About Us
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Welcome to Cal-PASS, the only system that collects
data about student success and transition from every segment of education, K-16.
Informed by data, powered by inspiration and developed through collaboration—Cal-PASS
partners identify problems, develop local solutions, and bring them to scale across
regions and throughout California to achieve Success at Every Level.
What teachers are saying about us: "The biggest thing has been
how much the data have contributed to my awareness of where students come from and
where they are going in terms of skills, development, different assignments and
expectations. Our Professional Learning Council has energized my teaching, something
that always happens when teachers come together and talk about teaching. Having
teachers with so much expertise working together from all the different segments
of education has improved my teaching and my students' performance. I won’t be surprised
if this is happening in every classroom where a teacher is involved with a PLC.
" PLC Faculty Member
News & Events
From the Executive Director:
Sharing a Decade of Lessons
Since 1998
Cal-PASS has helped schools,
colleges, and universities use student outcome information to make critical decisions
about improving student success and transition. After 11 years of guiding this process,
several recurring themes have come to light:
First, student outcome information needs to be relevant to the people reviewing
it. Statewide rates of student success mean little to teachers and faculty members
because the information is too far removed from their practice and their students.
This information needs to relate to the work they do, the people they influence,
and the ideals they feel passionate about.
Second, examining data in a collaborative learning environment can lead to positive
changes in practice without the specter of an institution feeling judged. When teachers,
faculty, and staff enter into collaborative conversations focusing on students,
the playing field is leveled and the blame game is off the table. Kay McClenney
said it best: "We use data to move from a culture of blame to a culture of wonder.
We wonder why something is - or is not - occurring rather than ascribing blame.
This wonder leads us to ask better questions and attempts to get at the causes of
behavior."
Read the whole story in the
Winter Newsletter.
ACCESS Initiative in Full Swing
Over the past 10 months, 26
Cal-PASS Professional
Learning Councils (PLCs) have adopted the principles of the new Aligning Curricula
and Career Education for Student Success (ACCESS) initiative, engaging in a collaborative
effort to define and align math and English curricula throughout high school and
college. Representatives from each PLC convened for two days in June to define and
draft entrance and exit competencies for ACCESS coursework spanning 11th grade through
transfer-level coursework in English and math at the post-secondary level. Faculty
shared example assessments/assignments for exit competencies and took a first look
at how the curricula aligned from one course to the next. According to ACCESS’ independent
evaluator, participants at the June meeting demonstrated an overwhelming commitment
to their work on this new initiative.
Spotlight on Data:
Student EAP Follow-Through Revealed
The Early Assessment Program for College Readiness (EAP) provides information that
is useful for helping students successfully transition from high school to college,
particularly in the areas of math and English. The EAP accomplishes this by providing
feedback to high school juniors about their readiness for college in English and
math through a set of optional test questions on their 11th grade California Standards
Test (CST).
Read the whole story in the
Winter Newsletter.