Dear California Basic Educational Data System Coordinators:

California Basic Educational Data System Fall 2026 Reporting Responsibilities and Resources

In preparation for the 2026–27 California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) data collection, which is an annual data collection administered in October that collects basic data about schools and districts, as well as some aggregate data on students and staff, the California Department of Education (CDE) is notifying local educational agency’s (LEA’s) of their data reporting responsibilities, soliciting updates to LEA CBEDS Coordinator contacts, and providing necessary resources and information about the upcoming CBEDS data collection.

CBEDS Data Reporting Responsibilities

LEAs are required to submit a County/District Information Form (CDIF) for their county or district office and a School Information Form (SIF) for each of their schools. Districts participating in the District of Choice program are also required to submit a District of Choice Supplemental (DOCS) Form. Note, charter schools that have elected to report their data independently of their authorizer are responsible for submitting their CBEDS data directly to the CDE.

The CBEDS data collection begins on Information Day, October 7, 2026, and data are to be submitted to the CDE on or before October 31, 2026. Note, for districts participating in the District of Choice program, DOCS data are due to the CDE on or before October 15, 2026.

CBEDS data are to be submitted to the CDE using the CBEDS-Online Reporting Application (CBEDS-ORA), which is located on the CDE website.

CBEDS Coordinator Designation

Each LEA is asked to designate a CBEDS Coordinator, who will be the CDE’s point of contact for any questions about the LEA’s CBEDS data. It is the CBEDS Coordinator’s responsibility to ensure that their LEA is prepared to meet the CBEDS data reporting requirements and to ensure a complete, accurate, and timely CBEDS data submission.

The CDE currently has the following contact information on file for your LEA CBEDS Coordinator. It is important to keep this information current, as it will be used to disseminate notifications and updates related to the CBEDS data collection. Please review and update your LEA’s CBEDS Coordinator information at your earliest convenience.

LEA Name:

CBEDS Coordinator:

Phone:

Email:

To update CBEDS coordinator contact information:

• Go to the CDE CBEDS-Online Reporting Application (CBEDS-ORA) website.
• Enter your username and password and select the “Logon” button. If you have forgotten your logon information, you may use the Retrieve Username/Password feature on the CBEDS-ORA logon page. If you submit data for multiple LEAs, the Retrieve Username/Password feature will send logon information for each LEA that is associated with your email address.
• Select the “Update User Information” option from the Main Menu.
• Make the appropriate updates and submit the information.

Resources

Resources necessary to complete the 2026–27 CBEDS data collection are available from the CDE CBEDS web page. Resources include:

• Training
• Administrative Manual
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Forms and File Specifications
• Letters, guides, timelines, and other useful information

The CBEDS web page also provides a link to CBEDS-ORA, which includes access to the List of Expected Schools. The List of Expected Schools is a helpful resource as it identifies the schools that your LEA is expected to report CBEDS data, and denotes any charter schools that are reporting independently of your LEA. It’s important to verify the accuracy of the list and notify us of any closed or temporary non-operational schools prior to submission of data as not doing so may prevent or delay the submission or processing of your data.

If we can be of any assistance as you prepare for the 2026–27 CBEDS data collection, or should you have any questions regarding the contents of this letter, please contact the CBEDS/CDS Support Office by email at cbeds@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Liberty Van Natten, Director

Educational Data Management Division

LVN:sy

cc: County Superintendents
District Superintendents
Select Charter School Administrators