This article focuses on referral-related data-entry and enrollment decisions. For the actual SIRAS new-record procedure, see Creating a New Student Record.
If the student has an actual District Enrollment Date, enter that date in SIRAS. If the student does not yet have a District Enrollment Date, do not create or invent one just because a SIRAS record is needed for the referral.
Which Situation Applies?
Public School Student Already Enrolled in the District
If the student already has an SSID and current enrollment, and the parental consent date overlaps that enrollment, the existing enrollment can support reporting the applicable Pending As Of information and the Initial Evaluation results.
Enter the student's actual District Enrollment Date in SIRAS when that enrollment already exists.
For the special education evaluation workflow itself, use Initial Evaluation Process.
Public or Private Student Not Yet Enrolled
When parental consent establishes the CALPADS reporting obligation, the LEA may need to obtain an SSID even though the child is not otherwise attending the district as a normally enrolled student.
Use the CDE guidance below to determine the appropriate SSID and enrollment record for the specific referral situation.
If the student already has a valid District Enrollment Date, enter it in SIRAS. If the student does not yet have one, leave that field unset until a real District Enrollment Date exists. Do not create a false enrollment date merely because a SIRAS student record or referral is needed.
SIRAS Record Needed Before the Local Student ID Is Known
Some referral workflows begin in SIRAS before the district SIS has created a local Student ID. This can occur with preschool referrals that begin before normal SIS enrollment.
Use the Generate ID option on the New Student page to create a temporary Student ID. Once the actual district SIS/local Student ID is known, replace the temporary value.
See Creating a New Student Record — What Does Generate ID Do? for the procedure and explanation.
Private School Students
The current source article preserves the following CDE-derived enrollment guidance for private school students:
- The District of Location submits the applicable private school enrollment for students attending private schools within the LEA who are referred for evaluation or transfer from outside the district on an active IEP/ISP.
- The District of Residence should not submit the private school enrollment unless it is also the District of Location.
- For students attending non-profit private schools, the source guidance says the enrollment should not be exited with N470 — No Show; it should be exited at the end of the year with E170 — Non-primary Enrollment Exit.
- For students attending for-profit private schools, the source guidance says the enrollment should be exited with N470 — No Show.
The linked CDE resources below are the authoritative source for SSID and enrollment requirements.
CDE and Training Resources
- Creating and Maintaining SSIDs and Enrollments for Students with Disabilities — presentation
- Creating and Maintaining SSIDs and Enrollments for Students with Disabilities — CDE enrollment session video
- CDE FAQ — Which students with disabilities need an SSID?
- CDE FAQ — Does an LEA have to create an SENR record for an infant or preschool child who will not actually attend school?
- CDE FAQ — Required data elements for obtaining SSIDs and creating enrollments
- CDE FAQ — Appropriate enrollment status and start date for newly evaluated students
- Private School Enrollment and Proportionate Share — updated guidance presentation
- CALPADS Data for Students with Disabilities in Private Schools — CDE presentation (2022/2023 source)
- CALPADS Data for Students with Disabilities in Private Schools and Proportionate Share — 2025 presentation
- Creating and Maintaining Statewide Student Identifiers and Enrollments — presentation
- Creating a New Student Record — manual SIRAS record creation.
- Generate a temporary Student ID — when the local SIS ID is not yet known.
- Initial Evaluation Process — the referral/evaluation workflow.
- District Enrollment Date — SIRAS enrollment-date guidance.
