School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
What is a SARC?
A school report of progress and goal achievement. Since November 1988, state law has required all public schools receiving state funding to prepare and distribute a School Accountability Report Card. Proposition 98, passed by California voters, is also known as The Classroom Instructional Improvement and Accountability Act and provides California public schools with a stable funding source. In return, all public schools are required to annually prepare a SARC and disseminate the information containing the school's progress in achieving its goals to the public.
What information does the SARC contain?
Although there is great variation in the design of school report cards, they generally begin with a profile that provides background information about the school and its students. The profile usually summarizes the school's mission, goals, and accomplishments. State law requires that the SARC contain all of the following:
- Demographic data
- School safety and climate for learning information
- Academic data
- School completion rates
- Class sizes
- Teacher and staff information
- Curriculum and instruction descriptions
- Postsecondary preparation information
- Fiscal and expenditure data
How often must a SARC be updated?
School Accountability Report Cards must be updated annually and published by February 1st.
Are schools required to publish and disseminate the SARC?
Yes, all active public schools and nonpublic, nonsectarian schools are required to prepare and disseminate a SARC for the primary purpose of providing parents with data and information to make meaningful comparisons between schools, including charter schools.
Charter schools are required to prepare SARC reports as a method by which to measure pupil progress in meeting pupil outcomes for state priorities.
How can a parent obtain a SARC?
Parents with Internet access can go to the CDE Find a SARC Web page . This CDE Web page provides actual SARC reports or SARC Web links to each school's website where the school's SARC is located. Here you can evaluate and compare schools on a variety of indicators.
Contact the Charter Management Office if the school's SARC report or web link to their SARC report is not available.
How can a parent find out more about California's public schools?
If you have questions or need information about a specific school, you can call or write to the school or the Charter Management Office.