Fall 1 Reporting Roadmap¶

(Updated 9/2/2026)

This page will provide you the necessary tools in navigating through the CALPADS system and the different Fall 1 reporting requirements. It will be continually updated with new content as needed.

Additional Fall 1 guidance is also available in the CALPADS FAQ site.

CALPADS Submission and Certification Deadlines¶

The table below list the official dates and milestones associated to the different CALPADS submission periods. The Official Submission window reflects when the CALPADS snapshot revisions are activated and NOT the start of data submission. Submission of required files can be done anytime and as early as now.

2026–27 CALPADS Submission	Primary Data Submitted	Official Submission Window	Recommended Date for Zero Errors	Certification Deadline	Amendment Window Deadline (Amendment Window Closes)
2026–27 Fall 1	2026–27 (Census Day): - Enrollment counts - English language acquisition status - Unduplicated Pupil Count - Free/reduced-price meal-eligibility - Special Education 2025–26: - Dropouts	October 7, 2026 (Census Day) to January 22, 2027	November 20, 2026	December 11, 2026** Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) approval strongly encouraged, but not required	January 22, 2027 Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) approval required
2026–27 Fall 2	- Student Course Enrollments - Staff Assignments and full-time equivalent (FTE) - English Learner Education Services - Postsecondary Outcomes for prior year graduates who were Career Technical Education (CTE) Completers	October 7, 2026 (Census Day) to February 26, 2027	February 5, 2027	February 26, 2027	No Amendment Window
2026–27 End-of-Year (EOY) 1	- Program Eligibility/Participation - Student Incidents - Cumulative Enrollment - Student Absence Summary and Attendance Recovery Days - Count of English Learner (EL) Reclassified during School Year - Homeless Students - Immigrant count - Special Education - Postsecondary Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (SWD) Prior Year Completers - Expanded Learning Programs	May 4, 2027 to July 30, 2027	June 25, 2027	July 16, 2027 SELPA approval strongly encouraged, but not required	July 30, 2027 SELPA approval required
2026–27 EOY 2	- Course Completion for Grades 7–12 - Career Technical Education (CTE) Participants, Completers - Work-Based Learning Indicators - One-Year Graduate and Completer Counts	May 4, 2027 to Monday, August 16, 2027	July 23, 2027	August 16, 2027*	No Amendment Window

Fall 1 Submission Checklist¶

This form provides detailed list of data requirements and key responsibilities to facilitate the smooth Fall 1 submission and certification experience of LEAs. It contains multiple tabs that includes the checklist and list of certification reports. LEAs may download the spreadsheet, assign staff responsibilities and send it to the field.

Download Checklist
(Updated 8/25/2026)

CALPADS Communication¶

Below is a curated list of CALPADS flash updates and memos relevant to Fall 1 reporting.

CALPADS Update Flash #330 (Dated 21-Aug-2026)¶

Topic: Multifactor Authentication Begins September 15 in CALPADS

CALPADS Update Flash #329 (Dated 12-Aug-2026)¶

Topic: 2026−27 School Year Rollover; 2026–27 Changes Coming Later in School Year

CALPADS Update Flash #327 (Dated 22-Jul-2026)¶

Topic: Best practices for acquiring Statewide Student Identifiers (SSIDs) for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten (KN) Students and pre-enrolling students in the summer for initial English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) testing.

CALPADS Update Flash #322 (Dated 16-Mar-2026)¶

Topic: Reclassifying English Learners.

CALPADS Update Flash #321 (Dated 18-Feb-2026)¶

opic: Summer 2026 SUN Bucks.

CALPADS Update Flash #311 (Dated 26-Aug-2025)¶

Topics Include: Long-term English Learner (LTEL) (Education Code [EC] Section 52052) Functionality in CALPADS.

CALPADS Update Flash #308 (Dated 27-Jun-2025)¶

Topics Include: Change in Migrant Student Data Collection.

CALPADS Update Flash #286 (Dated 30-Aug-2024)¶

Topics Include: Impacts on Assessments When Moving Kindergarten Students Back to Transitional Kindergarten.

CALPADS Update Flash #285 (Dated 08-Aug-2024)¶

Topics Include: Guidance Regarding Transitional Kindergarten and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), per the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 2268.

CALPADS Update Flash #281 (Dated 18-Jun-2024)¶

Topics Include: District of Choice and Data Reporting.

CALPADS Update Flash #272 (Dated 22-May-2024)¶

Topics include: Importance of the Initial US School Enrollment Data for English Learners.

