Before You Create a Record

1. Know why the record is being created. Determine whether the student is a true new referral, an already-eligible incoming/returning student, an IFSP/Part C student, or another situation.
2. Search for an existing record first. Use Request Student Transfer / the request-transfer process with the SSID when an existing SIRAS record may be available.
3. If the student came from a different SIRAS server and the record cannot be obtained through the normal transfer workflow, contact [email protected] for assistance rather than creating a duplicate.
4. Confirm the SSID. Do not knowingly create a second record for the same student.
5. For a new or returning IEP-age student, complete the due-diligence review in New or Returning Students so you know what eligibility, participation, plan, enrollment, and historical information the new record must represent.

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Create the Record

1. Go to Student Info → + New Student.
2. Complete the required fields. SIRAS highlights required fields in red.
3. If your district uses Aeries integration and the Update by API option is available, use it to pull the available student information.
4. Choose the student's status based on the actual situation. A true Initial Evaluation is normally Pending; an already-eligible and participating student may be Active. See SIRAS Record Status.
5. At the top right of the New Student page, choose + Create Record, or Create and Add Another New Student when appropriate.
6. If the student is already eligible, continue to the next section and fully reconstruct the MIS Summary before creating a Plan Adoption, assigning providers, or opening new meeting work.

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Student Is Already Eligible

When the student already has an existing U.S.-based special education eligibility, the goal is to represent the student's actual incoming history—not to create a new referral simply because the SIRAS record is new.

• Use the current IEP/other records when available.
• Review CALPADS SWDS, MEET, PLAN, and SERV history. See Create or Update SIRAS MIS Information from CALPADS.
• Reconcile the incoming records, CALPADS, and current field information using New or Returning Students.
• Complete the MIS Summary sufficiently before a Plan Adoption or other incoming-student reporting workflow. See Plan Adoption — Incoming Students & CALPADS Reporting.

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If Historical Referral / Initial-Entry Dates Cannot Be Obtained

If there is no clear Referral By, Referral Date, Parent Consent Date, Initial Evaluation Date, or Special Ed. Initial Entry Start Date, look for the earliest date known to the family or shown in the available paperwork that indicates when the student started special education.

When no more specific historical dates can be established, use that earliest known special education start date for:

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Special Arrival Scenarios

Returning student with an existing SSID

Use the transfer/search process first. Do not create a new record merely because the student is returning. Start with New or Returning Students.

Part C / IFSP to Part B

If the student is currently in the Part C / IFSP system, use the specialized Part C/Part B workflow rather than treating the situation as an ordinary new IEP-age record. When an IFSP record is held by another district, coordinate the appropriate SIRAS access/next-district process before creating a duplicate record.

Preschool / SSID after parental consent

For a preschool child who does not yet have an SSID, obtain the SSID as required once parental consent for an Initial Evaluation establishes the reporting obligation. Preserve the existing external training reference: CDE training on SSID requirements after parental consent.

Out-of-state U.S. IEP

Do not choose SELPA From = Out of State merely because the student most recently lived outside California. First check the student's existing California CALPADS special education history.

• If CALPADS already contains the student's valid eligibility / Special Education Initial Entry history, preserve that history and use the normal incoming/returning workflow.
• If the student's eligibility was established in another U.S. state and CALPADS has no California special education history for that eligibility, use Out-of-State IEP Fields — SELPA From & CA Entry Date and Plan Adoption.

Developmental Delay on an out-of-state IEP

The prior article documented the following SIRAS/CALPADS disability mapping for an adopted out-of-state IEP that uses Developmental Delay:

• 281 — Established Medical Disability for students age 3–5; or
• 280 — Other Health Impairment for students age 6–9.

Confirm the student's current age and the applicable reporting guidance before using the disability code.

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Choose the Correct SIRAS Status

For Special Education records, Active should represent all three of the following being true:

• Enrollment = Yes
• Eligibility = Yes
• Participation = Yes

If one of those is not true, the appropriate SIRAS status may be Pending or Inactive depending on the actual situation. Use SIRAS Record Status and the onboarding decision in New or Returning Students.

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Duplicate Records

SIRAS can detect possible duplicate records using identifying information such as Name + DOB, SSID, or Student ID. When SIRAS identifies a possible duplicate, compare the record using the SSID and locate/request the existing record. Do not knowingly create duplicate student records.

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