CALPADS has three submittal periods per year: Fall 1, Fall 2, and End-of-Year (EOY).

During the Fall 1 and Fall 2 reporting periods, districts certify data based on Census Day, which falls on the first Wednesday in October. Because school enrollments fluctuate daily, Census Day provides a consistent snapshot, enabling the CDE to make accurate, statewide comparisons across all schools. In contrast, End-of-Year (EOY) data captures cumulative information for the entire academic year.

Fall 1

Official Submission Window	Certification Deadline	Amendment Window
October 1, 2025 to December 12, 2025	December 12, 2025 - Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Approval Strongly Encouraged	December 13, 2025 to January 23, 2026 (Amendment Window Deadline)SELPA Approval Required

What: Fall 1 reporting includes data on Student Enrollment, English Language Acquisition Status, Immigrant Counts, Free/Reduced-Price Meal Eligibility, Special Education, and Prior-Year Dropouts.

Why it Matters: Fall 1 data directly impacts several funding sources, including the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)—the primary source of an LEA’s general-purpose funding—and Special Education (AB 602), along with other state and federal programs. Data certified by the initial December deadline is used to calculate the First Principal Apportionment (P-1), while data certified by the final January deadline is used for the Second Principal Apportionment (P-2).

Additionally, Fall 1 data is published on public platforms such as the California School Dashboard, prepopulates the School Accountability Report Card (SARC), determines subgroup inclusion (e.g., socioeconomically disadvantaged students), and influences compliance monitoring for programs like IDEA and various grants.

Fall 2

Official Submission Window	Certification Deadline	Amendment Window
October 1, 2025 to February 27, 2026	February 27, 2026	No Amendment Window

What: Fall 2 reporting includes Staff Demographic and Assignment Information, Course Sections with Student Enrollments, and the Postsecondary Status of the previous year’s CTE completers.
Why it Matters: Fall 2 data is submitted to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) for assignment monitoring through CalSAAS. These data also impact DataQuest (teacher counts, course enrollments, English Learner services), funding allocations such as the Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA), and contribute to federal reporting through EdFacts and the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR).

EOY 1-2

CALPADS Submission	Official Submission Window	Certification Deadline	Amendment Window
EOY 1	May 5, 2026 to June 31, 2026	July 18, 2026	July 31, 2026 SELPA Approval Required
EOY 2	May 5, 2026 to August 17, 2026	August 17, 2026	No Amendment Window for EOY 2

What: End-of-Year (EOY) data consists of two submittals. Each submittal contains a distinct dataset, and all data are cumulative for the entire academic year:

EOY 1: Program Eligibility/Participation, Student Incidents, Cumulative Enrollment, Student Absence Summary, Count of English Learner (ELP Reclassified During School Year, Homeless Students, Special Education, Postsecondary Outcomes for Students with Disabilities 9SWD) Prior Year Completers.
EOY 2: Courses Completions for Grades 7-12, Career Technical Education (CTE) Participants, Completers, Work-Based Learning Indicators, and One-Year Graduation and Completer Counts.

Why it Matters: EOY data impact a variety of state and federal reporting requirements, including:

Grant eligibility and funding

California School Dashboard metrics (e.g., cumulative enrollment, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, suspension/expulsion)
DataQuest reporting
Consolidated State Performance Report
IDEA monitoring and funding
And other compliance and accountability measures

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