Overview of Data Submission and Use¶
LEAs submit data to CALPADS on an ongoing basis. These data are maintained in the CALPADS Operational Data Store (ODS). In the fall and at the end of the school year, a submission window opens and specified data are pulled from the ODS into aggregate reports, known as “certification and supporting reports”. LEAs are required to review these reports to ensure accuracy and “certify” the reports by specified deadlines. The windows during which LEAs certify data are referred to as CALPADS “submissions.” The primary submission windows are during the Fall and at the End of Year (EOY). Currently, the specific submissions are: Fall 1, Fall 2, EOY 1, EOY 2. Prior to the 2025-26 academic year, there were four submissions in EOY: EOY 1, EOY 2, EOY 3, and EOY 4.
CALPADS Submissions of Data for Students with Disabilities¶
LEAs are required to certify data related specifically to students with disabilities (SWD) during the Fall 1 and EOY 1 submissions. The certification process for special education data includes an additional review level not required for other data certified in CALPADS. LEAs must first review and approve the special education certification reports, and then the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) of which the LEA is a member must review and approve the same certification reports. Once the LEA and SELPA have both approved the certification reports, the data are “certified.” The CALPADS submission dates are posted on the CALPADS Calendar at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/rptcalendar.asp. The three submissions are described in the following sections.
Fall 1 Data Submission and Use¶
As part of the CALPADS Fall 1 submission, LEAs and SELPAs certify Census Day (first Wednesday in October) counts of students by education plan, (IFSP, IEP, ISP), federal setting, and primary disability. These data are primarily used to calculate federal Annual Performance Report (APR) accountability indicators, data used for annual monitoring determinations, and federal ED*Facts* reporting. See sections on “State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report” and “Federal ED*Facts* Reporting”.
There is a total of 9 aggregate Certification Reports that must be reviewed for the Fall 1 submission. Of the 9 reports, two aggregate certification reports are specifically for SWD. All 9 reports must be approved by the LEA for the Fall 1 submission to be approved at the LEA level. The two SWD reports also require approval by the SELPA. Therefore, once the LEA has approved all Fall 1 reports, and the SELPA has approved the two SWD reports, the submission is considered “certified”. These data are “frozen” and used for the purposes described above.
EOY 1 (Previously EOY 3 and EOY 4)¶
As part of the CALPADS EOY 1 submission, LEAs and SELPAs certify cumulative counts of students by education plan, federal setting, and primary disability that were enrolled during the academic year (July 1 – June 30). LEAs and SELPAs also certify counts of students exiting special education during the academic year, the postsecondary status of students one year after they exited secondary education, and incident data (incidents that result in the restraint or seclusion of a student, or a disciplinary action). These data are primarily used to calculate federal Annual Performance Report (APR) accountability indicators and data used for annual monitoring determinations. Counts of students exiting special education are used for federal ED*Facts* reporting. See sections on “State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report” and “Federal ED*Facts* Reporting”.
LEAs and SELPAs also monitor special education services prescribed within a student’s education plan (IFSP, IEP, ISP), by primary disability. SELPAs use these data to compile the Annual Service Plan. These data are not reported at the federal level.
There is a total of 14 aggregate certification ceports that must be reviewed for the EOY 1 submission. Of the 14 reports, five reports are specifically for SWD. All 14 reports must be approved by the LEA for the EOY 1 submission to be approved at the LEA level. The SELPA is only required to approve the five SWD reports. Once the LEA has approved all reports, and the SELPA has approved the SWD reports, the submission is considered “certified”. These data are “frozen” and used for the purposes described above.
Monitoring¶
There are several real-time reports in CALPADS that contain data used specifically for timeline compliance and other monitoring activities. LEAs submit data to CALPADS on an ongoing basis and these data are maintained in the CALPADS Operational Data Store (ODS). These real-time reports can be generated on user-specified date and the data used in the reports changes on an ongoing basis as LEAs update their data. Once annual monitoring determinations are made and LEAs are identified with timeline non-compliance (see the “Evaluations and Plan Reviews” section), these reports are used regularly to ensure that LEAs make the necessary corrections before findings of non-compliance are issued.
Student with Disabilities Reports and Extracts¶
Report Legend:
C = Certification Report – Reports LEAs and SELPAs are required to review and certify in the Fall and EOY submissions
S = Supporting Report – Reports (usually student-level) that are used to ensure that the data in the aggregate certification reports that the LEA and SELPA are certifying are accurate.
M = Monitoring Report[SA10] – Real-time reports used to review data used for purposes of special education monitoring, including timeline compliance.
