of students enrolled in each school and district. (This number is determined by counting students on a given day in October.) ADA usually is lower than enrollment due to factors such as students moving, dropping out, or staying home due to illness. The state uses a school district’s ADA to determine its general purpose (revenue limit) and some other funding.

Basic Aid
The minimum general-purpose aid guaranteed by the state's Constitution for each school district in California. The amount is $120 per pupil/ADA, with a minimum of $2,400 for very small districts. In 2003 lawmakers decided that the funding schools receive from categorical programs could satisfy this guarantee.



Basic Aid School District
The historical name for a district in which local property taxes equal or exceed the district's revenue limit. These districts may keep the money from local property taxes and still receive constitutionally guaranteed state basic aid funding. Because of budget constraints in 2002–03, lawmakers decided to eliminate the $120 per student based on average daily attendance (ADA) in basic aid, saying that the state met its constitutional obligation to these districts with other state funding from categorical programs. However, these districts—referred to by some legislators as "excess revenue" districts—were allowed to keep their excess property taxes.

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (BTSA)
A program established with the enactment of Senate Bill 1422 in 1992. The purpose of BTSA is to implement cost-effective models for new teacher development in order to "transform academic preparation into practical success in the classroom, [and] to retain greater numbers of capable beginning teachers." The BTSA local programs are all consortia that include a college or university, a county office of education, one or more school districts, and at least one local teacher organization. Each BTSA program offers beginning teachers ongoing, consistent support from experienced colleagues at the school site. It also includes formative assessments (such as classroom observations, reflective journals, and portfolios) to help beginning teachers assess and improve their own teaching.



Benchmark
A detailed description of a specific level of student achievement expected of students at particular ages, grades, or developmental levels. Benchmarks are often represented by samples of student work. A set of benchmarks can be used as checkpoints to monitor progress in meeting performance goals within and across grade levels.

Benefit Assessment District
An area in which fees charged to property owners are used to provide a service of benefit to all fee payers, such as the maintenance of public parks and recreation areas. Districts must hold an election before fees are levied. It is also called a Maintenance Assessment District.



Bilingual Education
An in-school program for students whose first language is not English or who have limited English skills. Bilingual education provides English language development plus subject area instruction in the student's native language. The goal is for the child to gain knowledge and be literate in two languages. In 1998 Proposition 227 was approved by California voters. It limited non-English instruction. However, parents may petition a school for instruction in a student's native language.

Bilingualism
The ability to read, speak, understand, and write well in two languages.



Block Grant
An allotment of money that is the sum of multiple special-purpose funds combined into one. A block grant tends to have fewer restrictions on how the money is spent than the original, disparate funding streams had; and it often combines funds that have similar purposes.

Bond Measure
A method of borrowing employed by school districts to pay for a large capital investment, used in much the same way as a person who takes out a mortgage to purchase a home. Since 2001 voters in a school district can authorize a local general obligation bond with a 55% "supermajority" vote. In the past a two-thirds vote was required. Districts can choose to seek bond passage with either a two-thirds vote or a 55% vote that requires greater accountability measures. The principal and interest are repaid by local property owners through an increase in property taxes. A simple majority of state voters must approve a state general obligation bond, which is repaid by state taxes and has no impact on property tax rates.



Bonus/Performance Pay
Extra money for school district employees who perform extra duties or are considered exemplary. In some states, performance pay is being offered as an incentive for teachers to improve their students’ performance. In California, both employee pay and benefits are determined in collective bargaining, according to state law. (See performance incentive.)

Budget Act
A constitutionally established, one-year statute for the state's budget appropriations. It is the only bill allowed to have more than one appropriation. The state Constitution requires that it be passed by a two-thirds vote of each house and sent to the governor by June 15 each year. The governor may reduce or delete, but not increase, individual items.



Building Fund
A fund that districts must use only for buildings. The money comes from sources such as bonds and the sale/rental of property.

California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6)
A norm-referenced test of basic skills. Student scores are national percentile rankings, which indicate the performance of each student relative to a national sample of students. A score of 50 means that the student is, on average, performing the same as the national sample. A score above 50 means the student is performing better. California uses the survey form of the CAT/6, which is shorter.



California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA)
A test for students with severe disabilities who are unable to participate in the STAR program, even with accommodations. Rather than multiple-choice questions, CAPA is open-ended, with teachers assisting in recording the answers.

California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS)
Reports that contain statistics about schools, teachers, and students. CBEDS reports are collected from each school in the fall.



California Code of Regulations (CCR)
Regulations that have been formally adopted by approximately 200 regulatory agencies in the state, including the State Board of Education.

California Commission on Teacher Credentialing




California County Superintendents Educational Services Association


California Department of Education




California Education Code
A collection of all the laws directly related to California K–12 public schools. Ed Code sections are created or changed by the governor and Legislature when they make laws. Local school boards and county offices of education are responsible for complying with these provisions. The Ed Code is permissive, which means that school districts are free to take any action not specifically prohibited. Additional regulations affecting education are contained in the California Administrative Code, Titles 5 and 8, the Government Code, and general statutes.

California English Language Development Test (CELDT)
A test for students whose primary language—as reported by their parents—is not English. These students take the CELDT upon initial enrollment and annually thereafter until it is determined that they have mastered English. At that point they are reclassified as fluent English proficient (FEP) and are no longer counted as part of a school's English learner (EL) population. The CELDT evaluates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.



California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)
A state exam that California public high school students, beginning with the class of 2006, must pass in order to graduate. The exit exam is not a college entrance or honors exam. Instead, its purpose is to test whether students have mastered the academic skills necessary to succeed in the adult world. It is a pass-fail exam divided into two sections: English language arts (reading and writing) and mathematics. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors can take the test. Once students pass a section of the test, they do not take that section again.

California Physical Fitness Test
A mandated statewide physical performance test administered during the spring to students in grades 5, 7, and 9. The assessment evaluates students’ aerobic capacity, body composition, and muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility.



California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders


California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
A retirement fund required by state law. Classified employees and their employer (such as school districts and county offices of education) contribute. It is also referred to as Public Employees' Retirement Fund (PERS).