Flash 134
Topics include: Updated guidance (previously provided in Flash 132) regarding appropriate use of N470 exit code.

Flash 132
Topics include: Aligning guidance regarding when to dis-enroll Truants to support practices to reduced Chronic Absenteeism, Truancy, and Dropouts

New to CALPADS (Fall 1)¶

Below are expected changes in CALPADS for End of Year. Please note that some of the listed changes may have not been implemented yet. This table will be updated as new information become available.

Functionality	Change
Code Set	RETIRED • T167 - TransAltSchlPrgm • T168 - AltIndStdySchlDschrg
	NEW – • T166 - TransAltEdPrgmDisc • T169 - TransOtherDiscRsns MODIFIED • T160 - TransCASchlRegular • T165 - TransSpecDiscRsnsOrJudg
User Roles	NEW – • Update LEA-Level Fall 1 SPED and DSEA Report Security Roles to include SPED View
Input Validations	NEW – • PLAN0387 (F) – Missing Preschool Program Setting Service Location Code • PLAN0388 (F) – Missing Ten or More Weekly Hours in Setting Indicator • SPRG0746 (F) – Invalid Homeless Education Program Membership End Date for historical SPRG update • SPRG0747 (F) – Invalid Homeless Education Program Membership End Date for historical SPRG update • SENR0014 (F) - SENR Start Date Greater Than Current Date plus three months - from 6 months to 3 months
DDs/CDDs	NEW – • SELA0751F1 (F) - RFLP Status Start Date Cannot Equal Enrollment Start Date • SWDS0755F1 (F) - Validation to ensure SWDS Initial Start Date is not before birthdate • PLAN0748F1 (F) - Invalid School Program Setting for a student on an ISP Plan (200) • SENR0756F1 (W) - Invalid Enrolled in US School fewer than (<) 3 Cumulative Years given Total Enrollment Days for Student
	MODIFIED – • PLAN0732F1 (F) - Invalid County Office of Education Code populated in DSEA field • PLAN0364F1, PLAN0387F1, PLAN0388F1, PLAN0675F1 – Modified to account for scenario where student turns 6 after the start of the year but before census day • SENR0623E1 (F) - MEET or PLAN record missing for student enrolled in Private school • SENR0745F1 (F) - Missing District of Geographic Residence Code for COE Enrollment
Reports	NEW – • 5.8 C/A - Former Foster Youth Enrolled - Count • 5.9 C/A - Former Foster Youth – Student List
	MODIFIED – • LEA & SELPA SPED Monitoring Report 16.24 - Students with Disabilities - Meetings Student List • Meeting Type filter to default to all meeting types • Certification Reports 8.1a, 8.1c. 1.13 and 1.14 – logic updated to include new exit codes • Realtime Reports 1.17 and 1.18 - As Of Day/Month Filter removed

What files should LEAs submit for Fall 1?¶

Below are the files expected to be submitted during Fall 1. Please review each file for specific data requirements and other business rules to be aware of.

Extracted from School Information System (SIS)¶

Entered in Special Education System (SEDS) and pushed to CALPADS through API¶

Important Reminders:

SENR and SINF file must be sequentially submitted and posted first. Once the 2 files are submitted, all other file types can be uploaded.
Also, users should be aware of the default file upload processing method employed by each file.

SSID Enrollment (SENR)¶

General SSID Enrollment Overview¶

Below is a depiction of the typical SSID Enrollment workflow LEAs will be conducting to acquire SSIDs for new and transferring students as well as re-enroll returning students.

Hover on the linked stages for access to related video tutorials.

SSID Matching Tool ¶

This page helps explain the SSID Matching Tool process to help LEAs identify possible SSID matches in bulk for students with no SSIDs. This process is done prior to submitting the main SENR batch file and immediately preempting possible MIDs.

Requesting SSIDs ¶

Provides step by step guidance on requesting SSIDs either through Online Maintenance or Batch file upload.

Creating enrollments for NEW students with disabilities¶

Provides guidance on requesting and maintaining SSIDs in the context of Students with Disabilities reporting.

