Directory Data Sources

Provides information on the data sources used to obtain each data element available through the California School Directory (Directory).

Application for a County District School (CDS) Code and the Online Public Update for Schools (OPUS) Application

The data elements below are maintained and sourced through both of the applications noted above. For new schools, information is originally obtained from the Application for a CDS Code. For existing schools, data are maintained through the OPUS application. Updates to these data may be made on a daily basis.
  • County-District School (CDS) codes (administratively assigned)
  • Entity names
  • Entity contact information, including phone number, fax number, email address
  • Entity addresses (mailing and physical)
  • Web addresses
  • Entity administrator (superintendent/principal) contact information
  • Chief Business Official (CBO) contact information (for districts and charter schools)
  • Status (active, closed, pending, merged) (administratively assigned based on open and close dates)
  • School open and closure dates
  • School/District Type (elementary, high, alternative school of choice, etc.)
  • Low and high grades offered
  • Virtual instruction school type
  • Magnet school indicator
  • CDS Coordinator contact information

Private School Affidavit (PSA)

The data elements below are sourced from, or administratively assigned based on, the annual filing of the private school affidavit (PSA).
  • CDS code (administratively assigned)
  • School names
  • School contact information, including phone number, fax number, email address
  • School addresses (mailing and physical)
  • Web addresses
  • School administrator contact information
  • Status (active, closed) (administratively assigned based on PSA filing dates)
  • School open and closure dates
  • School Type (elementary, high, etc.)
  • Low and high grades offered
  • School records contact information

California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS)

The data element listed below is maintained and sourced through CBEDS. Updates are made annually after the statewide certification of CBEDS data, which usually occurs in January or February.
  • Year-round school status

California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)

The data element listed below is maintained and sourced through CALPADS. Updates are made annually after the statewide certification of CALPADS data, which usually occurs in the Spring.
  • Multilingual Instruction indicator

Charter School Database

The data element listed below is maintained and sourced through the Charter School Database. Updates are made upon initial startup of a charter school, or when a school converts to/from a charter school.
  • Charter school indicator
  • Charter school number
  • Charter Funding Type

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

The data element listed below is maintained and sourced from NCES. Updates are made three to four times per year.
  • Federal District Identification
  • Federal School Identification
  • Federal Charter Identification

Resources

Questions: CDS Administration | cdsadmin@cde.ca.gov | 916-327-4014
Private School Data | privateschools@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0317