FAQs: COVID-19 and CALPADS Data Collection
Frequently asked questions related to the COVID-19 coronavirus and CALPADS data collection.Quick Links
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On this page, you will find responses to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and pertaining to CALPADS data collection.
These FAQs will continue to be updated as needed.
The FAQs in the group below were included in CALPADS Update Flash #175. A number of theses FAQs relate specifically to data collection requirements for students with disabilities (SWD). The substance of these FAQs was discussed in the April 2020 CALPADS Information Meeting (CIM) and included in CALPADS Update Flash #173.
Should LEAs modify their instructional calendar? (Posted 14-Apr-2020)
Should Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) be submitting data to CALPADS during school building closures?
Yes, to the extent feasible. It is important for LEAs to continue maintaining their local systems and then updating CALPADS with student enrollments and exits, even during school building closures. The California Department of Education (CDE) has provided general guidance that LEAs should continue to communicate with students and their families during school building closures and to provide high-quality educational opportunities for learning. During the course of these communications, LEAs (if staff are able to work) should continue to enroll new students and exit transferring students in their local student information systems, as applicable, update CALPADS with those enrollment/exits, and continue to resolve any concurrent enrollment anomalies within CALPADS. LEAs should continue to follow those enrollments with other student information that is known, through the Student Information (SINF), Student Program (SPRG), Student English Learner Acquisition (SELA), and Special Education (SPED) and Special Education Services (SSVS) files.
With regard to data specifically for students with disabilities (SWD), LEAs should continue to do their best in adhering to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements, including federally mandated timelines, to the maximum extent possible, and to submit required data to CALPADS. To date, neither the U.S. Department of Education nor the state have waived requirements with respect to IDEA. Special Education Data Coordinators should work closely with CALPADS and Enrollment Coordinators to ensure that students are properly enrolled, as a student must be enrolled in CALPADS in order to submit the special education file.
Will LEAs be required to submit and certify End-of-Year (EOY) 1, 2, 3, and 4 Submissions?
CALPADS is an individual-level, longitudinal data system that provides information on students to enable LEAs to best support them as they move through their K–12 careers. Therefore, LEAs should plan to submit EOY data for 2019–2020, and to exit all students at the end of the school year. Specifically:
State and Federal Reporting: At this time all CALPADS EOY submissions are required to support mandated state and federal reporting requirements.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Requirements and Reporting:
To date, neither the U.S. Department of Education nor the state have waived any IDEA requirements. Therefore, LEAs should continue to do their best in adhering to IDEA requirements, including federally mandated timelines, to the maximum extent possible, and currently LEAs will be required to certify their EOY 4 (Special Education) submission in CALPADS to meet federal IDEA requirements.
IDEA and State Restraint and Seclusion Reporting Requirements: EOY 3 incident data are required for IDEA and state reporting requirements. Specifically, discipline data (suspension, expulsion, removal to interim alternative setting) are required for IDEA reporting, and the restraint and seclusion data are required by California Education Code sections 49005–49006.4. At this time there is no waiver of IDEA requirements and no change in the statutorily required collection of restraint and seclusion data. Therefore, LEAs are expected to submit data for all students in EOY 3 all incidents and outcomes that occurred during the school year (through June 30, 2020), including any incidents and outcomes that occurred or may occur subsequent to the LEA transitioning to distance learning. Currently, LEAs will be required to certify their EOY 3 incident data.
With regard to how the data that is collected is used, the CDE understands that these are extraordinary times for everyone and will communicate any information on how any data collected will be used as soon as such information is available.
Are LEAs required to collect attendance subsequent to COVID-19 school building closures for purposes of calculating chronic absenteeism?
No. With regard to collecting student attendance, the CDE has provided a series of FAQs specific to the reporting of attendance for apportionment purposes (refer to the CDE’s Frequently Asked Questions: COVID-19 web page). LEAs do not claim attendance for apportionment for days that schools are closed. Furthermore, per the FAQ, "Although LEAs are encouraged to provide independent study or other types of distance learning to the extent possible while closed, no attendance for apportionment should be claimed for days that school was closed." The collection of chronic absenteeism data in CALPADS through the Student Attendance Summary (STAS) file is based on the attendance data LEAs collect for apportionment purposes, and the CDE is not requiring any changes to how attendance data is collected. Therefore, LEAs are not expected to collect "attendance" for chronic absenteeism purposes during school building closures, even if distance learning instruction is occurring.