California School Information Services (CSIS)
A voluntary data collection system created by California in 1997. Its goal is to enhance school districts’ ability to collect data, transmit information, and transfer individual student records from school to school.

California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP)
Professional standards adopted by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in 1997 to guide teacher preparation programs and new teacher assessments. These standards are organized around six interrelated categories of teaching practice: 1) engaging and supporting all students in learning; 2) creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning; 3) understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning; 4) planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students; 5) assessing student learning; and 6) developing as a professional educator.



California Standards Tests (CSTs)
Tests that are part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program and are based on the state's academic content standards—what teachers are expected to be teaching and what students are expected to be learning. They are primarily multiple choice and cover four subject areas: English language arts (grades 2–11); mathematics (grades 2–11); history/social science (grades 8, 10, and 11); and science (for grades 5, 8, 10, and high school students who are taking specific subjects like biology, chemistry, or integrated science). CSTs are criterion-referenced tests, and students are scored as "far below basic, below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced." The state goal is for every student to score at "proficient" or above. Only California students take these standards-based tests so their results cannot be compared to test scores of students in other states or nations.

California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)
A retirement fund required by state law. Certificated employees and education agencies (such as school districts and county offices of education) contribute to CalSTRS. It is also referred to as State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS).



California State University (CSU) System
A four-year state university system. California operates three separate public systems for postsecondary education: two-year community colleges, the four-year California State University (CSU) system, and the most selective University of California (UC) system. There are 23 CSU campuses serving more than 400,000 students. CSU generally accepts the top one-third of high school graduates and all qualified community college transfers. Eligibility for high school seniors to enter either CSU or UC is based on the completion of 15 one-year college prep courses (referred to as a-g courses), high school grades, performance on college entrance exams, advanced coursework taken, and personal attributes.

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
A welfare program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families. CalWORKs is a state program that is operated locally by county welfare departments.



Capital Outlay
Money spent for major physical changes to a school such as new buildings, renovations, reconstruction, or certain new equipment. These investments in the physical structure of a school are expected to last for a number of years.

Categorical Aid/Categorical Programs
Funds from the state or federal government granted to qualifying schools or districts for specific children with special needs, certain programs such as Class Size Reduction, or special purposes such as transportation. Special Education and Class Size Reduction are two of the largest state categorical programs in terms of dollars. In general, schools or districts must spend the money for the specific purpose. This money is in addition to the funding schools receive for their general education program. Districts receive categorical aid in varying amounts but, on average, categorical funds represent about a third of school district income.



CBEST
California Basic Educational Skills Test, which must be passed before a person can become a teacher or administrator in California.

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning




Certificated/Credentialed Employees
Employees who are required by the state to hold some type of teaching credential, including most administrators and full-time, part-time, substitute, and temporary teachers. The requirements for a fully credentialed teacher include having a bachelor’s degree, completing additional required coursework, and passing the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). However, teachers who have not yet acquired a credential but have an emergency permit are allowed to teach in the classroom and are counted in this category.

Charter School
A public school operated independently under a performance agreement with a school district, a county office of education (COE), or the State Board of Education. Charter schools are funded on a per-pupil basis, freed from most state regulations that apply to school districts and COEs, usually able to hire their own teachers and other staff, and subject to closure if they fail to meet their promises for student outcomes. Charter schools were originally authorized in California in 1992 (Senate Bill 1448) and in 2005-06, represented about 3.2% of statewide enrollment. In response to financial misconduct by a few charter schools, state lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 994 (2002), which tightens the charter approval process.



Choice
A term used to describe the right of parents to be able to choose where to send their children to school. Parents and others who support school choice have spawned the charter school, school voucher, and other school reform movements. In accordance with a 1993 state law, California public school districts have created intra- and interdistrict public school choice policies, whereby a student may choose to attend a participating school outside the student’s neighborhood if space permits. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), school districts must allow students to transfer out of consistently low-performing or persistently dangerous schools, as defined by the state.

Civil Rights Act of 1964
Passed in 1964, legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity by any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. In years following, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 included prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of gender, disability, and age.



Class Size Reduction (CSR)
A program initiated in the 1996–97 school year for kindergarten through third grade. The state now has two programs that provide incentive funding for schools to reduce or maintain class sizes of no more than 20 students per teacher. One program covers kindergarten through third grade classes. A separate program supports smaller classes for core academic subjects in 9th grade.

Classified Employees
School employees who are not required to hold teaching credentials, such as bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, instructional aides, and some management personnel.



Collective Bargaining
A process for establishing a contract between a school district and its employee organizations. Senate Bill 160 (1975) defined the manner and scope of negotiations and mandated a state regulatory board. (See Public Employment Relations Board.)

Community College
A two-year college, also referred to as a "junior college." California operates three separate public systems for postsecondary education: two-year community colleges, the four-year California State University (CSU) system, and the most selective University of California (UC) system. Anyone who is 18 years old or holds a high school diploma (or equivalent) is eligible to attend a community college. Students can transfer from community colleges to either the CSU or UC systems.



Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (CSRD)
This federal program provided funding for schools to implement whole-school reform models chosen from a federally approved list. A subset of California schools receiving these funds were considered part of the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program. Federal officials discontinued CSRD (later renamed Comprehensive School Reform) in 2006.

Con App (Consolidated Application)
The application districts can use to apply for about 20 state and federal categorical programs. Most, if not all, districts use the "con app" to secure funding from at least some of the programs on the application. These programs tend to be on roughly the same timeline and are relatively straightforward to apply for, such as the federal Title I program and the state School Improvement Program (SIP).



Consolidated Application
See con app.

Consolidation
The combining of two or more elementary or high school districts with adjoining borders to form a single district.



Consumer Price Index (CPI)
A measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers (about 87% of the total U.S. population) for consumer goods and services. Salary adjustments and other costs can be linked to the CPI, which is sometimes used as a factor to measure inflation.

Content Standards
Standards that describe what students should know and be able to do in core academic subjects at each grade level. New K–12 academic content standards were adopted by California in 1997. Because they are technically "voluntary," school districts may vary widely in the extent to which they have aligned their curriculum and teaching strategies to the new state standards. (See performance standards and standards-based reform.)



