Indicators will be scored by comparing the most recent data either to typical values over the last few decades or to a benchmark value, such as regulatory standards for clean water and pre-industrial ocean acidification. Expert working groups will score the current year, and that numerical value will be converted into a grade based on the State’s policy priorities.

To get a single score for the entire state for each indicator, we emphasized spatial extent or taxonomic breadth instead of average values. For example, the score for beach size is calculated as the percent of all beaches that are shrinking, stable, or growing instead of average beach width. For the fish score, we report the percentage of fish populations in good shape (e.g., stable or meeting management targets) instead of total biomass. This approach creates flexibility to combine different methods across regions, such as remote sensing, in situ surveys, and local and Traditional Knowledge, and it ensures forward-compatibility to add new data in the future. This approach also ensures that high values in one region are not obscured by low values in another region, so spatial patterns can be explored and there is a more accurate evaluation at the statewide scale.

Detailed methodology about how each indicator was scored will be available in a series of technical reports available by the end of 2025. In addition, a peer-reviewed scientific journal article describing the process of developing the Report Card is currently under review.