Navigating CalPADS: Adding and Modifying Special Education Records

Introduction to CalPADS Online Maintenance for Special Education Records

In the realm of education data management, California's Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CalPADS) stands out as a crucial tool. Specifically, for those working within special education, understanding how to navigate and utilize CalPADS for the addition and modification of records is key. This guide focuses on the essential aspects of using online maintenance within CalPADS to manage special education records effectively.

Understanding Online Maintenance (OM)

Online Maintenance, abbreviated as OM, refers to the manual addition or modification of records directly within CalPADS. This functionality is especially pertinent for managing records related to students with disabilities, encompassing:

• Student with Disability Status (SwDS file) or Swids file: Tracks the eligibility and participation status of students in special education.
• Special Education Meeting (Meet file): Documents details of special education meetings.
• Special Education Plans (Plan file): Contains information on individual education plans (IEPs) for students.
• Special Education Services (Serve file): Records the services provided to students under special education.

Prerequisites for Modifying Special Education Records

To modify these records, users must possess the 'sped edit' role within CalPADS. This role is commonly held by those responsible for special education file submissions, enabling them to send files through the API from their Special Education Data System (SEDS) to CalPADS. SELPA users must ensure they have LEA access with the sped edit role to make changes or add records.

Historical Records

CalPADS also houses historical records for special education, marked as informational only. These records span from the 2019 academic year through the 2022-2023 academic year, including the old SPED and SSRV files. It's important to note that these historical records cannot be modified, added, or deleted.

When to Use Online Maintenance

There are specific scenarios where online maintenance becomes necessary, despite the preference for API submissions to ensure data consistency with local SEDS systems. These scenarios include:

• Technical issues preventing API submissions.
• The need to create records for the previous academic years not covered by the current SEDS setup.
• Corrections for records that have discrepancies between CalPADS and local SEDS data.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding and Modifying Records

Accessing the Relevant Page

To start making changes or additions, users need to navigate to the student's details page within CalPADS:

1. Select the specific LEA for modifications if you are a SELPA user or manage multiple districts.
2. Use the student's SSID to search and access their details page.

Making Modifications

To modify an existing record, locate the specific file (SwDS, Meet, Plan, Serve) and open it. Note that modifications can only be made to records belonging to the user's district. Some fields may be greyed out, indicating they cannot be changed. If a change is necessary, the entire record must be deleted and recreated with the correct information.

Adding New Records

To add a new record, navigate to the desired container (e.g., Meet file) and click on 'Add New Record.' Essential fields marked with an asterisk must be filled in, often mirroring the information already present in your SEDS.

Troubleshooting and Support

CalPADS provides initial validations that may flag errors during the submission process. If errors occur or if further clarification is needed, users can refer to the CalPADS user manual and troubleshooting section for detailed guidance on resolving specific issues.

Conclusion

Navigating CalPADS for the management of special education records requires a solid understanding of the system's functionalities and the specific steps for adding or modifying records. By following the guidelines outlined in this training, educators and administrators can ensure that their student records are accurate, up-to-date, and fully compliant with state requirements. For those new to CalPADS or seeking to refine their skills, this guide serves as a valuable resource for mastering online maintenance within the system.

For more information and detailed instructions, watch the full training video here.