Reminder: Demographic Field Locks for Testing
Email Update, January 22, 2026
Dear LEA CAASPP Coordinator or LEA ELPAC Coordinator:
Student demographic information in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) will have multiple fields locked when a student begins any of the following summative assessments:
- Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics
- California Science Test
- California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and mathematics
- CAA for Science
- California Spanish Assessment
- Summative ELPAC
- Summative Alternate ELPAC
The following demographic fields will be locked when a student begins any summative assessment or domain:
- Grade
- Special Education
- Primary Disability Code
- Ethnicity
- Military Status
- Socioeconomically Disadvantaged (SED) Status
- Foster Status
- Migrant Status
- Homeless Status
- Parent Highest Education Level
In addition to those above, the following demographic fields will be locked when a student begins Summative ELPAC or Summative Alternate ELPAC testing:
- Date of Birth
- English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS)
- Primary Language
LEA coordinators should ensure that site coordinators and CALPADS administrators confirm all student demographic information is correct prior to beginning any summative assessment. Individual student demographic information, including locked fields, can be reviewed in TOMS under the Students tab. If an LEA incorrectly enters demographic information and a student begins a summative assessment, the LEA should do the following:
- Submit a Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System (STAIRS) case in TOMS for the assessments or domains started. The STAIRS case will lead to a Reset Appeal.
- After the test(s) and domain(s) have been reset, ensure the demographic information in CALPADS is correct.
- Request a STAIRS case for Restore for all tests and domains that were reset. This must be completed at least one week prior to the end of the LEA testing window.
These locked demographic fields will be used in the Student Score Data File, and reflected on the Test Results for California’s Assessments website. Locking these fields when a student begins testing ensures a more accurate representation of student populations in score reporting. This also prevents discrepancies in demographics across testing programs, enabling LEAs to better compare and analyze student data.
LEA coordinators can find more resources about how student demographics are reported in the CAASPP Student Score Data File Layout or the Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC Student Score Data File Layout on the SSR and Reporting Resources web page. For further support, visit the Contact Us web page.
Sincerely,
California Outreach Team
CAASPP & ELPAC Website