Age	Enrollment Status	Enrollment Start Date	Grade Level	School of Enrollment
Zero to 35 months	50 – Non- ADA Enrollment	Date of parental consent for Part C initial evaluation	IN - Infant	District-level enrollment
3 to 5 years, public preschool OR private preschool serving preschoolers only (served by district on IEP)	10 - Primary	Date of child’s third birthday	PS - Preschool	Preschool with specific CDS code – Enroll at preschool If no specific preschool CDS Code - District-level enrollment
3 to 5 years, private preschool additionally serving grades TK and higher (served by private school on ISP)	50 – Non-ADA Enrollment	Date of parental consent	PS - Preschool	School 0000002 – Private School Group
5-21, Kindergarten (inc. TK) through 12 (public)	10 - Primary	First day of enrollment	K-12 – Kindergarten through 12	School of enrollment
5-21, Kindergarten (inc. TK) through 12 (private)	50 – Non- ADA Enrollment	Date of parental consent	K-12 – Kindergarten through 12	School 0000002 – Private School Group

Notable Resources:

Reporting Data for Students with Disabilities - California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)

Special Education File Submission Scenarios

District of Choice LEAs and Data Reporting¶

Currently, there are 44 LEAs designated as a District of Choice. The District of Choice Program allows a student to transfer to a school district that participates in this program. Per Flash 281, DOCs must populate on the Student Enrollment (SENR) file, for students transferring to the LEA under the DOC program:

Field 1.30 – Student School Transfer Code with Student School Transfer code 4 – District of Choice; and
Field 1.31 – District of Geographic Residence

Specifically, DOCs must populate both fields for students with an enrollment status of primary or short-term when the student’s most recent prior enrollment is in a California public school in a different LEA. If these fields are not populated, Certification Data Discrepancy (CDD) SENR0320E3 - Missing Student School Transfer Code for District of Choice Transfer will trigger.

Transitional Kindergarten Reporting¶

As a condition of receipt of apportionment for pupils in transitional kindergarten (TK), a school district or charter school shall ensure that by the 2025−26 school year onwards, TK is available to all children who will have their fourth birthday by September 1 of the school year.

Student Information (SINF)¶

The SINF stores the students demographic information and address. Here are are vital data elements and reminders every LEA must remember.

Always ensure that the Effective Start Date of initial SINF record submitted at the start of the academic year matches the enrollment start date.
The Race and Ethnicity must always be reported everytime a SINF record is uploaded.
Students enrolled with primary, secondary, or short-term enrollments, LEAs are required to submit the highest education level for each parent/guardian reported to CALPADS, in the following fields on the Student Information (SINF) file:
- 2.38 – Parent Guardian 1 Highest Education Level Code
- 2.50 – Parent Guardian 2 Highest Education Level Code*

*Note: Parent Guardian 2 Highest Education Level Code will only be required if Guardian 2 First Name or Last Name is populated.

While LEAs are not required to update historical data, the highest education level for both parents will now be required when LEAs update or add a SINF record for a student.

LEAs will continue to use the existing “Highest Education Level” code set, with the following clarification to the definition for Code 15 – Decline to State:

Prior Definition for:	New Definition
Code 15 – Decline to State	Code 15 – Decline to State
An individual declined to state his or her highest educational level. This is not the same as unknown (missing information).	An individual who declined to state their highest educational level or for whom information is unavailable.

Matrix for Parent Ed level inclusion in SED¶

Matrix shows which education level code is returned based on both parent's education level.

Parent 1 Highest Ed Level	Parent 2 Highest Ed Level	SED Impact
14 – Not a High School Graduate	14 – Not a High School Graduate	Eligible
14 – Not a High School Graduate	NULL/BLANK (i.e. no selection)	Eligible
14 – Not a High School Graduate	15 - Decline to State	Not Eligible
15 - Decline to State	14 – Not a High School Graduate	Not Eligible
Other Combinations		Not Eligible

Student Program (SPRG)¶

Student Program Data Collected ¶

List of student program eligibility reported for Fall 1.

NSLP Reporting Nuances ¶

Guidance on reporting student NSLP eligibility.

Language Instructional Program ¶

Guidance on reporting Language Instructional Program participation.

LCFF Inclusion¶

All students with active enrollment on Census day, and who meets any of the criteria below will be counted on the LCFF report.

Type of Eligibility Met	Source	As of Inclusive Date
Homeless	SPRG	Open SPRG record with start date prior or equal to Census day
Migrant Ed	State Matching	Student must be active Migrant Ed on Census day Census day per Report 5.11 or MEPS Extract
Income / Alternative Income Eligibility Form (Regular School, CEP, Provision ⅔)	SPRG	NSLP Program Start date should be on or before October 31^st
Foster Youth	State Matching	Student must be active Foster Youth on Census day per ODS report 5.7
Tribal Foster Youth	SPRG	Open SPRG record with start date prior or equal to Census day
Direct Certification (SNAP, TANF, MediCal Free, Medi-Cal Reduced)	State Matching	Must be certified between 7/2 to 11/2
EL and ADEL Status	SELA	SELA record with EL/ADEL status date prior or equal to Census day

Student English Language Acquisition (SELA)¶

When to submit a SELA record ¶

Initial ELPAC Testing Guidance and Common Issues ¶

Guidance for Submitting RFEP Records to CALPADS ¶

ELPAC Status Correction at a Glance ¶

ELPAC Status Correction through STAIRS Process ¶

CALPADS Assesments Webinar Padlet ¶

Repository of Q&A during the CALPADS and Assessments Webinar held on 11/22/2024

Special Education (SWDS, MEET, PLAN, SERV)¶

Below are helpful SPED reporting resources.