Core Academic Standards
The basic academic standards that are assessed in the statewide testing system for K–12 public schools in California. They include English language arts, mathematics, science, and history/social science. The state's public universities include foreign languages and visual/performing arts as well as the subjects listed above in their core entrance requirements.

Corrective Action
A plan to improve low-performing schools. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), when a school or school district does not make adequate yearly progress (AYP), the state will place it under a corrective action plan. That plan includes resources to improve teaching, administration, or curriculum. If failure continues, then the state has increased authority to make any necessary additional changes to ensure improvement.



Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
An increase in funding for schools from the state or federal government due to inflation. In California, the law states that schools should receive a certain COLA based on the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services.

County Office of Education (COE)
The agency that provides, in general, educational programs for certain students; business, administrative, and curriculum services to school districts; and financial oversight of districts. These services are affected by the size and type of districts within the county, the geographical location and size of the county, and the special needs of students that are not met by the districts. Each of California's 58 counties has an office of education.



Credentialing/Teacher Preparation
A process, implemented by the state Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CTC), to certify that teachers are well prepared to enter the classroom. Most candidates must have earned a bachelor’s degree in a noneducation major, passed the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and demonstrated subject-matter competence by either passing approved college courses or the state’s subject-matter exam. In addition, they must complete graduate coursework that includes classroom study and student teaching. At the end of this time, the candidate earns a Preliminary Credential, after which time the teacher has five years to earn the Professional Clear Credential by completing additional professional coursework. There are alternative routes to earning a credential, such as internship programs. (See emergency permit.)

Criterion-Referenced Test
A test that measures specific performance or content standards, often along a continuum from total lack of skill to excellence. These tests can also have cut scores that determine whether a test-taker has passed or failed the test or has basic, proficient, or advanced skills. Criterion-referenced tests, unlike norm-referenced assessments, are not primarily created to compare students to each other. The goal is typically to have everyone attain a passing mark.



Curriculum
The courses of study offered by a school or district. California has developed a set of standards that are intended to guide curriculum and instruction. The state also approves K–8 textbooks that reflect those standards. The ultimate decisions regarding school curriculum, however, are the responsibility of the local school board.

Curriculum Frameworks
The blueprint for schools to use to implement the state-adopted content standards. In California, State Curriculum Frameworks are developed by the Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission, an advisory group, and adopted by the State Board of Education.



Deferred Maintenance
Major repairs or replacement of buildings and equipment. Declines in school funding over a number of years led many districts to delay preventive maintenance expenses in order to maintain education programs. As a result, some school facilities were left in a state of disrepair. The state provides some money to match local districts’ funds for deferred maintenance. If districts develop a maintenance plan and set aside up to one-half of 1% of their general fund for deferred maintenance, the state matches that money. The money must go into a separate accounting fund.

Deficit Factor
The percentage by which an expected allocation of funds to a school district or county office of education is reduced. The state may apply deficit factors to revenue limits and categorical programs when the appropriation is insufficient based on the funding formulas specified by law.



Developer Fees
A charge per square foot on residential and commercial construction within a school district. These fees, charged both to developers of new properties and to property owners who remodel, are based on the premise that new construction will lead to additional students. Individual school districts decide whether to levy the fees and at what rate up to the maximum allowed by law. The maximum, adjusted for inflation every two years, is higher for residential than for commercial construction. Districts are required to substantiate the financial impact of new development and show that they have used the revenues to address that impact. Proceeds may be used for building or renovating schools and for portable classrooms.

Direct Services
Services—including business, attendance, health, guidance, library, and supervision of instruction (K–8 only)—performed without cost by county offices of education for small districts, which are defined as fewer than 901 (elementary), 301 (high school), and (1,501) unified students based on ADA.



Disaggregated Data
The presentation of data broken into segments, for example test scores for students from various ethnic groups instead of in the aggregate, for the entire student population. Often test data is broken into groups of students who are economically disadvantaged, from racial or ethnic minority groups, have disabilities, or have limited English fluency, thereby allowing parents and teachers to see how each student group is performing in a school.

Dropout
A grade 7-12 student who left school prior to completing the school year and had not returned by Information Day (a day in October when students throughout the state and counted and enrollment is determined). Students are not considered dropouts if they receive a General Education Development (GED) or California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) certificate, transfer to another high school or to a college, move out of the United States, are suspended or sick that day, or will be enrolling late.



Dropout Rate
California has two approaches for determining the number of students who drop out of high school. The one-year dropout rate is calculated using enrollment data submitted by school districts and simply indicates how many students in grades 7-12 districts reported as dropouts in a given year. The four-year derived dropout rate is an estimate of the percent of students who would drop out between ninth and 12th grade based on data collected for a single year.

Dual Admissions
A program, beginning with the class of 2003, that grants students who rank between 4% and 12.5% at their high schools provisional admission to a specific University of California (UC) campus after first attending a community college. This Dual Admissions policy is meant to encourage students with strong grades who would not otherwise be eligible to attend UC. Students must have completed any nine college prep (a-g) courses by the end of 11th grade. If students successfully complete a two-year transfer program at a California community college—meeting the course and grade requirements for their UC campus and major—they will be admitted. (See Eligibility in the Local Context.)



Early Assessment Program (EAP)
A program that began in 2004 as a way to streamline the assessment process for high school students going to state universities. High school juniors whose schools participate in EAP can choose to take expanded versions of CSTs in English language arts (including an essay) and math (Algebra II or Summative High School Mathematics) to determine college readiness. The results are used by the California State University (CSU) system to exempt students from college placement tests or let students know that they need additional preparation during their senior year.

Economic Impact Aid (EIA)
State categorical funds for districts with concentrations of children who are transient, from low-income families, or need to learn English.



Education Article
The article in the state’s constitution that defines and describes the state’s responsibility to provide public education for its citizens.

