Organization of this Document
This document has four major parts: (a) an overview of the SELA extract, (b) A table of each of the the fields in the SELA extract, (c) a set of input screens, (d) creating the extract.
Overview of SELA Extract
Purpose: The purpose of the SELA (Student English Language Acquisition) extract is to report the English Language status of all students to CALPADS. In particular, students who are learning English (“English Learners”) are recognized by the 1964 Civil Rights Act and case law as a protected demographic group under “national origin.” As a protected group, the state government monitors their progress. All students are reported, including those who are considered English Only (EO).
Timeline: The SELA extract may be submitted at any time of year. According to the CALPADS specifications, “This file should always be submitted when obtaining a new SSID, but otherwise should only be submitted when the student’s ELAS changes (e.g., a student’s status changes from English Learner (EL) to Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) or from To Be Determined (TBD) to EL).”
It is likely that a SELA extract will be uploaded to CALPADS frequently. Changes in a student’s English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS) tend to occur during certain times of the year. For example, the ELAS of many students initially as “TBD - To Be Determined” based on the information in the Home Language Survey (HLS). Their actual status will be determined through a formal test (CELDT). At that point, the student’s ELAS will be updated, which will necessitate an upload to CALPADS.
Some of the fields in the SELA are computer generated and cannot be directly changed by the user. Other fields can be changed by the user.
Table of Fields
The following table shows the fields included the CALPADS Student Information (SELA) extract. The tab and screen in QuickSchools is provided to help locate the appropriate location for entering and changing information. Some fields are generated by the system logic and cannot be changed directly by the user. 
Input Screens
The Language Screen
Several sets of data are accessed through the Language Screen (Student → CALPADS → Language)
Primary Language Code
In QuickSchools and in the Home Language Survey, this is known as the Home Language.
Home Language and Correspondence Language
Both the Home Language and the Correspondence Language are contained on the same drop down list. If you cannot find the language on the list, use [99] Other.
Home Language Drop Down List
Navigation: Student Profile → CALPADS → Language → English Status
Correspondence Language Drop Down List
Navigation: Student Profile → CALPADS → Language → English Status
The Correspondence language is not used in the SELA extract. It is included in this documentation because of its relationship to the home language.
English Language Acquisition Status Drop Down List
Navigation: Student Profile → CALPADS → Language → English Status
The English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS) can be entered as English Only if English is the only language shown on questions 1-4 of the Home Language Survey (HLS). Otherwise, use TBD until a determination has been made. In most school districts, this is performed by an English learner specialist.
Birth Place Screen
Navigation: Student Profile → CALPADS
Do not use commas or list the state in the Birth City field.
Generating SELA Extract
1. With the data entered in Quickschools, the SELA extract can be generated. Navigate to CALPADS→Generate Extracts tab.
Select the corresponding year using the “Year” drop down and select “SELA - English Language Acquisition” using the “CALPADS Extract” drop down.
2. With the SELA Extract selected, students can be selected individually, by school, or as a whole.
- To select a student individually→use the checkboxes to the left of each student.
- To select all ‘ALL’ students, clear any filters, and simply use the ALL option found by clicking the top most checkbox.
- To select students by school→use the Advanced Search options to filter, then select ‘ALL’ students
After selections are made, click the Generate button (without Output Headers).
3. The extract will be processed, and a Download button will be made available in the “Generated Extracts” section.
Note: do not open the file with any document/spreadsheet program, as it may cause formatting errors.
4. For a general overview of generating extracts, please visit: How to Generate Extracts