Chronic absenteeism among students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade continued to fall. Photo by RDNE Stock Project

CALIFORNIA (MPG) - The California Department of Education on Nov. 13 released the 2025 California School Dashboard and new DataQuest files, reporting improved outcomes across all major indicators of student success.

The state’s graduation rate reached 87.5 percent, the highest level since the Dashboard launched in 2017 and an increase of 4.5 percentage points over that period. Officials said the gains were stronger among several student groups, including Pacific Islander students, who saw a 4.1 percentage point increase. African American students improved by 3.5 percentage points. Long-term English learners gained 3.3 percentage points, foster youth improved by 2.8 percentage points and students with disabilities improved by 2.7 percentage points.

College and career readiness also improved. The state reported that 51.7 percent of graduates were prepared for college and career, an increase of 3.1 percentage points. The share of students completing the A–G course requirements rose to 53.9 percent. These requirements represent the minimum set of courses needed for admission to California’s public universities.

Chronic absenteeism among students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade continued to fall. The statewide rate declined to 17.1 percent, down more than 10 percentage points from its peak of 30 percent in 2022. The drop from 2024 to 2025 was one percentage point. State officials said the slowdown in the improvement rate shows that more targeted efforts will be needed to reengage families and students who remain chronically absent.

Academic performance also showed modest improvement, consistent with results released in October from statewide assessments.

For the first time in the Dashboard’s history, all indicators appeared in the yellow or green categories, which signal improvement across both current performance and year-over-year progress.

State leaders said the positive trends reflect major investments in TK–12 education, including initiatives such as community schools, expanded learning programs, universal school meals and literacy coaches.

“Seeing modest improvement on every Dashboard indicator should encourage us to deepen our investments in every child’s progress,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in a statement. He said he was encouraged by reduced achievement gaps but added that more work remains.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the results show progress but emphasized the need to continue expanding support for students and educators.

“The more we can invest time, energy, and resources into our kids, the better their future can be,” Newsom said.

State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond said the outcomes demonstrate continued recovery from the pandemic. She cited rising graduation rates, stronger college and career readiness, and improved academic performance. She added that significant work remains to sustain and accelerate progress.

The California Department of Education noted that many districts across the state showed substantial gains, which officials said highlight how targeted investments can advance student achievement. The 2024 Budget Act included $133.8 billion for K–12 education, the highest per-pupil state funding level in California’s history.

California has also expanded access to transitional kindergarten for thousands of four-year-olds and added $215 million to the Literacy Coaches and Reading Specialists Grant Program, which supports early literacy programs and interventions for students who need additional help.

The California School Dashboard is a central component of the state’s accountability system and includes data on graduation, suspensions, test scores, English learner progress, college and career readiness, chronic absenteeism and local indicators.

Alongside the Dashboard, the California Department of Education released several DataQuest reports for the 2024–25 school year. These include four- and five-year graduation rates, suspension and expulsion rates, chronic absenteeism data, absenteeism by reason, stability rates, and homeless student enrollment.

More information on the Dashboard is available on the California Department of Education’s website at cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/dashboardresources.asp.