Education Code
A collection of all the laws directly related to California K–12 public schools. Ed Code sections are created or changed by the governor and Legislature when they make laws. Local school boards and county offices of education are responsible for complying with these provisions. The Ed Code is permissive, which means that school districts are free to take any action not specifically prohibited. Additional regulations affecting education are contained in the California Administrative Code, Titles 5 and 8, the Government Code, and general statutes.



Educational Testing Service


Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The principal federal law affecting K–12 education. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the most recent reauthorization of the ESEA. Originally enacted in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty, ESEA was created to support the education of the country's poorest children and that remains its overarching purpose. Congress must reauthorize it every six years. Each reauthorization of ESEA has made some changes, but NCLB was the most dramatic revision of the act since its creation. Its provisions represent a significant change in the federal government's influence in public schools and districts throughout the United States, particularly in terms of assessment and teacher quality.



Eligibility in the Local Context
A program, which began in fall 2001, that guarantees the top 4% of students in the graduating class of every California high school eligibility for the University of California (UC) system if they have completed 11 specific college prep courses by the end of their junior year. These courses include one history/social science, three English, three math, one laboratory science, and one foreign language, plus two other college prep (a-g) courses. Students are admitted to a specific campus, though not necessarily their campus of choice. This policy was implemented to encourage students who have excelled academically in disadvantaged high schools to attend UC. (See Dual Admissions.)

Emergency Permit
In California, a one-year permit issued to people entering the teaching profession who have not completed some of the legal requirements for a credential. Generally the intent is that the person will enroll in and complete an approved teacher preparation program. Emergency permit holders must have a college degree, pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), and have some subject-matter knowledge. The permit allows the person to work only in the hiring district. (See credentialing/teacher preparation.)



Encroachment
The expenditure of a local education agency's general-purpose funds for mandated special-purpose programs in which the cost of providing the programs exceeds the state or federal funding provided.

English Language Acquisition Program (ELAP)
A state program, along with the English Language and Intensive Literacy Program (ELILP), that funds selected schools to provide supplemental instruction, purchase special materials, and offer other services for English learners to improve their English language proficiency and literacy.



English Language and Intensive Literacy Program (ELILP)
A state program, along with the English Language Acquisition Program (ELAP), that funds selected schools to provide supplemental instruction, purchase special materials, and offer other services for English learners to improve their English proficiency and literacy.

English Language Learner (ELL)
See English learner (EL).



English Learner (EL)
Students whose home language is not English and who qualify for extra help. EL students were formerly known as "Limited English Proficient" (LEP). (See CELDT and FEP.)

English Mainstreaming
The practice of putting English learners in regular classrooms with no plan for translation or extra help. They are "mainstreamed." It is also known as "inclusion."



Enrollment
A count of the students enrolled in each school and district on a given day in October. This is different from Average Daily Attendance (ADA), which is the average number of students who attended school over the course of the year. The number of pupils enrolled in the school is usually larger than the ADA due to factors such as students moving, dropping out, or staying home because of illness.

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
A clause in the U.S. Constitution that says that no state shall "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This "equal protection clause" has been used to challenge California’s system of funding for public school students. For example, the Serrano v. Priest court case charged that a school finance system based on local property taxes did not provide children or taxpayers with equal protection under the law and was therefore unconstitutional.



Equalization Aid
Funds allocated, on occasion, by the Legislature to address inequalities and raise the funding level of school districts with lower revenue limits toward the statewide average based on size and type of district.

Equity
The belief that state governments have an obligation to equalize students’ access to educational opportunities and thus life chances. During the 1970s and 1980s, many state courts found great disparities in base per pupil spending between high and low property-wealth districts. They mandated that these funding disparities be eradicated. In placing districts on a level playing field, the courts often invoked equal protection clauses in state constitutions.



ESEA
See Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Exceptional Needs
Any needs beyond the average. These can include needs for disabled or gifted students.



Expenditures Per Pupil
The amount of money spent on education by a school district or the state, divided by the number of students educated. For most purposes in California, the number of students is determined by average daily attendance (ADA). (See revenues per pupil.)

Fair
Without bias. A fair assessment is one that is without bias (such as socioeconomic or ethnic) and reflects what a child has been given a chance to learn. (See reliable and valid.)



Fees on New Development
A charge per square foot on residential and commercial construction within a school district. These fees, charged both to developers of new properties and to property owners who remodel, are based on the premise that new construction will lead to additional students. Individual school districts decide whether to levy the fees and at what rate up to the maximum allowed by law. The maximum, adjusted for inflation every two years, is higher for residential than for commercial construction. Districts are required to substantiate the financial impact of new development and show that they have used the revenues to address that impact. Proceeds may be used for building or renovating schools and for portable classrooms. Districts can tax a portion of their districts, often new housing developments, by establishing a Mello-Roos Community Facility District or a School Facility Improvement District (SFID).

Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT)
A state-funded agency that provides fiscal advice, management assistance, training, and other related school business services, with a particular emphasis on districts facing fiscal insolvency. FCMAT operates from the office of the Kern County Superintendent of Schools under contract with the California Department of Education and the governor's office.



Fluent English Proficient (FEP)
A designation that means a student is no longer considered as part of a school's English learner (EL) population.

Formative Assessment
Any form of assessment used by an educator to evaluate students’ knowledge and understanding of particular content and then to adjust instructional practices accordingly toward improving student achievement in that area. (See assessment.)



Free/Reduced Price Meals
A federal program to provide food—typically lunch and/or breakfast—for students from low-income families. The number of students participating in the National School Lunch Program is increasingly being used as a way to measure the poverty level of a school or district population. The number of children in this program can affect schools’ or districts’ eligibility for grants or other funding aimed at helping lower-income families.

Funding Adequacy
See adequacy.



Gann Limit
A limit on the amount of tax money that state and local governments, including school districts, can legally spend. In November 1979, California voters approved the late Paul Gann’s Proposition 4, which is called the Gann Limit. Senate Bill 1342, the implementing legislation, defined school district Gann limits in a way that has thus far minimized their impact.

General Fund
The primary, legally-defined fund used by the state and school districts to differentiate general revenues and expenditures from those placed in other funds for specific uses.



