SPPIs – Your School District’s Report Card from the CDE
If you're the parent of a child with a disability, knowing how your school district is actually performing — not just what they tell you — matters. The California Department of Education (CDE) tracks this through data called the State Performance Plan Indicators (SPPI). There are two places you can find this data: the CDE website, which is the official source, and the Improvement Data Center (IDC) at systemimprovement.org. The IDC was built for district staff, not parents, so the language can feel technical — but it includes charts and visuals that make trends much easier to see at a glance. Either way, once you know where to look, this data becomes one of the most valuable tools you have as an advocate for your child.
Here's how to find it and what to look for.
What Is the SPPI?
The SPPI is a set of 14 indicators that the state uses to track how well school districts are implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). California reports this data publicly, and it covers a lot of ground — graduation rates, suspension rates for students with IEPs, how much time students are spending in general education classrooms, whether evaluations are being completed on time, and more.
You don't need to dig into all 14. Focus on the ones most relevant to your child's situation, and you'll already have more information than most parents walking into an IEP meeting.
How to Find Your District's Data
Go to systemimprovement.org and click on Improvement Data Center in the navigation menu
From there, go to Data Tools and select SPPI Indicator Dashboard (you can also go directly to aprindicators.systemimprovement.org)
Choose your reporting level — select LEA (Local Education Agency) to look up your specific school district
Search for and select your district from the dropdown
Click on the Annual Performance Report (APR) you want to view — start with the most recent year available
The data is organized by indicator number. Bookmark the page — you'll want to come back to it.
Key Indicators Worth Knowing
Here are the indicators most parents find relevant, explained in plain language:
Indicator 1 – Graduation Rate: What percentage of students with IEPs are earning a regular diploma? If this number is low, it's worth asking what support the district is providing for older students.
Indicator 3 (b) – Statewide Assessment: Are students with disabilities performing at grade level on the statewide tests for ELA and Math?
Indicator 4 – Suspension and Expulsion: Are students with disabilities being suspended or expelled at higher rates than their non-disabled peers? Consistently high rates here often point to gaps in behavioral support.
Indicator 5 – Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): How much time are students with IEPs spending in general education settings? Federal law requires districts to educate students alongside non-disabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. This indicator tells you whether your district is actually doing that.
Indicator 8 – Parent Involvement: This one is based on family surveys. Did parents feel the district supported their meaningful participation in their child's education? Low scores here are telling.
Indicators 9 and 10 – Disproportionate Representation: Are students of specific races or ethnicities over- or underrepresented in certain disability categories? Is race or language influencing eligibility decisions?
Indicator 11 – Timely Initial Evaluations: Is the district completing initial special education evaluations within California's required 60-day timeline? Chronic delays here are a compliance issue — and one you can act on.
Indicator 13 – Transition Planning: For students 16 and older, are IEPs including measurable post-secondary goals and the services needed to get there? This is a federal requirement, and many districts fall short.
Don't Just Look at One Year — Look at the Trend
One year of data gives you a snapshot. Multiple years tell you whether the district is working to improve in areas where problems were noted.
The IDC dashboard is specifically designed to show data over time, so when you pull up your district, look at the trajectory. A district that has been below the state target for one year might be in the middle of correcting course. A district that has been below the target for three or four years in a row and is not improving is likely already on CDE’s radar for intervention.
Also watch for sudden drops. A sharp decline in a single year can indicate a staffing change, a policy shift, or a data reporting issue — all of which are worth asking about.
For example: if Indicator 11 shows your district has completed only 70% of initial evaluations on time, three years running, that's a systemic problem. It may also directly explain delays your own family has experienced — and it gives you something concrete to point to.
How to Put This Information to Work
Once you have the data, here's how to actually use it:
Before an IEP meeting, review the indicators most relevant to your child. Walking in with this information changes the dynamic.
In writing, reference specific indicator data when communicating with the district. Citing published data in a letter or email signals that you're tracking compliance — and that you expect accountability.
At school board meetings, use the public comment period to raise concerns about multi-year trends. Board members are responsible for district performance, and SPPI data is public record.
If you're filing a complaint, SPPI data showing a persistent pattern of noncompliance can strengthen your case with the CDE's Office of Special Education.
The Bottom Line
The SPPI data won't tell you how your district treated your child on any given day. But it will show you patterns — and patterns matter. A district that has consistently struggled with timely evaluations, appropriate placements, or parent involvement for years is showing you something real about how it operates.
You have every right to ask your district about this data and what they're doing to improve. That's not being difficult. That's being an informed advocate for your child.
Have questions about reading your district's data or using it in an IEP meeting? Contact us or browse our other resources on navigating special education in California.
