If you’ve ever attended a school board meeting, you’ve likely heard dozens of acronyms. Find out what they mean below. If you know one that’s not listed, you can submit it from the link at the bottom of the list.
This value is defined as the total days of student attendance divided by the total days of instruction. This value is used by California to determine school funding and is typically lower than enrollment due to students staying home sick, moving or dropping out.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/fd/ec/currentexpense.asp
This program is the result of a 2002 voter-approved initiative to fund locally-driven afterschool enrichment programs.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/asesdescrp.asp
CAASPP is a series of standardized tests administered by schools in California.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/
This is a committee of parents and other special education stakeholders that advises SELPAs and school districts on the best way to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Learn more: https://www.cahelp.org/parents_students/parent_resources/cac
This data system tracks data at the individual level over time. It was created in response to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to meet federal reporting requirements.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/
These are the educational standards that identify what students should know and be able to do in each subject for each grade level.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/
The department that oversees public education in California.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/
This is a nonprofit organization that supports elected officials who oversee public education in California.
Learn more: https://www.csba.org/
This is a developmentally appropriate preschool program for children ages 3-5 who meet the eligibility criteria, primarily children in unhoused families, children in foster care, and children living in poverty.
Learn more: https://www.ccrcca.org/headstart/programs/california-state-preschool-program-ages-3-5/
This is a district level committee composed of parents, staff and community members to advise the district on programs for English language learners. Any district with more than 51 English learners is required to form such a committee.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/cr/delac.asp
This is a magnet high school in the Escondido Union High School District.
Learn more: https://www.dellagoacademy.org/
The Escondido Union School District offers a Dual Language Immersion Program at 4 elementary schools and one middle school, and the Escondido Union High School District offers one at Escondido High School.
EUSD Dual Language Immersion
Escondido High School Dual Language Immersion
This is a comprehensive high school in the Escondido Union High School District.
Learn more: https://www.ehscougars.com/
California provides standards and resources to help schools design instructional programs to support English learners in reaching English language proficiency.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/eldstandards.asp
This is a program that funds programs for students in grades TK-6 after school and during the summer when school is not in session.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/elopinfo.asp
This is a statewide test of English language proficiency required to be administered to all students whose primary language is a language other than English.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ep/
The Education Protection Account was created in California in 2013 in response to a voter-approved measure in 2012. It is an account that provides general purpose funding to local school agencies.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/pa/epa.asp
This is funding set aside to help schools address the impact of COVID-19. These funds have been used to pay for things such as sanitation measures in schools and to provide summer and after school programs to address learning loss due to the pandemic.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/cr/esser.asp
Under federal law, all children are entitled to free public education. The term FAPE is often used in the context of meeting the individual needs of students in special education. Each student, regardless of disabilities, has the right to an education that is appropriate to their specific needs.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/pssummary.asp
This private sector board establishes accounting and financial reporting standards for state and local governments.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/ac/as/
A program designed by a team of educators along with a parent or guardian to address the individual needs of a student who is eligible for special education.
Learn more: https://www.courts.ca.gov/35398.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en
A 3 year plan for a school district that describes goals and services to meet state priorities for positive student outcomes.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lc/
California's school funding formula.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/lc/lcffoverview.asp
A public authority with administrative control over public education at the elementary or high school level. Examples include school boards, a County Office of Education, or a charter school.
This is a program of the US Department of Education that assess what students know and can do and how student achievement has changed over time. There are state and national assessments and results for schools or individual students are not reported.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/nr/
PBIS is a framework for reinforcing positive behaviors among students which improves behavioral, social, emotional, and academic outcomes and fosters a safe learning environment.
Learn more: https://www.pbis.org/pbis/what-is-pbis
The PFT is a series of physical tasks administered in grades 5, 7 and 9 in California. Test results are shared with schools to help them monitor their physical fitness programs and with students and their families to provide some insight into a student\'s overall fitness.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/index.asp
A formal association of volunteers who consist of parents, teachers and other school staff, focused on student educational success and family engagement. All PTAs fall under the parent state and national PTA organizations.
Learn more: National PTACA PTA
This is a uniform system implemented by the California Department of Education that all school districts need to follow when reporting revenue and expenditures. It was designed to make it easier for the public and policymakers to compare revenue and expenditures across educational agencies.
Learn more: https://www.ed-data.org/article/About-SACS
California state law requires all schools receiving state funding to submit an annual report to provide families and the community a way to evaluate schools on various factors such as expenditures, class size and demographics.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sa/parentguide.asp
SDCOE is an organization that provides services to all of the school districts in San Diego County, as well as all charter schools and community colleges in the county. They also educate vulnerable students in Juvenile Court and Community Schools.
Learn more: https://www.sdcoe.net/
This refers to a regional area (within California) for which local educational agencies must create a plan for providing a continuum of services to meet the needs of students with disabilities. An area could be a single large school district, or a group of smaller school districts.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/ds/lclpln.asp
Special education refers to a range of services to help students with disabilities learn.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/
This is a comprehensive high school in the Escondido Union High School District.
Learn more: https://www.sphsgoldeneagles.org/
The School Plan for Student Achievement is a document that describes measurable goals to increase student achievement at a particular school site. This document is developed and approved by the School Site Council (SSC) and should align with the district's LCAP.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/ssc.asp
A school site council is a committee of parents, teachers and other school employees who work with the principal to develop and approve a School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/ssc.asp
Transitional Kindergarten in California began as the first of a 2 year Kindergarten program for students with birthdays between September 2 and December 2, but is expanding to be available to all 4 year-old children as an additional year of public schooling prior to Kindergarten.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/pa/tkfiscalfaq.asp
TOSAs are teachers who work on assignments outside a classroom setting, under the direction of an administrator.
Every local educational agency is required to establish procedures by which a written complaint can be submitted alleging a violation of state or federal education law.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cp/uc/
This term applies to a variety of programs, including Transitional Kindergarten, public preschool programs, and services offered to students with disabilities to prepare them for Kindergarten.
Learn more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderfaq.asp
Learn more: https://www.acswasc.org/about/acs-wasc-overview/
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