[CA] CALPADS Update Flash #311 – LTEL Reporting Updates in CALPADS

The California Department of Education (CDE) has released CALPADS Update Flash #311, detailing major improvements to how Long-Term English Learner (LTEL) data is identified and reported through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). These updates help local educational agencies (LEAs) support English learners and track LTELs more effectively.

Dual Definitions of LTEL

There are two definitions of LTELs in California Education Code, each serving different purposes:

• EC Section 313.1:
  Used for state assessments (CAASPP/ELPAC) and reported via DataQuest and SOARS.
• EC Section 52052:
  Used to define LTELs for the California School Dashboard. CALPADS now includes tools to identify students under this definition for 2024 reporting.

The update focuses on EC Section 52052, which defines LTELs as students who have not attained English proficiency within seven years of initial classification as English learners.

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CALPADS System Enhancements

To support this definition, CALPADS introduced new data fields and reporting features beginning April 2025:

New LTEL Fields in Cumulative Enrollment Extract (CENR)

Field #	Field Name	Source	Description
44	English Learner Acquisition Status Start Date	SELA	EL status start date
45	Provisional LTEL Start Date	Calculated	Date student becomes or would become LTEL
46	Initial US School Enrollment Date K-12	SINF	First U.S. school date
47	Earliest SENR Enrollment Start Date	SENR	First enrollment in CALPADS
48	Earliest EL Status Start Date	SELA	First date classified as EL

The Provisional LTEL Start Date helps identify both current LTELs and English learners at risk of becoming LTELs. For students already reclassified (RFEP), the field will only be filled in if the LTEL date is before the RFEP date.

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Cohort Report Filters and Scenarios

Two cohort reports have been updated:

• Report 15.1 – Count and Rate: Added LTEL indicator filter
• Report 15.2 – Student List: Added LTEL filter and Y/N column

Eligibility rules for LTEL inclusion in these reports:

• Student was an EL during the 4-year cohort
• Became LTEL before the cohort end date
• LTEL Start Date is earlier than RFEP date

Example Scenarios (from Table 2):

RFEP Date	LTEL Date	Included in Cohort?
8/25/2025	8/16/2025	No (after cohort ends)
10/1/2024	8/15/2025	No (RFEP before LTEL)
10/1/2024	11/1/2023	Yes (RFEP after LTEL)

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Planned Enhancements for 2025–26

Further improvements to LTEL visibility are scheduled, including:

• Report 1.21 – Cumulative Enrollment Count (EOY): Add LTEL indicator
• Report 8.1 – Student Profile List (EOY): Add LTEL column

Additional enhancements will be introduced based on LEA needs.

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These updates mark a major step forward in helping schools identify and support students with persistent English language needs. By making LTEL tracking real-time, automated, and better integrated into cohort reports, LEAs can take earlier action to prevent students from falling behind.

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