CALPADS Update Flash #224

To:           Local Educational Agency (LEA) Representatives

From:      California Department of Education (CDE) –
                California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Team

Date:       June 16, 2022

Subject:  CALPADS Update FLASH #224

Post Process Redevelopment Project

Flash 221 described some of the necessary system changes that were made in order to accomplish the project goal of reducing the time it takes to post files to CALPADS. This Flash describes additional system changes that were made to achieve this goal. The CDE acknowledges that these changes significantly impact CALPADS users and Student Information System (SIS) vendors, and apologizes for not providing information on these changes well ahead of the implementation of the Post Process Redevelopment Project.

Changes to Submitting the Student Enrollment File (SENR)

Background

For each CALPADS file, certain fields are designated as “operational keys,” which are the fields that identify the record or records in a batch file that are to be processed depending on the type of processing (transactional, effective date, full replacement) associated with the record type. Changes to fields in a record could be made using one of the following transaction types:

• “A” (Add), “(empty string),” or “(space),” to add records
• “D” (Delete) to delete records
• “R” (Replace) to replace or “change” records

In the legacy system, for the Student Enrollment (SENR) file:

• The operational keys for “R” transactions were: School of Attendance, Statewide Student Identifier (SSID).
• The operational keys for “A,” “(empty string),” “(space),” and “D” transactions were: School of Attendance, SSID, Enrollment Start Date.

Changing Operational Keys for “R” Transactions on the SENR using Batch

To meet the goal of reducing the time it takes to post the SENR to CALPADS using “R” transactions, the use of “R” transaction type is no longer a subset of operational keys used on the SENR, and the following keys are referred to as operational keys for all transaction types: School of Attendance, SSID, Enrollment Start Date.

Therefore, in the current system, the operational key fields cannot be changed/replaced for existing records using the “R” transaction type. (Changing or replacing a record is also referred to as “updating” a record.) In the legacy system, the “R” transaction type could be used, and LEAs that utilized the “R” transaction type often did so to change a student’s start date, when a student actually started on a different day than expected. In the current system, using the R transaction type to change an Enrollment Start Date triggers the fatal Input Validation Rule (IVR) SENR0027 – Multiple Primary Enrollments within LEA.

The LEAs that used the “R” transaction type generally have SIS’ that support the use of this transaction type.

Resolution: To replace/change an operational key field in the SENR for a single student, delete the Operational Data Store (ODS) record in one file (using the “D” transaction type) and add the new record (using the “A” transaction type) in another file with the changes.

Exiting and Enrolling the Same Student

In the current system, exiting and enrolling the same student must be submitted in separate files. In the legacy system, LEAs could submit an exit record and an enrollment record for a single student in the same file. In the current system, these records for the same student can no longer be submitted in the same file. Submitting both an exit and enrollment record for the same student in one file will likely trigger SENR0027. This change may particularly impact LEAs who previously submitted both of these in one file: Both an exit record and an enrollment record for a single student who matriculates from one school in an LEA to another school in the same LEA.

Resolution: Split up exits from new enrollments into separate files. Submit and post the file that includes Exits first, followed by the file that includes new enrollments.

Note: There is an outlier scenario when an exit record already exists for a student in the ODS, and the system does allow a change to an Exit Date (R transaction to a non-primary key field) and the addition of a new record with an Enrollment Start Date record for a single student in one file, if the Exit Date does not overlap with the new Enrollment Start Date. In this scenario, if the Exit Date overlaps the Enrollment Start Date, SENR0027 will trigger.

SIS Impact

SIS vendors were recently made aware of these changes and the impact on SENR file extracts that their systems generate for LEAs to submit data to CALPADS. In light of these changes, SIS vendors may create new SENR files to facilitate the submission of CALPADS data. If your SIS vendor is creating new extracts to accommodate this change, you may want to wait for your vendor to provide that functionality.

Your patience is appreciated as your vendors implement these new extracts. Until such time that new extracts are available, you many consider manually manipulating the file to break it up into separate files for submission to CALPADS.

Changing Non-Key Fields on the SENR using Batch

No changes were made to how LEAs change non-key fields on the SENR. Consistent with the behavior in the legacy system, all transaction types, including the “R” transaction type, may be used on records that make changes to non-key fields, and records using different transaction types may be submitted in one file (generally if there are no records making changes to key fields).

Changes to Submitting Other Transactional Files

In the legacy system, the following files were processed using transactional processing:

• Student Enrollment (SENR)
• Student Program (SPRG)
• Student English Language Acquisition (SELA)
• Special Education (SPED)

The CDE is confirming whether the changes made to how key fields on the SENR are updated in CALPADS apply to the other transactional files (SPRG, SELA, and SPED). The CDE will provide an update as soon as it is available.

Changes to Updating Key Fields Online

To facilitate data uploading, all online activities are converted to a batch job and processed the same as batch files. Therefore, key fields on all files that were processed using transactional processing can no longer be updated online. These fields are greyed out in the Online Maintenance (OM) screens.

The CDE understands that LEAs found it very convenient to update certain fields, such as a student’s Enrollment Start Date online, as it is common for students to show up on a different day than expected. Unfortunately, however, the change was required to support the performance enhancements.

Resolution: To update key fields using OM, delete the ODS record manually in OM, then add a new record with the changes. Note: (1) If there is only one SENR record for a student, CALPADS will not allow you to delete the record. You must first “No Show” the enrollment, then add a new record with the changes. (2) CALPADS allows you to delete a record in OM for SPED, but will not allow you to add or replace records in OM.