While attendance for ADA purposes is only required to February 29, 2020, LEAs likely collected attendance up until their school buildings closed due to COVID-19. If the Student Absence Summary (STAS) file is submitted, attendance may be submitted past February 29, 2020, if attendance was collected, and the total number of "expected days of attendance" should be adjusted appropriately.
The CDE also recognizes that the COVID-19 may have impacted student attendance prior to school building closures and will likely continue to impact student attendance in the unlikely event that school buildings reopen this year. As noted above, the collection and certification of chronic absenteeism data in the CALPADS EOY 3 submission, and any adjustments to how the metric is calculated based on the data collected, are larger policy decisions that have yet to be determined.
Should LEAs modify their instructional calendar?
LEAs should consult with their student information system (SIS) vendors for guidance on maintaining the instructional calendar in their SIS during COVID-19 school building closures in order to meet local needs. For example, though schools are physically closed, and attendance is not being taken for average daily attendance (ADA) or chronic absenteeism purposes, the instructional calendar may be important for tracking student participation in distance learning or continuing student enrollment in courses for which they will receive credits and grades. LEAs are encouraged to work with their SIS vendors to ensure that tracking participation in distance learning is done separately from attendance that would otherwise be recorded for regular attendance accounting purposes.
Will there be an impact to the special education Data Identified Noncompliance (DINC) process? Will the CDE pull an additional set of records on May 15?
The CDE will suspend the Data Identified Noncompliance (DINC) process for the 2019–2020 school year, and will not pull an additional set of records on May 15 for DINC purposes. In the absence of a federal waiver, the requirements to hold timely assessments and individual education plans (IEPs) are still in place under the IDEA and the CDE has already provided the initial list of students who had late assessments and IEPs on Census Day during the Fall 1 CALPADS submission. LEAs should work to ensure that all the students identified and any additional students have timely assessments and IEPs at the beginning of the next school year as outlined in 34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 300.323 (a).
If LEAs are unable to complete timely assessments and IEPs while school buildings are closed or when school is not in session, how should LEAs report those late assessments and IEPs to the CDE?
In the event that initial evaluations, annual reviews, or triennial reviews cannot be held on time, the following delay reason codes may be used. The CDE will be monitoring the use of delay codes.
Part B Initial Evaluations
- The delay was due to parent not making student available for testing despite LEA open for distance learning: Use meeting delay code “20.”
- The delay was due to the LEA site closure due to COVID-19 public health orders or requirements: Use code “60” or code “75.”
Part C Initial Evaluations
- The delay was due to the parent not making child available for testing despite LEA open for distance learning: Use meeting delay code “20.”
- The delay was due to the LEA site closure due to COVID-19 public health orders or requirements: Use code “60” or code “75.”
Annual review or Individual Family Service Plan Meeting
- The delay was due to the parent not making child available for testing despite LEA open for distance learning: Use meeting delay code “20.”
- The delay was due to the LEA due to the LEA site closure due to COVID-19 public health orders or requirements: Use code “60” or “75.”
Should LEAs have questions regarding reporting related to initial evaluations, annual reviews, or triennial reviews, please contact the CDE’s Special Education Data Support Office via email at: SpedDataSupport@cde.ca.gov.
Do LEAs need to submit incident data for EOY 3 that occurred at Nonpublic Schools?
Yes. LEAs should submit all the incidents and results that occurred during the school year (through June 30, 2020), including any incidents and results that occurred or may occur subsequent to the LEA transitioning to distance learning. The LEA will need to work with the nonpublic schools (NPS) to collect and report the data that reflects the time students attended the NPS during the school year.
In EOY 1 (course completion), should LEAs populate the distance learning indicator with "Yes," for courses that were not being taught through distance learning at the beginning of the semester, and which are now being taught through some form of distance learning?
No. These courses were not designed to be distance learning courses.
Service and Support: CALPADS-CSIS Service Desk | calpads-support@cde.ca.gov | 916-325-9210