[CA] CALPADS Update Flash #298 – Recommend Update to CALPADS EL Status

The California Department of Education (CDE) issued CALPADS Update Flash #298 on March 28, 2025. It outlines essential reminders for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) regarding English Learner (EL) student data. The update highlights the importance of accurate and timely data entry in CALPADS to support reclassification and compliance with English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) requirements.

Below are the main takeaways, presented in simple, clear bullet points to help LEAs take action and meet upcoming deadlines.

🔄 Update English Learner (EL) Statuses

• Review EL student records to determine eligibility for reclassification using 2023–24 Summative ELPAC or Alternate ELPAC scores.

• Students must be reclassified using these scores before May 31, 2025. After that date, 2023–24 scores will no longer be valid for reclassification.

• For students close to meeting reclassification criteria, administer their assessments later in the testing window to avoid unnecessary retesting.

• Early testing of borderline students can result in needing test resets through the STAIRS process, which creates extra work.

• If students are not reclassified by May 15, 2025, they should still take the assessment to meet testing requirements.

🗓️ Update RFEP Status in CALPADS

• If a student is reclassified as Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP), update their ELAS in CALPADS to “RFEP” with the correct start date by May 15, 2025.

• This ensures the student’s updated status appears in TOMS before May 31, 2025, which impacts the ELPAC participation rate.

• Failure to update RFEP status may count students as “not tested” if they still appear as EL in TOMS by the deadline.

📋 Assess “To Be Determined” (TBD) Students Promptly

• Students with a TBD English Language Acquisition Status must be tested using the Initial ELPAC or Alternate Initial ELPAC within 30 days of enrollment.

• Failure to assess on time will trigger error messages in CALPADS and may affect compliance reporting.

🔍 Monitor Data Discrepancies in CALPADS

• Use the Data Discrepancy Module for year-round monitoring to spot students who remain in TBD status for more than 30 days.

• During active submission cycles (Fall 1 and End of Year 3), view warnings in the “Certification Details – LEA” section.

• Focus on two key warning error codes:

  • SENR0657F1 (Fall 1)

  • SENR0657E3 (EOY 3)

• These errors indicate students have been in TBD status too long without assessment.

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