CALPADS PSTS correction guide - Fatal input validation
PSTS0535: Educational Institution Type Is Required for This Postsecondary Status
For specified education-related Postsecondary Status Codes in the CPA/CTE lane, Educational Institution Type must be populated.
Official Version 17.23 rule
Severity: Fatal Type: Input Validation
Fields validated:
- 17.11 Education Program Participation Type Code
- 17.12 Postsecondary Status Code
- 17.13 Educational Institution Type
First identify the correct PSTS reporting lane
CPA or CTE lane
- Program type
- 10 or 20
- Follow-up
- Approximately six months after exit
- Primary submission
- Fall 2
- Reporting SELPA
- Must be blank
- Outcome detail
- Institution, industry, or credential fields may be required
OR
Special Education lane
- Program type
- 30
- Follow-up
- Approximately 12 months after exit
- Primary submission
- EOY special-education reporting
- Reporting SELPA
- Required
- Outcome detail
- Fields 17.13-17.15 must remain blank
SDLA Flowchart: build PSTS from the prior-year evidence
1 - Prior-year exit and completion evidenceConfirm enrollment, exit, completion status, and whether the student re-enrolled.
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2 - Program eligibility prerequisiteConfirm CPA, CTE completer, or prior-year SPED Plan Type 100 context.
↓
3 - Correct follow-up population and timingUse the appropriate six-month or 12-month outreach process.
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4 - PSTS recordTranslate the documented response into the correct program type, status, and permitted conditional fields.
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5 - LEA and SELPA reviewReconcile PSTS detail, certification reports, outreach results, and Indicator 14 where applicable.
Recommended correction path
- 1
Confirm the reporting lane
This rule applies to CPA/CTE Program Types 10 or 20. If the record is actually SPED Type 30, do not populate Educational Institution Type.
- 2
Return to the survey response
Confirm what the former student reported and retain the documented response date and source.
- 3
Validate Postsecondary Status Code
Choose the current code that accurately represents the reported education or training outcome.
- 4
Identify the institution type
Determine whether the institution is public, private nonprofit, for profit, or another currently permitted type.
- 5
Test the field combination
Validate Program Type, Postsecondary Status Code, and Educational Institution Type together using current code sets.
- 6
Protect uncertainty
Do not infer an institution type from a school name when the response does not support it; follow the approved outreach or data-quality process.
- 7
Correct the survey system or mapping
Repair the stored response, SIS field, survey tool, or extract crosswalk.
- 8
Reprocess and review the cohort
Confirm acceptance and inspect other records using the same outcome-to-institution mapping.
Working calendar: follow the correct lane
CPA/CTE preparationIdentify prior-year completers, conduct the approximately six-month follow-up, and reconcile survey responses before Fall 2.
2026-27 Fall 2 Census Day and opening.
Special Education preparationIdentify prior-year SWD exiters, conduct the approximately 12-month follow-up, and coordinate LEA-SELPA review.
Current published 2026-27 EOY 1 amendment-window close; SELPA approval required.
Verify the official calendar before acting because dates can change.
Before closing the correction
- Confirm the student belongs in the selected follow-up population.
- Confirm the program type, reporting year, and prior-year evidence.
- Confirm the permitted conditional fields for that reporting lane.
- Review other records produced by the same survey or system mapping.
Official references and practical support
