[MA] Massachusetts DESE Reporting Deadlines 2026–2027

Massachusetts DESE Reporting Deadlines for 2026–2027: A District Guide

Massachusetts school districts have a full calendar of state data reporting requirements each year. Staying ahead of those deadlines can make the difference between a smooth certification process and a last-minute scramble to identify errors, resolve duplicate records, and complete submissions.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has published its 2026–2027 Reporting Schedule and Documentation, outlining deadlines for major collections including SIMS, EPIMS, SCS, SSDR, and other required reports.

Here are the dates Massachusetts district data teams should have on their calendars.

Key Massachusetts DESE Reporting Deadlines for 2026–2027

Dates are based on the Massachusetts DESE 2026–2027 Reporting Schedule. Districts should always verify deadlines and requirements directly with DESE in case the state makes changes.

SIMS Reporting Deadlines

The Student Information Management System (SIMS) is one of the most important recurring data collections for Massachusetts districts.

SIMS collects individual student information used by DESE for state and federal reporting as well as education policy and program analysis.

There are three primary SIMS reporting periods during the 2026–2027 cycle.

October SIMS

The October collection reflects student information as of October 1.

• Certification deadline: October 23, 2026
• Recertification deadline: October 30, 2026

The recertification period gives districts an opportunity to address duplicate student records and make necessary corrections before finalizing their data.

March SIMS

The spring SIMS collection reflects student information as of March 1.

• Certification deadline: March 26, 2027
• Recertification deadline: April 2, 2027

Districts should begin reviewing student enrollment and demographic information well before the certification deadline rather than waiting until the reporting window is about to close.

End-of-Year SIMS

The final SIMS collection is based on student information as of the last day of school.

• Certification deadline: July 9, 2027
• Recertification deadline: July 16, 2027

Because the end-of-year collection comes immediately after schools close, districts should establish their validation and correction processes before the final day of instruction.

EPIMS Reporting Deadlines

The Education Personnel Information Management System (EPIMS) collects information about district and school staff and their job assignments.

Massachusetts districts have two major EPIMS deadlines during the reporting cycle.

October EPIMS

Data as of October 1 is due December 11, 2026.

End-of-Year EPIMS

Data as of the last day of school is due August 13, 2027.

Districts can submit EPIMS data through SIF or file upload.

Student Course Schedule (SCS) Reporting Deadlines

The Student Course Schedule (SCS) collection connects students with the courses they take and captures information at both the student and course levels.

For 2026–2027, districts should plan around two major SCS deadlines:

• October SCS: December 11, 2026
• End-of-Year SCS: August 13, 2027

Both collections can be submitted through SIF or file upload.

Because SCS data depends on accurate student and course information, districts may benefit from validating scheduling and enrollment records throughout the year instead of treating SCS as a one-time reporting exercise.

School Safety and Discipline Reporting

The School Safety and Discipline Report (SSDR) covers student offense information along with suspensions, removals, and expulsions.

For the 2026–2027 reporting year, the SSDR deadline is:

August 13, 2027

The collection covers the school year and can be submitted through SIF or file upload.

Maintaining clean discipline records throughout the year can significantly reduce the amount of reconciliation required when the reporting deadline arrives.

School Attending Children Report

Massachusetts municipalities must also report the number of school-age children through the School Attending Children collection.

The collection reflects information as of January 1, with a reporting deadline of:

February 26, 2027

Unlike SIMS, EPIMS, SCS, and SSDR, this collection is completed using an online form.

Non-Public School Report

The Non-Public School Report (NPSR) collects aggregate enrollment information from schools.

For 2026–2027:

• Data as of: October 1, 2026
• Deadline: December 18, 2026

The NPSR is submitted through an online form.

How Massachusetts Districts Can Prepare for Reporting Deadlines

State reporting becomes much easier when data quality is treated as an ongoing process instead of something districts address only when a certification deadline approaches.

A few practices can help.

Start validation before the reporting window

Don’t wait for the certification deadline to begin identifying data problems. Regular checks throughout the year can uncover missing records, incorrect values, enrollment discrepancies, and other issues while there is still time to resolve them.

Assign clear ownership

District teams should know who is responsible for SIMS, EPIMS, SCS, SSDR, and related collections. Establishing ownership also makes it easier to coordinate when one collection depends on information maintained by another department.

Pay attention to certification and recertification dates

For SIMS, the first certification date isn’t necessarily the end of the process. DESE provides a recertification period following duplicate resolution.

District teams should reserve time during that window rather than assuming their work ends when the initial certification is submitted.

Build the reporting calendar into your district workflow

Adding state deadlines to a shared district calendar can help technology, student information, HR, curriculum, and administrative teams prepare for upcoming collections.

Internal deadlines can also be set several days or weeks ahead of DESE’s official dates to leave time for validation and corrections.

Massachusetts DESE 2026–2027 Reporting Calendar at a Glance

For teams building their internal calendars, the major dates are:

October 23, 2026 — SIMS October certification
October 30, 2026 — SIMS October recertification
December 11, 2026 — EPIMS October and SCS October
December 18, 2026 — Non-Public School Report
February 26, 2027 — School Attending Children
March 26, 2027 — SIMS March certification
April 2, 2027 — SIMS March recertification
July 9, 2027 — SIMS End-of-Year certification
July 16, 2027 — SIMS End-of-Year recertification
August 13, 2027 — EPIMS End-of-Year, SCS End-of-Year, and SSDR

Stay Ahead of Massachusetts State Reporting

Massachusetts districts manage multiple interconnected data collections throughout the school year. The best way to reduce reporting headaches is to establish a predictable process for monitoring data quality, identifying errors, and preparing submissions well before DESE deadlines.

District administrators, data managers, SIS teams, and other staff responsible for state reporting should bookmark the official Massachusetts DESE Reporting Schedule and Documentation page and check it periodically for updates.

Official source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Reporting Schedule and Documentation 2026–2027.

This article is intended as a planning resource. Always refer to Massachusetts DESE documentation for official reporting requirements, definitions, and the latest deadlines.