[CA] CALPADS Update Flash #313 – CALPADS 2025–26 Code & File Updates

The California Department of Education (CDE) released CALPADS Update Flash #313 on September 16, 2025, outlining non-special education changes for the 2025–26 school year. This update includes new and modified codes, changes to file structures, and updated reporting guidance for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). Special education–related changes will be issued in a separate flash.

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Key CALPADS Code Set Updates

Effective July 1, 2025, CALPADS Code Sets v17.0 introduced several updates across language codes, course groups, transfer categories, and education programs:

Language Codes

Code	Language	Change
qad	Mixteco	New
hbs	Serbo-Croatian	New
qac	Toishanese (Taishanese)	New
khm	Khmer, Central Khmer	Updated name & definition
kur	Kurdish	Updated name & definition
cmn	Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua, Guoyu)	Updated
syr	Syriac	Updated
yue	Yue Chinese (Cantonese)	Updated

Course Group Codes

Code	Description
9701	Visual Impairment Instruction (New)
9702	Orthopedic Impairment Instruction (New)
9703	Hearing Impairment Instruction (New)

Other Changes

• Transfer Category Code 5 updated: now excludes transfers to unauthorized COE-operated charter schools.
• Program Code 135 (Title I Part C Migrant): Retired.
• Program Code 194 (Expanded Learning Programs – ELP): New code aligned with the new LEAP file.

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Guidance on New Course Codes

To ensure correct credentialing and accurate reporting, LEAs must:

• Use Instructional Strategy Code 700 (Special Education) when reporting with codes 9701, 9702, or 9703.
• Assign Job Classification Code 12 (Teacher) in the Staff Assignment file.
• Enroll only eligible students (with applicable disabilities) in these courses.

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File Changes for 2025–26

Two important updates affect End-of-Year (EOY) 1 submissions:

1. STAS File (Student Absence Summary)

• New Field: Attendance Recovery Days.
• Vendors may already support this update; LEAs should follow their vendor’s guidance.
• CDE will release this field update and related input validations soon.

2. LEAP File (Local Educational Agency Program)

• Collects student attendance in expanded learning programs.
• Undergoes User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in Jan/Feb 2026.
• Targeted production release: before May 2026.

Additionally, a new RealTime report (formerly known as Operational Data Store report) version of Certification Report 14.1 – Student Absenteeism – Count will be made available to help LEAs view attendance recovery data throughout the year.

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These changes aim to improve data quality, enable better monitoring of specialized instructional services, and support accurate reporting of expanded learning programs. LEAs are encouraged to stay informed on upcoming SPED-related updates and begin preparation for the STAS and LEAP file changes.

Learn more about how the MeasureED Team provides CALPADS Support by connecting with a CALPADS Consultant today!