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CALPADS error brief ยท PSTS

PSTS0536

Industry Field is required for this Postsecondary Status
Severity Fatal
Error type Input Validation
Record type PSTS

Official CALPADS rule

What CALPADS is rejecting

Postsecondary Status Code is 910, 920, or 930, then Industry Field is required.

Focus fields

Fields validated

17.11 Education Program Participation Type Code 17.12 Postsecondary Status Code 17.14 Industry Field

Recommended correction path

Suggested resolution

CALPADS PSTS correction guide - Fatal input validation

PSTS0536: Industry Field is required for this Postsecondary Status

If Postsecondary Status Code is 910, 920, or 930, then Industry Field is required.

Official Version 17.23 rule

Severity: Fatal   Type: Input Validation

Fields validated:

  • 17.11 Education Program Participation Type Code
  • 17.12 Postsecondary Status Code
  • 17.14 Industry Field

First identify the correct PSTS reporting lane

CPA or CTE lane

Program type
10 or 20
Follow-up
Approximately six months
Submission
Fall 2
Reporting SELPA
Blank
Conditional detail
May be required

Special Education lane

Program type
30
Follow-up
Approximately 12 months
Submission
EOY special education
Reporting SELPA
Required
Fields 17.13-17.15
Blank

SDLA Flowchart: build PSTS from prior-year evidence

1 - Prior-year exit and completion evidenceConfirm enrollment, exit, completion, and non-reenrollment.
2 - Program eligibility prerequisiteConfirm CPA, CTE completer, or SPED Plan Type 100 context.
3 - Correct population and timingUse the appropriate six-month or 12-month follow-up.
4 - PSTS recordTranslate documented responses into permitted codes and fields.
5 - LEA and SELPA reviewReconcile detail, certification, outreach, and Indicator 14 where applicable.

Employment statuses that require an Industry Field

Under the Version 18 PSTS record-layout rule, these employment outcomes require field 17.14 to identify the industry sector represented by the former student's reported work.

CodePostsecondary statusWhat to verify
910Competitively employedThe documented job and the single industry sector that best represents it
920Not competitively employedThe reported employment setting and its industry sector
930Other employmentThe reported work and the closest permitted industry sector

Recommended correction path

  1. 1

    Confirm the reporting lane

    Determine whether Program Type is CPA/CTE or Special Education.

  2. 2

    Return to the documented survey response

    Do not infer detail beyond what the former student reported.

  3. 3

    Validate Postsecondary Status Code

    Choose the current code that accurately represents the outcome.

  4. 4

    Apply the conditional-field rule

    Populate or clear institution, industry, or credential fields exactly as required.

  5. 5

    Check valid combinations

    Test Program Type, status, and conditional detail together.

  6. 6

    Repair the survey tool or mapping

    Correct the stored response or export crosswalk.

  7. 7

    Reprocess and review the cohort

    Confirm acceptance and inspect other records using the same mapping.

Working calendar: follow the correct lane

CPA/CTE preparationIdentify prior-year completers and complete the approximately six-month follow-up.
2026-27 Fall 2 opens on Census Day.
Special Education preparationIdentify prior-year SWD exiters and coordinate 12-month follow-up.
Published 2026-27 EOY 1 amendment close; SELPA approval required.

Before closing the correction

  • Confirm the student belongs in the selected population.
  • Confirm the program type, reporting year, and prior-year evidence.
  • Confirm conditional fields are permitted for that lane.
  • Review other records produced by the same workflow.

Official references and practical support