SDLA Compliance Resource
Use the New Disciplinary-Transfer Exit Categories for 2026–27 Enrollment Exits
A decision guide for separating mandatory disciplinary transfers, district referrals to alternative schools, other discipline-related transfers, and nondisciplinary transfers—and for preserving the evidence needed to support each exit.
In Plain Language: Beginning with 2026–27 exits, CALPADS separates disciplinary transfers into three categories: T165 for specified mandatory/judicial transfers, T166 for district referrals to an alternative school for other disciplinary reasons, and T169 for other transfers to a California public school due to discipline. Retired T167 and T168 must not be carried forward mechanically.
Why this matters
The new categories support required public reporting on discipline-related transfers. Misclassification can conceal the real reason a pupil changed schools, distort discipline data, create enrollment errors, and weaken continuity of education. CDE guidance also cautions against using transfers to avoid reporting suspensions or expulsions.
Joint ownership
Decision evidence: discipline administrator or judicial documentation. Placement evidence: alternative-education or receiving-school staff. Enrollment owner: registrar or SIS staff. Submission owner: CALPADS administrator. Safeguards: special education, Section 504, foster/homeless, and other student-support staff as applicable.
2026–27 decision table
| Code | Use when | Required distinction |
|---|---|---|
| T165 Mandatory disciplinary/judicial transfer | The pupil transfers to another California public school due to referral by a juvenile court judge or other correctional/judicial official, or expulsion under Education Code section 48915(a), (b), or (c). | Do not use for a district referral involving other disciplinary reasons; use T166 for that condition. |
| T166 District referral to alternative school | The district refers the pupil to an alternative-education school for a disciplinary reason other than the T165 conditions. | Alternative schools include County Community, Community Day, Continuation, Juvenile Court, and Opportunity; retain acceptable evidence the pupil enrolled. |
| T169 Other disciplinary transfer | The pupil transfers to another California public school for a disciplinary reason not captured by T165 or T166. | Use when discipline caused the transfer but there was no qualifying T165 event and no district referral to an alternative school under T166. |
| T160 Regular transfer | The transfer is not captured by another transfer code, including nondisciplinary transfers to or from independent study. | Do not use T160 to hide a discipline-related transfer. |
Retired-code conversion
| Retired code | Do not replace automatically | Research first |
|---|---|---|
| T167 | Possible new code is T160, T166, or T169. | Was the transfer nondisciplinary, a district disciplinary referral to an alternative school, or another disciplinary transfer? |
| T168 | CDE directs use of T160 for the condition formerly represented. | Confirm the current transfer fact and effective-date rule before conversion. |
Implementation workflow
- Before first 2026–27 exitsUpdate code tables and interfaces.Install CALPADS Code Sets v18.0 mappings, retire T167/T168 for applicable dates, test validation, and train staff.
- At the transfer decisionCapture the initiating fact.Record whether the cause was judicial/correctional action, section 48915 expulsion, district disciplinary referral, another disciplinary reason, or a nondisciplinary choice.
- Before posting the exitVerify the destination and enrollment.Identify whether the receiving placement is an alternative school and retain acceptable evidence of enrollment when the code requires a transfer.
- During submissionReconcile SIS and CALPADS.Confirm exit date, exit category, receiving-school evidence, discipline records, and any related enrollment or incident submissions agree.
- During reviewAudit patterns.Review use by school, student group, destination, decision maker, and disciplinary basis; investigate improbable or disproportionate patterns.
Evidence to retain
- Discipline decision, judicial/correctional referral, expulsion authority, or district referral documentation.
- Transfer request, receiving-school identity and type, and acceptable proof of enrollment.
- SIS exit audit trail, code mapping/version, extract, upload results, and posted CALPADS record.
- Related discipline, special-education, Section 504, and student-support procedural evidence as applicable.
- Retired-code review and any corrected historical/current-year records.
- Supervisory audit of code use and student-group patterns.
Official guidance and help
- CALPADS Update Flash 328Authoritative 2026–27 code changes and definitions.
- CALPADS System DocumentationCode Sets v18.0, file specifications, and valid combinations.
- CALPADS Frequently Asked QuestionsEnrollment and exit reporting guidance.
Source review completed August 30, 2026. Verify Code Sets v18.0, current Flash 328 wording, the exit date, local evidence, and the posted CALPADS record before acting.