The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) serves as the foundation of California’s K–12 education data system, capturing student demographic information, program participation, enrollment, course completion, discipline, and statewide assessment data. This student-level, longitudinal data supports program evaluation, tracks student achievement over time, and enables the calculation of accurate dropout and graduation rates. CALPADS also facilitates efficient reporting to meet state and federal requirements, while allowing local education agencies (LEAs) to generate custom reports and respond to specific data inquiries. With immediate access to longitudinal data and new student information, LEAs can place students appropriately and determine if any assessments are needed.