Importing CALPADS files into Scout

Last updated: April 30, 2026

Scout lets district administrators import CALPADS extract files directly into the platform for three report types — SELA, SDEM, and SASS. The import tool parses each row, shows you a preview of what will change, and lets you resolve any ambiguous matches before anything is saved. Only district administrators can use this feature.

What you can import

File import is available for the following CALPADS report types:

  • SELA — Student English Language Acquisition data

  • SDEM — Staff Demographics

  • SASS — Staff Assignments

Other CALPADS report types (SENR, SPRG, CRSE, etc.) support report generation only, not file import.

Before you start

  • Your school must have a CDS code set in Scout. If it does not, the import option will be disabled.

  • You must select a school, school year, reporting period, and report type before the import panel appears.

  • Import files must be UTF-8 encoded .txt (CALPADS fixed-width format) or .csv files.

How to import a CALPADS file

CALPADS report page showing school, school year, period, and mode selectors

  1. Go to Reports → Administrative → California Government Reporting → CALPADS Report.

  2. Select a School and School Year.

  3. Choose a Period (for example, Fall 1 or EOY 1).

  4. Choose a Report Type that supports import (SELA, SDEM, or SASS).

  5. Under Mode, click Import from file.

Import from file panel with file upload and Preview/Commit buttons

Uploading and previewing

  1. Click Upload file and select your .txt or .csv export from CALPADS.

  2. Choose how the file should be parsed: CALPADS (fixed-width format) or CSV.

  3. Click Preview import. Scout parses the file and shows each row alongside the staff member or student it matched in the system — without writing anything to the database yet.

Resolving ambiguous rows (SASS imports)

For SASS imports, some rows may be flagged as ambiguous — for example, if a staff member's SEID matches more than one person in Scout, or if multiple assignment records are plausible. For each ambiguous row you can:

  • Select the correct staff member from a dropdown of all district staff

  • Select the correct assignment override

  • Set a start date if the file row doesn't include one

You must resolve all ambiguous rows before the Commit import button becomes active.

Committing the import

  1. Review the preview table and confirm the rows look correct.

  2. Click Commit import. Scout applies the rows to the database:

    • SELA — updates student English learner records

    • SDEM — updates staff demographic information

    • SASS — creates or updates staff school assignment records; delete (D) transactions in the file are skipped and reported

  3. A summary appears showing how many rows were applied, created, updated, skipped (unmatched), and skipped (invalid or delete).

Frequently asked questions

Why is "Import from file" grayed out?

The Mode selector is disabled when the selected school does not have a CDS code configured. Ask your district administrator to add the CDS code in District Settings.

Why doesn't the report type I selected show an import panel?

Only SELA, SDEM, and SASS support file import. If you select any other report type and switch to Import from file, Scout will display a message saying import is not yet available for that type.

Can I re-run an import?

Yes. Imports are safe to run more than once. Scout upserts (creates or updates) records rather than duplicating them, so re-importing the same file will update existing data rather than create duplicates.