General Obligation Bond (G.O. Bond)
A form of borrowing commonly used to fund school facilities. Local G.O. bonds, financed through an increase in local property taxes, can be used for renovating, reconstructing, and building new facilities and for acquiring certain new equipment. School districts can seek either two-thirds or 55% voter approval. If districts seek the 55% approval, they must meet additional accountability requirements. A simple majority of state voters can approve a state G.O. bond, which is repaid by state funds and has no impact on property tax rates. Although both state and local bonds are G.O. bonds, people often use the term "G.O. bond" to refer only to local bonds for school facilities.

General Purpose Funding
Money granted to school districts for general purposes. California school districts receive general purpose money based on a per-pupil revenue limit. They have discretion to spend this money as they see fit for the day-to-day operation of schools— including everything from salaries to the electric bill—within the constraints of certain laws and contracts with employees.



Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program
A program that provides supplemental, differentiated, challenging curriculum and instruction to California public school students who are deemed by their districts to be intellectually gifted or especially talented in leadership or visual and performing arts.

Golden State Exams (GSE)
Rigorous tests given to upper-grade students. The tests, which are aligned to state academic content standards, include both multiple-choice and written-response questions. Established in 1983, California’s Golden State Exams were given to upper-grade students in a number of key academic subject areas. In 2003, the tests were repealed, but the California Standards Tests (CSTs) can be used to get a Golden State Merit diploma. See http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/gsefaq.asp.



Governor’s Performance Award (GPA) program
One of the components of California’s Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA). This program began in fall 2000 to grant monetary and nonmonetary awards to public schools in California that meet or exceed their Academic Performance Index (API) performance growth target each year. No money has been allocated for the program since 2002–03. (See Academic Performance Index (API).)

Graduation Rate
There are two approaches for determining the number of students who earned high school diplomas. One approach takes the number of graduates and divides it by graduates plus dropouts over the last four years. This method can overestimate the graduate rate because local schools often under-report the number of students who drop out. A second graduation rate calculation divides the number of graduates by the ninth-grade enrollment four years prior. This method can underestimate the graduation rate in part because it does not account for students who graduated early, moved, or took alternative paths such as passing the California High School Proficiency Exam.



Healthy Start
A state grant program in which schools work with community organizations to provide children and families with access to health and human services, often at schools. The state approved the last round of new grants in 2002.

High Priority Schools Grant Program (HPSGP)
A program created by state lawmakers in 2001–02 to support schools in the lower half of the state rankings (Deciles 1 through 5) based on the Academic Performance Index (API). However, the emphasis is on Decile 1 schools, which are at the bottom of the state's ranking system.



High School Exit Exam (HSEE)
See California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

Highly Qualified Teacher
According to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a teacher who has obtained full state teacher certification or has passed the state teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in the state; holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree; and has demonstrated subject area competence in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.



High-stakes Test
A test that results in some kind of consequence for those who score low, some kind of reward for those who score high, or both. For example, students who pass a high school exit exam typically receive a diploma, while students who fail do not.

Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP)
A component of California’s 1999 Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA), II/USP is designed to provide assistance and intervention for schools in the bottom half of the API rankings and not meeting API improvement targets. Schools that fail to meet growth targets over time are subject to district or state interventions. Three cohorts of 430 schools were chosen—one each in 1999, 2000, and 2001—for the three- to four-year program.



Impact Aid
The federal program that provides funds to districts with children whose families live or work on federal property, such as military bases or Native American reservations. Funded through Title VIII of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), this program is also called Public Law (PL) 81-874.

Implicit Price Deflator
A measure of inflation used to compare expenditures over a period of time. The state uses the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services to calculate increases to revenue limits.



Inclusion
The practice of placing students with disabilities in regular classrooms. Also known as mainstreaming.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)
A plan developed for a specific student that outlines what that student needs to learn in a specified period of time and what special services need to be provided based on the student’s ability. Special Education students have IEPs that sometimes require exemptions from tests or accommodations for testing such as an exam in Braille.



Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
A reauthorization in 1977 of the federal Education For All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. This law guarantees children with exceptional needs a free and appropriate public education and requires that each child’s education be determined on an individual basis and designed to meet his or her unique needs in the least restrictive environment. It also establishes procedural rights for parents and children.

Inflation Factor
An increase in funding for schools from the state or federal government to compensate for inflation. In California, the law states that schools should receive a certain cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) based on the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, which is a measure of inflation used to compare expenditures over time.



Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program
A funding program created by the state in 2002–03 to pay for textbooks and related materials, including in some cases, professional development and assessment materials. The IMFRP requires districts to provide standards-based materials for pupils by the start of the school year that begins within two years of the adoption of materials by the state for K–8 and by the district for 9–12.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and Examinations
A rigorous, international program of study that originated in Switzerland. To be eligible for an IB exam, students must be enrolled in a school that has been accredited through the IB accreditation process and be taking the course for which they plan to take the exam. In the IB system, the exam will count for 75% of the course grade. Students can earn college credit from many universities for IB courses if their exam scores are high enough.



Intervention Programs
In general, programs that provide extra support and resources to help improve student or school performance. In California, under the state’s Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA), schools that do not meet Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets within 12 months of implementation of an improvement plan are subject to local interventions such as the reassignment of school personnel, negotiation of site-specific amendments to collective bargaining agreements, or other changes deemed appropriate. Schools that do not meet growth targets or demonstrate "significant growth" within 24 months of implementation will be subject to state actions.

J-200, J-380
Financial (J-200) and program cost accounting (J-380) reports that school districts and county offices of education submit to the California Department of Education (CDE). When all districts converted to SACS ((Standardized Account Code Structure) in 2003–04, CDE discontinued the J-200 and J-380 software.



J-90
An optional salary information report that most districts and county offices of education submit to the California Department of Education (CDE). The main focus is teachers' salaries, but the J-90 also includes other certificated staff.

Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)
An agreement among local education agencies (LEAs) (and/or sometimes the California Department of Education) to share services or responsibilities. A joint powers board made up of representatives of the LEAs governs the JPA.



Joint School Districts
School districts with boundaries that cross county lines.

K-14
Kindergarten through community college.



