What Do You Need to Reconstruct?
| Estimate a past Census/EOY population quicklyUse CALPADS Historical Estimates predefined queries as the starting point. | Improve the estimate with same-timeframe SENR dataPivot the larger SIRAS archive set against who was actually enrolled during that year/date. |
| Build the archive query manuallyUse Advanced/Historical Search when the predefined estimate is too broad or the date logic is unusual. | Find one student's historical archiveUse the individual-record procedure instead of building a whole population. |
Quick Historical Estimate
- Select Search → Predefined Queries.
- Open CALPADS Historical Estimates.
- Select the academic year you need.
- Choose the Census/EOY estimate that best matches the question.
- Search to List.
- Review the resulting archived records before treating the count as a student population.
This helps ensure the historical Found Set contains no more than one qualifying archive result per student. If you build your own historical population query instead, see Advanced Historical Queries for Archived Student Data.
CALPADS Historical Estimates provide a quick starting population from archived SIRAS records.
The predefined query builds archive criteria that can be reviewed or modified in Search → Historical/Advanced.
A historical estimate can be narrowed toward unique/reportable archived records, but it remains an estimate of the earlier student population.
Why the Archive Set Is Only an Estimate
Querying archived records can over-count or under-count students when the goal is a head count:
- one student may have several archived events during the year;
- another student may have no new meeting archive during the period even though the student was enrolled;
- SIRAS is not always the system of record for historical district enrollment; and
- a later Current record may no longer be at the same district or may have changed designation.
That is why the historical SIRAS archive set should be treated as a candidate population that needs enrollment/date reconciliation.
Improve the Estimate by Pivoting on Enrollment
For a more defensible historical head count, obtain the best available list of students enrolled during the same academic year or measurement date, then compare that list with the broader SIRAS historical candidate set.
- Obtain the same-timeframe SENR enrollment population from the district's enrollment source or applicable CALPADS enrollment report.
- Build the SIRAS historical candidate set for the same year/date.
- Export the SIRAS result.
- Compare the two populations by SSID.
- Investigate students found only on one side instead of deleting them from the working set automatically.
- Use the verified enrollment/participation timeline to decide whether each candidate belongs in the reconstructed population.
Use SIRAS vs. CALPADS Bulk Extract Reconciliation.
When Reconstructing Multiple Academic Years
Use Reset Search between academic years so records from the prior query do not contaminate the next Found Set.
- Run one academic year at a time.
- Export each year to its own file.
- Put the academic year in the filename.
- Preserve the query/date criteria used for that file.
- Compare each year's SIRAS candidate set with the corresponding SENR enrollment population.
Analyze the Historical Found Set
Once the historical query produces the population you intend to study, verify the Found Set and choose the analysis path that fits the question.
| Analyze inside SIRAS with Statistical ReportsUse the historical Found Set for counts, percentages, matrices, tables, and other supported statistical summaries. | Analyze outside SIRAS with Data ExportExport the historical Found Set and selected fields for Excel, reconciliation, longitudinal analysis, or another approved workflow. |
The historical query determines which records are in the Found Set. Statistical Reports determine how that Found Set is counted or grouped. Data Export determines which fields from that Found Set are taken outside SIRAS.
For the complete Query → Found Set → Analyze workflow, see Analyze a Current or Historical Student Population.
If the goal is one result per student, use the appropriate Most Recent Archive query. Most Recent Archive prevents multiple archive results for the same student, but the rest of the query still needs to make sense for the historical question being asked.
Export the Historical Candidate Set
- Prepare the Student List fields you need for the historical review.
- Run the historical query and Search to List.
- Open Tools → Data Export.
- Export the selected data to Excel or the approved working format.
- Name the file with the academic year/date and purpose.
For export mechanics, see Data Export Help.
Compare the Estimate with CALPADS or Other Evidence
When the reconstruction is being used for reporting research:
- keep the SIRAS historical estimate and SENR enrollment population as separate source files;
- document which records were included/excluded and why;
- do not treat the reconstructed SIRAS count as the official certified CALPADS count; and
- investigate individual discrepancies with Data Monitoring Help.