Reporting Data for Students with Disabilities ¶

Contains common scenarios for determining which LEA is responsible for reporting SWD data, and which LEA will be held accountable on the Dashboard.

Special Education File Submission Scenarios ¶

Contains specific special education data scenarios and information about which of the special education files Students with Disabilities Status (SWDS), Special Education Meetings (MEET), Special Education Plans (PLAN) and Special Education Services (SERV) would be required in each of these scenarios.

2023-2024 Special Education Data in CALPADS ¶

Box site containing the initial CALPADS SPED Redesign documentation.

CALPADS Special Education Data Office Hours ¶

Box site containing all presentations from the CALPADS Special Education Data Office Hours

Student Degree of Support Identification Guidance ¶

Contains guidance on Student Degree of Support Identification

Equitable Services for Students with Disabilities ¶

Contains some key provisions on Equitable Services for Students with Disabilities

Special Education Status Start Date for each Special Education Status and Non-Participation Reason Combination¶

Special Education Status Code	Special Education Status Name	Special Education Non-Participation Reason	SWDS Status Start Date is defined as…
1	Eligible and Participating	Null	If student was evaluated in California and student was determined to be eligible: · …and the parent agreed to one or more services on the meeting date o the date of the meeting where the student was determined to be eligible. Date must not be in the future. · …and parent did not accept the offer of Free and Appropriate Public Education right away but accepts the offer at a later date o the date of the first day of enrollment or when services begin, whichever is first. If student transferred from outside of CA and had their initial evaluation out of state - the date the student enrolled in the California district. Date must not be in the future.
2	Eligible and Not Participating	11 - Eligible - No Education Plan (Parent Declined FAPE - Private Placement)	The date of initial evaluation
2	Eligible and Not Participating	12 - Eligible - No Education Plan/ Not participating (Other Reasons)	The date of initial evaluation.
2	Eligible and Not Participating	24 - Withdrawal	The date student withdrew from program and stopped receiving services. (must not be in the future)
3	Eligible, Not Enrolled	31 - Left School and Not Expected to Return	The enrollment exit date of student from the student information system
4	Not Eligible	21 - Not Eligible	Date of initial evaluation or reevaluation where student was found not eligible or no longer eligible.
4	Not Eligible	22 - No Parental Consent Received - Part C to B	Date of child’s third birthday or the date the student’s Part C services will end, if past the student’s third birthday.
4	Not Eligible	23 - MaxAge	Either: 1) Date of student’s 22^nd birthday; OR 2) If student will continue services until the end of the term or academic year, then the date they stop receiving services.
4	Not Eligible	26 - No Part B Evaluation – IEP Team Decision	The date of child’s third birthday, or the date the student’s Part C services will end, if past the student’s third birthday.
4	Not Eligible	25 - Returned to CA, no longer eligible	The date of enrollment in the California district upon their return. (This is only necessary when the student had an active IEP or ISP in California, then left out-of-state and exited the special education program, then returned to California.)
4	Not Eligible	31 - Left School and Not Expected to Return	The enrollment exit date of student from the student information system

CALPADS Special Education Data Fall Roadshows 2026 (TBD)¶

California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Regional trainings in Fall 2025 to inform local educational agencies (LEAs) with updates and changes to the collection of data for students with disabilities.

These sessions will train local special education data coordinators and Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)-level staff on the updates and changes for the CALPADS Fall 1 Submission as well as other special education-related data.

Tools for Success¶

Here are some helpful resources LEAs must utilize for greater success and efficiency in meeting reporting requirements.

Fall 1 Training Resources and Opportunities¶

CALPADS Regional Update Meetings ¶

The California Department of Education conducts a series of meetings via webinar for local educational agencies (LEAs) regarding the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). Please visit the CSIS Training Registration site for upcoming schedules.

CALPADS Special Education Data Roadshows ¶

California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Regional trainings to inform local educational agencies (LEAs) with updates and changes to the collection of data for students with disabilities.