How are the By Category ratings calculated?
The By Category calculation is similar to the By Grade calculation. We start by calculating ratings for each grade/subject/category combination; then we average those ratings into the By Category ratings you see on the page. The ratings for each student category provide an alternate view of a school’s performance, comparing the performance of a given group of students at the school with the overall student population of the state. The categories are defined by the state. For example, the California Dept. of Education releases separate test results (called disaggregated results) for 26 student categories, including gender, ethnicity and special student groups (e.g., students with disabilities). To create the ratings for each category, we compare the performance of that category in each grade/subject to the decile rankings we have established for that grade/subject. The performance value used is the percentage of students in the category scoring at or above the proficient level, as defin