Large-Scale Assessments
Tests, usually standardized, that are administered to a large population, such as all students within a state. The California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6), used in California, is an example of a large-scale assessment.

Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO)
A nonpartisan office within the state government that gives fiscal and policy advice to the California Legislature. The LAO provides analyses of proposed and adopted state budgets and also offers the public information about state initiatives and ballot propositions.



Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
See English learner.

Local Education Agency (LEA)
A public board of education or other public authority within a state that maintains administrative control of public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a state. School districts and county offices of education are both LEAs. Sometimes charter schools function as LEAs.



Local Miscellaneous Revenues
School funding from locally generated sources, such as community contributions, interest income, developer fees, and revenues from local parcel tax elections.

Longitudinal Data
Data that are tracked over time, for example achievement data for a specific student or group of students. In education, the ability to track students as they progress through the school system is seen as important for evaluating the contribution schools, specific programs, and teachers make to student performance, and for accurately tracking the progress of specific subgroups of students.



Lottery
Gambling games approved by California voters in November 1984. The minimum of 34% of lottery revenues distributed to public schools, colleges, and universities must be used for educational purposes. Half of any increase of lottery income to school districts and community colleges—as compared to funding in the 1998–99 school year—must be used only for instructional materials. Lottery income comprises less than 2% of K–12 education funding annually.

Mainstreaming
The practice of placing students with disabilities in regular classrooms. It is also known as "inclusion." (See English mainstreaming.)



Maintenance Assessment District
An area in which fees charged to property owners are used to provide a service of benefit to all fee payers, such as the maintenance of public parks and recreation areas. Districts must hold an election before fees are levied. It is sometimes called a Benefit Assessment District.

Mandated Costs
School district expenditures that are required because of federal or state law, court decisions, administrator regulations, or initiative measures. Since the passage of Proposition 4 in 1979 (the Gann Limit), the California Constitution has required the repayment of mandated costs to school districts.



Master Plan for K–16 Education
A long-term, strategic plan for a single, seamless system of education from prekindergarten through postsecondary education that will provide better schools and higher levels of student achievement in every school, college, and university, and will prepare students to enter the workforce. The main objectives of the plan are to focus the education system on student success and guide education policy and budget decisions over the next 20 years. This master plan has been in place since August 2002. For the most part, legislation to implement the plan has not been enacted.

Master Plan for Special Education (MPSE)
California categorical program for the education of all children with disabilities, enacted in 1980 and modified frequently since then.



Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program
A program that enables districts to run their own professional development programs as long as they model their programs after the University of California (UC) Professional Development Institutes.

Mello-Roos Community Facility District
A portion of a school district, often a new housing development, that can be taxed if two-thirds of property owners vote to approve it. Under Mello-Roos, which began in 1983, property owners pay a special tax that is not based directly on the value of the property.



Migrant Education
Special federal funds for districts with students who are children of migrant workers.

Multiple Measures
An approach that relies on more than one indicator to measure a student’s academic strengths and weaknesses. Measures can include grades, teacher comments, collected samples of a student’s work, and standardized test scores. Similarly, multiple measures can be used to evaluate school and school district performance. These might include students’ standardized test scores, graduation rates, and dropout rates.



Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
A credential required in California to teach elementary school. (See Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA).)

Multitrack, Year-round Education (MTYRE)
Schools with classes that take place throughout the calendar year. Individual students attend school for nine months, but on staggered schedules. Districts typically choose MTYRE to fully utilize school facilities. (A few districts have single-track, year-round education—in which students have shorter vacations spread throughout the year—for educational reasons.)



National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
A national test that is given to specific grade levels in specific subjects every other year. A small sample of students representative of the state are tested. NAEP test scores can be compared to national averages. California participates in NAEP, though not all states do. (See NAEP under Nationally Administered Tests.)

National Board Certification
A certificate, awarded by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, attesting that a teacher possesses the skills and knowledge of accomplished teaching and meets the National Board standards. To earn a certificate, the teacher must complete a rigorous two-part assessment. The candidate must build a portfolio that provides evidence of good teaching practice. Portfolios include videotapes of classroom teaching, lesson plans, student work samples, and self-evaluative essays. In addition, a candidate participates in a day-long evaluation of his or her knowledge of curriculum design, good teaching practice, assessment of student learning, and subject matter. The two-step process takes approximately one academic year, and most candidates spend about 120 hours on assessment activities.



National Center on Education Statistics


National School Lunch Program
A federal program to provide food—typically lunch and/or breakfast—for students from low-income families. The number of students participating in this free/reduced price meal program is increasingly being used as a way to measure the poverty level of a school or district population. The number of children in this program can affect schools' or districts' eligibility for grants or other funding aimed at helping lower-income families.



Nationally Administered Tests

AP (Advanced Placement) Tests–A series of voluntary exams based on college-level courses taken in high school. High school students who do well on one or more of these exams have the opportunity to earn credit, advanced placement, or both for college. To find out more about AP tests, visit the College Board website's AP section. The California Department of Education website has California-specific data on AP results.

IB (International Baccalaureate)–An international series of exams based on a two-year program. All participants within the program are required to do coursework in at least two languages, experimental sciences, humanities, and mathematics. For more information on the IB, visit the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) website.

ACT–A college entrance exam that covers English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning, with an optional writing test. Similar to the SAT I Exam, the ACT is often used by colleges and universities to determine a student's ability to complete college-level work. For more information, go to the ACT website.

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)

SAT I–An exam used to gauge the verbal and mathematics reasoning skills of students. The SAT I is often used by colleges and universities to compare the skills of student applicants and to predict their future academic success.

SAT II–A set of tests that consist of a number of single-subject exams that measure content knowledge and skill level. The SAT II is used by approximately 160 colleges and universities nationwide, including the UC system in California, for admission and/or placement of students. To find out more about SAT I and II, visit the College Board website. Go to the California Department of Education's website for California-specific data on SAT results.

For the average SAT scores of individual schools in California, as well as state and nationwide averages, visit the Ed-Data website. To access the SAT scores, select the school district and school you are interested in, and under the Select Report button, choose the School Profile. The relevant information will be in the student profile section.

