Create and securely save dated exports on a regular schedule so the district has point-in-time caseload snapshots that can be compared from month to month.
A historical population can still be estimated from SIRAS archived records. See Reconstruct a Historical SIRAS Population Estimate. A reconstructed historical estimate is not the same as a point-in-time caseload snapshot that was saved at the time.
Why Save Caseload Snapshots?
SIRAS can show the current student population and provider assignments, but if your district needs to know exactly what a provider's caseload looked like at a particular point in time, the most reliable method is to save that information while it is current.
A series of dated exports gives the district a consistent format for monitoring caseload totals from month to month.
SIRAS archived history can be used later to reconstruct an estimated historical student population. It does not replace a dated export showing the actual operational caseload and provider assignments that were present when the snapshot was created.
Build the Student List
- Go to Student Lists.
- Build a list with the student-identification fields needed for your district's caseload monitoring.
The existing caseload-monitoring list should minimally consider:
- Student Name
- SSID
- Student ID
- Date of Birth
- Grade
- School
- Active Status
Then add the provider fields for the provider types whose caseloads need to be monitored.
Once the list has been built, save the list so it can be reused for future monitoring cycles.
Active Status helps document whether records in the found set were Pending or Active on the day the data was exported. A district may normally be counting Active students, but retaining the status can help explain why a student record appeared in a particular snapshot.
If only a small number of provider roles need to be counted, statistical reports may also be useful. For an ongoing monitoring system, however, an export provides a file that can be retained and audited over time.
Create the Caseload Export
After the Student List has been saved:
- Go to Tools → Data Export.
- Load the saved list as the export.
- Click Generate Export.
- Download the resulting file.
For example: Provider Caseload Snapshot 2026-09-30. Do not rely on a file's Last Modified date to document when the caseload snapshot was created.
Store the exported data securely according to your district's requirements. These dated files can then be used to document and compare caseload totals over time.
Repeat and Compare Over Time
For ongoing monitoring, use the same saved Student List and export structure on a consistent schedule.
- Run the current caseload population.
- Generate the export using the same fields.
- Put the snapshot date in the filename.
- Store the file securely with the previous snapshots.
- Compare the current file with earlier snapshots when reviewing caseload changes.
Using the same fields and naming convention makes month-to-month comparisons easier to audit and explain.
Provider Assignments Matter
If staff assignments are not maintained accurately in SIRAS, an export organized around provider assignments will not produce a reliable caseload count.
See Article 46 for guidance on individually assigning staff to student records.
What If the Snapshot Was Not Saved?
If the district later needs to research a student population from a past academic year, that is a different workflow from ongoing caseload monitoring.
Use Reconstruct a Historical SIRAS Population Estimate to build a historical candidate population from archived SIRAS records and, when needed, reconcile that estimate against enrollment information from the same time frame.
The Year for Census Queries control used by those historical estimates is explained in Year for Census Queries.