D = DSEA Real-time Report – Real-time reports that are aggregated by District of Special Education Accountability rather than Reporting LEA
E = Extract Real-time – Data extracts for each CALPADS file type that can be downloaded by LEAs
| Report # | Name | Fall 1 | EOY 1 | Real-Time Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.16 | Incident Removals, Restraints and Seclusions for Students with Disabilities – Count | C | ||
| 7.17 | Unilateral Removals for Students with Disabilities | C | ||
| 7.18 | Incident Removals and Results for Students with Disabilities – Student List | S | ||
| 16.12 | Students with Disabilities – Education Plan by Disability (Only includes students who are eligible and participating with a plan.) | C[AT11] | C | |
| 16.13 | Students with Disabilities – Federal Setting Count (Only includes students who are eligible and participating with a plan.) | C | ||
| 16.14 | Students with Disabilities – Plan Student List | S | S | |
| 16.14 | Students with Disabilities – Plan Student List by DSEA | D | ||
| 16.15 | Students with Disabilities – Student Services Count | S | S | |
| 16.16 | Students with Disabilities – Student Services List | S | S | |
| 16.17 | Student with Disabilities – Annual Comparison Reports | S | S | |
| 16.18 | Students with Disabilities – DSEA Low Incidence Count | D | ||
| 16.19 | Students with Disabilities – DSEA Low Incidence Student List | D | ||
| 16.21 | Students with Disabilities – Overdue Plan Review and Reevaluation Meetings Student List | M | ||
| 16.22 | Students with Disabilities – Non-Participating Status Report - Count | C | ||
| 16.23 | Students with Disabilities – Non-Participating Status Report – Student Details | S | ||
| 16.24 | Students with Disabilities – Meetings Student List | M | ||
| 16.25 | Students with Disabilities – Initial Part B Evaluation 60-Day Timeline Student List | M | ||
| 16.26 | Students with Disabilities – Initial Part C to B Transition Student List | M | ||
| 17.3 | Postsecondary Survey Outcome for SWD – Count | C | ||
| 17.4 | Postsecondary Survey Outcome for SWDs – Student List | S | ||
| SWDS | Real-time Download Extract | E | ||
| PLAN | Real-time Download Extract | E | ||
| MEET | Real-time Download Extract | E | ||
| SERV | Real-time Download Extract | E |
CALPADS Reports and Report Features that Support Data Review¶
To facilitate data review and approval of certification reports, the following non-certification supporting reports and report features are available:
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SELPA-Level Reports: There are SELPA-level reports that display aggregate data for all LEAs in the SELPA. There is a SELPA-level report for each LEA aggregate certification report. The SELPA-level reports facilitate the SELPA’s review of all the LEAs in the SELPA.
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Report Filters: Each aggregate certification report includes filters that enable LEAs and SELPAs to review data by gender, race/ethnicity, and various student programs, which are the same student groups displayed on other CALPADS reports, DataQuest, and the California School Dashboard. Viewing aggregate counts by student group facilitates LEAs and SELPAs to identify potential issues with the data.
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Student-Level Reports: Most aggregate certification reports in CALPADS drill down to corresponding supporting reports that display the individual students that are included in the aggregate report. There are also student profile reports that display data for individual students. LEAs use these reports to review and reconcile their data to ensure accuracy. The supporting reports for SWD were described above.
How Specific SWD Data Are Used for Federal Purposes¶
The following table provides a high-level overview of how all the specific SWD data elements submitted on the SWDS, PLAN, MEET, SERV, PSTS, SINC/SIRS/SOFF, and WBLR files are used for the federal APR accountability indicators, federal ED*Facts* reporting, and monitoring. See sections on “State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report”, and “Federal ED*Facts* Reporting”.
Note: The data elements unique to students with disabilities are not used for state accountability purposes. The only special education data used for state accountability is whether a student is SWD and therefore should be included in the SWD student group on the California School Dashboard and in DataQuest reports.
The table does not include the data elements used in all CALPADS reports to disaggregate student data (e.g. date of birth (age), race ethnicity, gender, English Learner status). For a comprehensive description of all the data elements used in each CALPADS report, refer to the report mapping guides maintained by the California School Information Services (CSIS).