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)–Also referred to as The Nation's Report Card. A nationwide assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas, including reading, mathematics, science, writing, history, geography, the arts, and other fields. To find out more about the NAEP and to see state-by-state results, visit the NAEP website.

TIMSS (Third International Mathematics and Science Study)–An international study conducted in 1995 and then revisited in 1999 that collected data on the mathematics and science achievement of students from the United States and other countries. To find out more, go to the NAEP website.

Other Assessments–More than 20,000 tests and other measurement devices from the early 1900s to the present that are described at the TestLink website.

Nationally Normed Assessment
A test that has been administered to a national control group that reflects the demographic profile of the target population (e.g., 4th graders) throughout the country. The scores of all subsequent test-takers are then compared against the scores of this control (or "norming") group. (See norm-referenced assessment.)



NCLB
See No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

Necessary Small Schools
Schools that need to have small populations, usually because they are in sparsely populated areas or serve special populations (such as Juvenile Court schools). These schools receive extra funding because they cannot realize economies of scale.



No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
The 2002 reauthorizaton of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Originally passed in 1965, ESEA programs provide much of the federal funding for K–12 schools. NCLB's provisions represent a significant change in the federal government's influence in public schools and districts throughout the United States, particularly in terms of assessment, accountability, and teacher quality. It increases the federal focus on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, including English learners and students who live in poverty, provides funding for "innovative programs" such as charter schools, and supports the right of parents to transfer their children to a different school if their school is low-performing or unsafe. (See Titles I to X.)

Norm-Referenced Assessment
An assessment in which an individual or group’s performance is compared to a larger group. Usually the larger group is representative of the cross-section of all U.S. students. (See nationally normed assessment.)



Office of Public School Construction (OPSC)
The agency that implements and administers the School Facility Program and other programs of the State Allocation Board (SAB). OPSC also verifies that all school districts applying for state funding to modernize or build new facilities meet specific criteria based on the type of funding requested.

Opportunity To Learn (OTL)
The standards that measure the extent to which key educational resources—such as experienced teachers, adequate materials, rigorous courses, and safe, clean, uncrowded facilities—are provided at a school site. Providing an "opportunity to learn" helps abolish the achievement gap by making sure students and school staff have what they need to be successful at high levels. In the broadest sense, it means encouraging learning and development by making up the difference between what the most and the least privileged children have.



Parcel Tax
In California, an assessment on each parcel of property—not based on assessed value—that must be approved by two-thirds of the voters in a school district. When proposing parcel tax elections, districts indicate how the money will be used. Money from parcel tax elections is generally used for educational programs, not for school construction or renovation, which is normally financed through a general obligation bond measure.

Parent/School Compact
Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), a written agreement of shared responsibility that defines the goals and expectations of schools and parents as partners in the effort to improve student achievement.



Per Capita Personal Income
Total personal income from all sources prior to taxation, divided by the number of residents in, for example, a state.

Percentile Ranks
One way to compare a given child, class, school, or district to a national norm. Students in the first percentile are outranked by everyone who took the test. Students in the 99th percentile outrank everyone. Students at the 50th percentile are exactly in the middle. Percentiles are ranks, not scores. The California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6) is a nationally normed test used in California.



Performance Assessment
A test that requires students to generate a response to a question rather than choose it from a set of possible answers provided for them. Examples of performance assessments (also sometimes called alternative or authentic assessments) include essay questions, portfolios, and demonstrations. (See assessment.)

Performance Incentive
Any incentive, monetary or other, used to encourage teachers, administrators, and other school staff to increase the academic achievement of their students. (See bonus/performance pay.)



Performance Standards
Standards that describe how well or at what level students should be expected to master the content standards. For example, while content standards may say that all 8th graders should learn Algebra I, performance standards would say what level of mastery of Algebra I is necessary for promotion to the next grade (or for achievement with honors). (See content standards and standards-based reform.)

PL 81-874 (Public Law 81-874)
The federal program that provides funds to districts with children whose families live or work on federal property, such as military bases or Native American reservations. (See Title VIII.)



PL 94-142 (Public Law 94-142)
A federal law that mandates a "free and appropriate" education for all children with disabilities. (Also see Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).)

Portfolio Assessment
A collection of various samples of a student’s work. A student portfolio assessment can include writing samples, examples of how the student solved mathematical problems, results of scientific experiments, etc. The evaluation of this work, typically done by a classroom teacher, can be conducted systematically based on established content and performance standards. (See assessment.)



Preliminary Credential
A credential that can be earned by both administrators and teachers after they complete a number of requirements. The Preliminary Credential is valid for five years, during which time the teacher or administrator is expected to pursue a Professional Clear Credential. Among other requirements for a Preliminary Credential, teachers must earn at least a bachelor's degree, pass the CBEST, and complete an approved teacher-preparation program. Among other requirements for a Preliminary Credential, administrators must pass the CBEST, complete at least three successful years in teaching or pupil services, and complete an approved program of administrator preparation or internship. However, in 2002 the state offered administrators a fast-track alternative: the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA). In addition, administrative services interns can obtain a Preliminary Credential by participating in an approved, one-year in-service training program.

Principal Apportionment
Funding from the State School Fund for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools. The Advance Principal Apportionment is certified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in July of each school year, followed by the First Principal Apportionment (P1) in February, and the Second Principal Apportionment (P2) in June.



Principal Training Program
A program, created by California's Principal Training Act (Assembly Bill 75), that provides districts with incentive funding to offer professional development for school site administrators using State Board of Education–approved providers. The Principal Training Program consists of three modules: Leadership & Support of Student Instructional Programs; Leadership & Management for Instructional Improvement; and Instructional Technology to Improve Pupil Performance.

Professional Clear Credential
A credential that can be completed after obtaining a Preliminary Credential. Teachers and administrators have five years to complete the requirements for a Professional Clear Credential. For teachers, those requirements include participation in a formal induction program. For administrators, those requirements include an individualized, approved course of advanced study and two full-time years as a California school administrator.



