CPACE Data-Driven Decision Making 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A principal wants to use data to identify early warning signs for chronic absenteeism. Which data source is MOST useful?
- End-of-year standardized test scores
- Weekly attendance records disaggregated by grade, subgroup, and day of week (Correct answer)
- Annual family survey responses
- Teacher observation reports submitted in January
Correct answer: Weekly attendance records disaggregated by grade, subgroup, and day of week
Weekly attendance data, disaggregated to reveal patterns, provides the timely, actionable information needed for early intervention on chronic absenteeism.
Question 2: California's Dashboard uses a five-color system to communicate school performance. What does the 'Orange' color indicate?
- The school has met or exceeded all state targets
- The school is performing below standard and declining
- The school is performing near standard with slight improvement
- The school is performing below standard but improving (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The school is performing below standard but improving
Orange on the California Dashboard indicates below-standard performance that is improving, distinguishing it from Red which indicates below-standard and declining.
Question 3: A school data team is examining a gap between classroom grades and standardized assessment results. This discrepancy most likely requires investigating:
- Whether the state assessments are biased
- Alignment between classroom assessments, grading practices, and state standards (Correct answer)
- Whether teachers are assigning too much homework
- State assessment administration protocols at the school site
Correct answer: Alignment between classroom assessments, grading practices, and state standards
Discrepancies between local grades and state assessments often reveal misalignment in what teachers assess and how grades are assigned relative to standards.
Question 4: Under California's LCFF, the California Dashboard tracks which student outcome areas? (Select the BEST answer)
- Only graduation rates and standardized test scores
- Academic performance, graduation, suspension, English learner progress, chronic absenteeism, and college/career readiness (Correct answer)
- Budget expenditures and staffing ratios only
- Principal evaluation ratings and teacher credentials
Correct answer: Academic performance, graduation, suspension, English learner progress, chronic absenteeism, and college/career readiness
The California Dashboard tracks multiple indicators across academic and non-academic domains to provide a comprehensive picture of school performance.
Question 5: When facilitating a data team meeting, an effective school leader should prioritize:
- Presenting conclusions before asking teachers to examine data
- Creating a psychologically safe environment where staff can honestly discuss data without blame (Correct answer)
- Focusing only on data that shows positive trends
- Using data to identify and publicly single out underperforming teachers
Correct answer: Creating a psychologically safe environment where staff can honestly discuss data without blame
Psychological safety is essential for honest data analysis — when staff fear blame, they avoid engaging truthfully with challenging data.
Question 6: A California school uses benchmark assessments three times per year. These are BEST classified as:
- Formative assessments used to adjust daily instruction
- Interim or benchmark assessments used to monitor progress toward annual goals (Correct answer)
- Summative assessments used for student promotion decisions
- Diagnostic assessments used only at the beginning of the year
Correct answer: Interim or benchmark assessments used to monitor progress toward annual goals
Interim/benchmark assessments fall between formative (daily) and summative (annual) assessments, measuring progress at defined points in the school year.
CPACE Data-Driven Decision Making 1
A principal wants to use data to identify early warning signs for chronic absenteeism.
Which data source is MOST useful?