Table 1: How SWD Data Are Used
| CALPADS Submission | Data in these CALPADS Reports… | Are Used for… |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 | Fall 1 LEA and SELPA Reports · 16.12 – Students with Disabilities – Education Plan by Primary Disability · 16.13 – Students with Disabilities – Count by Federal Setting · 16.14 – Students with Disabilities – Plan Student List | APR: · APR Indicator 5 – School Age Environments · APR Indicator 6 – Preschool Environments (3 through 5) ED*Facts*: (FS002) · Census Day unduplicated count of SWD by ages 5 – 21, by primary disability and educational environment (setting) · Only students on IEPs included Monitoring:[SA16] · To monitor Least Restrictive Environment Assignment Monitoring through the California State Assignment Accountability System (CalSAAS):[SA17] · Sent to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for use in Teacher Assignment Monitoring |
| Fall 1[SA18] | Fall 1 LEA and SELPA Reports · 16.15 – Students with Disabilities – Student Services by Primary Disability[SA19] | SELPA · To assist SELPAs in monitoring the special education services being provided and to provide data for the Annual Service Plan. |
| EOY 1 | · EOY 1 certified data, not reflected in an aggregate report, but viewable in 16.14 – Students with Disabilities Plan Student List (EOY 1) | APR: · APR Indicator 13 – Secondary Transition Monitoring: · To monitor whether SWD ages 16-22 have required transition goals |
| EOY 1 | EOY 1 LEA and SELPA Reports · 17.3 – Postsecondary Survey Outcome for SWDs – Count (EOY 4) · 17.4 – Postsecondary Status – Student List | APR: · APR Indicator 14 – Post-School Outcomes |
| EOY 1 | EOY 1 LEA and SELPA Reports · 7.16 – Incident Restraint, Seclusion, and Removals for Students with Disabilities – Count · 7.17 – Unilateral Removals for Students with Disabilities – Count · 7.18 – Incident Removals for Students with Disabilities – Student List | ED*Facts*: (FS005) · To provide number of SWD, ages 3 – 21, · Removed to an interim alternative setting by School Personnel or Hearing Officer · Removed by School Personnel due to drugs, weapons, offenses of serious bodily injury[PM20] [DJ21] ED*Facts*: (FS006) · To provide the cumulative number of days that SWD were suspended or expelled (less than or equal to 10 days, greater than 10 days) ED*Facts*: (FS007) · To provide the reasons SWD were unilaterally removed from their current educational placement to an interim alternative educational setting (due to drugs, weapons, serious bodily injury) ED*Facts*: (FS088) · To provide the cumulative number of days SWD were removed from their current education setting (1 day or less, 2 through 10 days, greater than 10 days) ED*Facts*: (FS143) · To determine the number of times SWD (ages 3 through 21) were subject to any kind of disciplinary removal ED*Facts*: (FS144) · To determine the number of SWD who received educational services when removed from the regular school for disciplinary reasons APR: · APR Indicator 4 – Suspension and Expulsion Monitoring: · Restraint and seclusion data quality · Restraint and seclusion student to restraints/seclusions ratio |
| EOY 1 | EOY 1 LEA and SELPA Reports · 16.22 – Students with Disabilities Special Education Status and Non-Participation Reason Count (EOY 1) · 16.23 – Students with Disabilities Special Education Status and Non-Participation Reason Student List (EOY 1) · 1.24 – Students with Disabilities -Graduates and Completers Count · 1.25 – Students with Disabilities – Graduates and Completers – Student List | ED*Facts*: (FS009) To provide reasons why SWD left the special education program, such as: · Graduated with a regular high school diploma · Received a Special Education Certificate of Completion · Exited the special education program and moved to regular education · Reached the maximum age for SWD · Dropped out of school · Died APR: · APR Indicator 1 - Graduates · APR Indicator 2 - Dropouts |
| EOY 1 | EOY 1 LEA Report* · 18.1 – Work-Based Learning – Count · 18.2 – Work-Based Learning – Student List *These reports do not have to be approved by SELPAs | · To include in the calculation of the College/Career Indicator on the California School Dashboard |
| Real-time [SA22] data (operational data store data) | · Data from CALPADS ODS provided to Special Education Division | · To supplement Targeted Intensive Reviews · For Adhoc reports · To corroborate shared reporting with Department of Development Services for children served through the IDEA Part C Program |
| Real-time Reports | · DSEA Extracts · 16.14 – Students with Disabilities Plan Student List by DSEA | · To facilitate the ability of LEAs to ensure the accuracy of the District of Special Education Accountability (DSEA) in CALPADS |
| Real-time Reports | · Report 16.24 – Meetings Student List | APR: · APR Indicator 8 – Parent Involvement · APR Indicator 12 – Early Childhood Transition |
| Real-time Reports | · Report 16.25 - Students with Disabilities – Initial Part B Evaluation 60-Day Timeline Student List | APR: · APR Indicator 11 – Child Find Monitoring: · To monitor requirements related to child find timelines |
| Real-time Reports | · Report 16.21 – Students with Disabilities – Overdue Plan Review and Reevaluation | Monitoring: · To monitor whether required evaluations and plan reviews are held within required timelines |