Professional Development
Programs that allow teachers or administrators to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to perform their jobs successfully. Often these programs are aimed at veteran teachers to help them update their skills and knowledge. Researchers have found that effective professional development focuses on academic content and requires adequate time, resources, and working conditions. Examples in California are the University of California (UC) Professional Development Institutes and Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program. (See Principal Training Program.)

Proficiency
Mastery or ability to do something at grade-level. In California, students take California Standards Tests (CSTs) and receive scores that range from "far below basic" to "advanced." The state goal is for all students to score at "proficient" or "advanced."



Program Improvement
An intervention under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Schools and districts that receive federal Title I funds enter Program Improvement when—for two years in a row—they do not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward the goal of having all students become proficient in English language arts and mathematics by 2013–14. Each state, with federal approval, sets measurements of what is considered AYP each year. Once a school makes AYP for two years in a row, it can leave Program Improvement. NCLB lists a series of increasingly serious interventions for schools that remain in Program Improvement. These begin with revising a plan for the school and giving parents the option to transfer their students to schools that are not in Program Improvement, with transportation provided. The second year adds providing professional development to teachers and staff and offering tutoring to students from low-income families. If a school hasn't made adequate yearly progress in four years, it could face significant restructuring or takeover in the fifth year. Schools that do not receive Title I funds are not subject to Program Improvement even if they do not make AYP.

Property Tax
A tax on local residential and commercial property that is part of a school district's income based on a formula set by the Legislature and signed by the governor in 1978. These taxes, which vary by district, are part of the district's revenue limit income. (See Revenue Limit.)



Proposition 13
An amendment to the California Constitution passed by voter initiative in June 1978 that limits property taxes to no more than 1% of full assessed value (plus any additional rates approved by local voters, such as general obligation bonds). Annual increases in assessed value are capped at 2% or the percentage growth in the state's Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. For individual properties, the assessed value is also raised when new construction or the sale of property occurs (with a few exceptions). Proposition 13 and implementing legislation caused a shift in support for schools from local property taxes to state general funds. Local voters can levy a uniform dollar tax per parcel of land, but they cannot increase property taxes based on value with one exception. In 1986 authority for school districts to levy taxes for general obligation (G.O.) bonds for school construction or renovation was reinstituted. Because Proposition 13 drastically reduced property taxes, they are no longer the major source of school funding. Until 1978 property taxes furnished about two-thirds of education’s revenues. Proposition 13 caused a nearly exact flip-flop when the Legislature bailed out school districts with state funds. The governor and Legislature also took over the allocation of local property taxes to schools, cities, counties, and special districts.

Proposition 39
An amendment to the California Constitution passed by voter initiative in November 2000. It added the option of a lower voter-approval threshold (55% vs. two-thirds) for local school district general obligation (G.O.) bonds. If districts choose to seek 55% instead of two-thirds approval, they have added requirements involving financial and performance accountability.



Proposition 49
An amendment to the California Constitution passed by voter initiative in November 2002. It modified and expanded the existing state after-school programs. Beginning in 2004–05, any funding increases to the After School Education and Safety Program must come from outside of Proposition 98 funds. Without voter approval, lawmakers can only reduce funding to the program if they also reduce Proposition 98 funds by the same percentage.

Propositions 98 and 111
Voter-approved initiatives that amended the California Constitution in 1988 and 1990 to guarantee a minimum amount of funding from property and state taxes for K–14 (kindergarten through community college) education each year. This guarantee of a minimum funding level is unique in the nation. The propositions included formulas for calculating the guarantee under different economic conditions. Proposition 98 also mandated School Accountability Report Cards (SARC) that cover at least 13 required topics such as test scores, dropout rates, and teacher qualifications. (Other topics have since been added.)



Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
A retirement fund required by state law. Classified employees and their employer (such as school districts and county offices of education) contribute. It is also referred to as California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)
A five-person board appointed by the governor that regulates collective bargaining between public employees (including school district and county office of education employees) and employee organizations.



Public Policy Institute of California


Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA)
A law that outlines a comprehensive process for measuring schools' academic performance and ranking schools based on that performance. When schools fall short of the expectations, the state may intervene—first with assistance and later with sanctions. The PSAA, which was enacted in 1999, has three main components: the Academic Performance Index (API), the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP), and the Governor’s Performance Award program (GPA).



Pupil Weighting
A system of distributing funds—through the state to districts, county offices of education, or schools—that provides more or less money based upon the educational or social conditions of students in a school or district.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio
The total student enrollment divided by the number of full-time equivalent teachers. This ratio is usually smaller than average class size because some teachers, such as reading specialists, work outside the classroom. The pupil-teacher ratio is the most common statistic for comparing data across states.



Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA)
The Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA), adopted in 2007, is a K-12 intervention program for low-performing schools. The state will allocate close to $2.7 billion through this seven-year program to help these schools meet performance and resource benchmarks.

Raw Score
The number of questions answered correctly on a test, particularly a multiple-choice test. Because the test questions are not equally difficult, this information is of limited use.



Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA)
An assessment that teachers must pass to receive a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a requirement for teaching elementary school in California.

Regional Occupational Center/Regional Occupational Program (ROC/ROP)
A center or program established by a school, district, group of districts, or county office of education that provides training for entry-level jobs, job-related counseling, and upgrading of skills for youths ages 16 to 18.



Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
A law that says that no qualified person shall, on the basis of a disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives or benefits from federal financial assistance. The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education (OCR) enforces this law for all elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools. The OCR prohibits specific discriminatory activities, such as the assignment of students with disabilities to segregated classes or facilities. (In elementary and secondary schools, students with disabilities may be assigned to separate facilities or courses only when such placement is necessary to provide them equal educational opportunity and when the separate facilities and services are comparable to other facilities and services.)

Reliable
In testing, a measure of consistency. For example, if someone took the same test on two different days, scores on both tests should be similar. (See Fair and Valid.)



Reserves
Funds set aside in a school district budget to provide for future expenditures, to offset future losses, for working capital, or for other purposes.

Retention
The act or policy of holding students back from advancing to the next grade level if they do not meet established performance standards. (See Social Promotion.)



Revenue Limit
The amount of general purpose money districts receive per pupil (