Language Coordinators may use a variety of different systems to be able to determine the English Learner status of students.  Even though PowerSchool may not be your primary student management system for English Learners, it does require the most up to date information in it as PowerSchool is the master data source for updates to the State of California’s official student data system called CALPADS.

Triggers for updates

English Learner status updates must be updated in PowerSchool when one of the following events occur:

• A student enrolls in the school for the first time.
• A student is tested for English Proficiency for the first time or has a status change.
• Whenever English Proficiency test scores are received from CST (Grades 5 and up only)

Step 1:  Select a student.

If you need assistance in searching for students, you start at the article here.

Step 2:  Navigate to State/Province – CA > English Learners and Immigrant Information

The CALPADS English Learners and Immigrant Information Page

• Primary Language
  • Required.  00 = English, 01 = Spanish, many other languages codes available in the pull-down.
  • These are TWO digit codes.  Any attempt to upload single digit codes such as 0 for English and 1 for Spanish will fail.
• Current ELA Status
  • Required.  If ELA Status is not yet known, use code TBD
  • If the Primary Language is 00 – English, Current ELA Status MUST be EO.
  • Types of ELA Statuses
    • EL – English Learner: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom there is a report of a language other than English on the Home Language Survey and who, upon initial assessment in California using an appropriate state assessment (currently the California English Language Development Test (CELDT)) and from additional information when appropriate, is determined to lack the clearly defined English language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and/or writing necessary to succeed in the school’s regular instructional programs.
    • EO – English or American Sign Language Only: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom the only language reported on the Home Language Survey (HLS) is English or American Sign Language.
    • IFEP – Initial Fluent English Proficient: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom a language other than English is reported on the Home Language Survey and who, upon initial assessment in California using an appropriate state assessment (currently the California English Language Development Test (CELDT)) and from additional information when appropriate, is determined to be proficient in English.
    • RFEP – Reclassified Fluent English Proficient: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 who, upon entering public school in California, is identified as an English learner (EL) and subsequently reclassified/redesignated in California, per Education Code 313, as proficient in English. Education Code 313 criteria include, but are not limited to, an assessment of English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as currently measured by the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), teacher evaluation of curriculum mastery, parental opinion/consultation, and student’s performance of basic skills, as measured by the California Standards Test English Language Arts, that demonstrates sufficient proficiency in English to participate effectively in a curriculum designed for students of the same age whose native language is English.
    • TBD – To Be Determined: A student in kindergarten through grade 12 for whom there is a report of a primary language other than English on the Home Language Survey and for whom the district has not completed the assessment process. The assessment process must be completed within 30 days of initial enrollment.
• Current ELA Status Start Date
  • Required for all statuses: EO, EL, RFEP, IFEP, and TBD.
  • This value may be for a date that is before the student’s first day of enrollment at this school.
• EL Date Enrolled
  • Not required.  This is for the use of the Language Coordinator if they wish to store historical information in PowerSchool.
• RFEP Date Reclassified
  • Not required.  This is for the use of the Language Coordinator if they wish to store historical information in PowerSchool.
• Proficient or Advanced for ELA Code
  • Required only if the Current ELA Status = RFEP.  Should be no for students grades 2-4.  Grades 5 and above need to have the previous three years of CST/CMA scores in ELA analyzed to see if they meet the below criteria for an answer of “Yes”
    • A student is Proficient of Advanced for ELA Code ONLY if R-FEP Scored Proficient or Advanced any 3 years on the CST and/or CMA.
• English Learner Program
  • Required for Pre-ID.
  • Types of English Learner Programs:
    • 1 – Primary Language Instruction and ELD Instruction and/or SDAIE Instruction:  This course section is providing primary language instruction, English Language Development (ELD), and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English.Primary language instruction is an approach used to teach academic courses in and/or through a primary language other than English. The curriculum must be equivalent to that provided to fluent English proficient (FEP) and English only students. Instruction must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided). ELD is an academic subject of English language instruction appropriate for the studentÆs identified level of language proficiency. ELD is consistently implemented and designed to promote second language acquisition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ELD instruction must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided). SDAIE is an approach used to teach academic courses to English learner (EL) students in English. SDAIE must be designed for non-native speakers of English and focused on increasing the comprehensibility of the academic courses normally provided to FEP and English-only students in the district. SDAIE must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided).
    • 2 – ELD Instruction Only:  This course section is providing only English Language Development (ELD) instruction, which is an academic subject of English language instruction appropriate for the studentÆs identified level of language proficiency. ELD is consistently implemented and designed to promote second language acquisition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ELD instruction must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided).
    • 3 – SDAIE Instruction Only:  This course section is providing only Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) services, which is an approach used to teach academic courses to English learner (EL) students in English. SDAIE must be designed for non-native speakers of English and focused on increasing the comprehensibility of the academic courses normally provided to FEP and English-only students in the district. SDAIE must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided).
    • 4 – ELD Instruction and SDAIE Instruction But Not Primary Language Instruction (Most Common):  The course section is providing English Language Development (ELD) instruction and Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) but NOT Primary Language Instruction. ELD is an academic subject of English language instruction appropriate for the studentÆs identified level of language proficiency. ELD is consistently implemented and designed to promote second language acquisition of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ELD instruction must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided). SDAIE is an approach used to teach academic courses to English learner (EL) students in English. SDAIE must be designed for non-native speakers of English and focused on increasing the comprehensibility of the academic courses normally provided to FEP and English-only students in the district. SDAIE must be provided by an authorized teacher (either certified or in training for the type of service provided). The course section is NOT providing Primary Language Instruction.
    • 6 – Other English Learner Service:  The course section is providing some type of instructional service, that, while specifically designed for ELs, is an instructional service that is not narrowly defined in the other English learner services (Primary Language Instruction, English language development, or Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English).  These instructional services vary either quantitatively or qualitatively from the other EL services. For example, use this code for courses providing ONLY services such as dictionaries or glossaries in the primary language to support learning; or for courses providing alternative EL services to severely disabled students in a special education setting.
• English Learner in US Public Schools less than 12 mos.
  • Required for Pre-ID.
  • You can use the Initial US School Enrollment Date below to make this determination.
• Initial US School Enrollment Date
  • Required if Birth Country is not equal to U.S or Puerto Rico, OR if the Current ELA Status = EL.
• Enrolled in US School less than Three Cumulative Years
  • Required. The English Learner or foreign-born student has been enrolled in one or more public or private schools in the U.S. or Puerto Rico for a cumulative period less than or equal to three full academic years.
  • This element is used to identify immigrant subgroups and to create the Student National Origin Report. If this field is populated, it should be reviewed each year for accuracy.  This field is used to determine eligibility for Title III.