California State Science Fair
Project Allocations - 2005

The California State Science Fair has established the nominal target number for participating projects in the 2005 Fair at 850, the same as in recent years. Based upon our experience with the results of allocations in the years since 1998 when allocations were first necessitated, we have established this year's allocations for each affiliate as given in the table below. Note that the total of all allocations is significantly greater than our participation target — built into the allocations listed below is the assumption that a certain fraction will not be utilized. Thus it is important to recognize that unutilized allocations of one affiliate will not be reassigned to another.

The fractions of the total allocations which derive from each of the previously established criteria (population, previous participation, and category awards, along with a baseline to protect small affiliates) were changed slightly for 2005. They are given in the following table. It is anticipated that average project quality will increase in importance in setting future allocations.

The allocations computed from this policy are given in the next table. Allocations are rounded (up or down) to the nearest integer.

The allocations for 2005 are changed for about half of all affiliates, and of these, about half were increased and half decreased. Small fairs are guaranteed not to have their allocation reduced below the baseline specified in the policy table above. In cases where the revised allocations for 2005 cause extreme difficulties, affected affiliates are urged to contact us immediately.