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EQUITY CATEGORY

Criterion

Metric

Meaning

School Access - The availability of schools in a neighborhood

Average distance between the three closest schools with the same grade span.

If a school has a higher average distance it is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Program Access - The availability of educational programs in a school

Percentage of students in each school participating in Language programs, Special Education programs, or Career Technical Education and Pathway programs.

A school with a higher percentage of students participating in these programs is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Historical Inequities - Challenges and disparities rooted in a school’s or community's history that affect educational opportunities today.

The average amount of neighborhood opportunity, as measured by the Opportunity Insight Lab's "upward mobility index," experienced by students in the school.

school serving a higher percentage of students from neighborhoods with lower historical opportunity levels would be less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

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EXCELLENCE CATEGORY

Criterion

Metric

Menang

School Culture and Climate - A school community’s perception of belonging, safety, and academic learning.

The percentage of families, staff, and students responding favorably to survey questions about a sense of belonging, safety, or academic support for learning.

If a school has a higher percentage of families, staff, and students responding favorably,, it is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Criterion: Socio-Emotional Development - Skills such as social awareness, self-management, growth mindset, and self-efficacy.

The percentage of students responding favorably to survey questions related to social awareness, self-management, growth mindset, or self-efficacy.

If a school has a higher percentage of students responding favorably to survey questions,it is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Academic Performance - How students perform academically in core subject areas currently and over time.

State assessments of English Language Arts and Math performance and growth. (Data from California School Dashboard)

A school with higher performance and a higher growth rating in state assessments for English Language Arts and Math is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

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EFFECTIVE USE OF RSOUCES CATEGORY

Criterion

Metric

Menang

Family Choice and Demand for the School - The level of demand for a school from families as shown by school choices listed on a school application.

The percentage of applicants ranking the school as one of their top three choices in their school application.

A school with a higher percentage of applicants ranking it as one of their top three choices is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Teacher Turnover - How often teachers leave their jobs and are replaced by others.

The percentage of teachers who leave a school.

A school with lower teacher turnover rates is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Student Enrollment - Student enrollment refers to the number of students attending a school as a percentage of the school's ideal capacity.

A school's 2023-2024 school year enrollment compared to its ideal enrollment.

A school with fewer open seats is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure.

Building Condition - The condition of a school facility including its systems (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, roof, etc.), the interior and exterior of each building, and open space.

The school building’s facility condition index (FCI) score. The FCI is an aggregate measure of the condition of all individual systems in a given facility. A lower FCI score indicates better school building conditions. (Data from VFA Facility Condition Assessment)

A school with a score closer to zero on the Facility Condition Index (FCI) is less likely to be identified as a candidate for co-location, merger, or closure