SIRAS Newsletter April 2025

Exciting News! Enter MediCal Billing through SIRAS Service Log. SIRAS and MediCal Billing Technologies (MBT) Have Partnered to Streamline Your Service Documentation and Billing.   ~learn more~

 EVEN MORE NEWS!   SIRAS Translation Services has now the resources to translate IEP and assessment reports into ANY language.  We offer high quality translations in any language with fast turnaround.  Scroll down for more information.

IMPORTANT Information for all users in SIRAS

• Individual and Small Group Instruction will no longer be a service option for preschoolers effective July 1, 2025. Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) is an appropriate service to use for preschoolers who need that level of support. We strongly encourage you to begin using SAI as the service for your students and in your FAPE offer for your preschool IEPs at this time to help ease this transition. It is also recommended that you begin making changes to your FAPE offer and on the front page of current IEPs if an annual or re-evaluation is not already scheduled to occur prior to June 30.  You may hold an addendum meeting to change the level of service now or a record of changes page to have the service take effect in the fall. We do not recommend that you make this change via an Administrative Amendment. Changes to the SIRAS menu options will be changed to reflect the change coming from the State.

• User Preference allowing Change to Field Background and Text - You can change the color of your field background and field text throughout SIRAS.  This was added in response to feedback from users who have visual impairments.  Under Tools menu select your user account, then under the Custom colors for input fields select ‘choose colors’ and then select the field background color and, if needed, the text color and then to save, click the Update Preference button. 

• Annual IEP implementation monitoring: This spring, the CDE is collecting service data for a random sample of students from each LEA for service dates March 3- April 30, 2025.  The service log feature in SIRAS is a great way to document that services have been completed. As a reminder, a provider is able make a log note for multiple dates, both for individual students and group sessions using the service log feature in SIRAS.  In addition, you can select the number of minutes served in a single click. Check out the Service log video for more information.

  • A new Attendance button was added to the Service Logs. “School Event” may be used for the designated reasons given to us by CDE to assist with IEP Implementation Monitoring: Field trips, Statewide testing periods, Student benchmark testing, Special programming at the school site (e.g. school assemblies), and School-related emergencies.

• Finalizing IEPs before summer break: Check your incoming messages on the homepage to see if signature links from your completed meetings have been received in SIRAS. If the IEP meeting is complete, finalize the meeting. Thinking ahead toward the end of the school year, remember to hold and finalize all IEP meetings before you leave for summer. 
• Review your meeting reports: (Reporting menu/Meeting Reports/Predefined Reports). Ready to Finalize meetings already have the parent response filled in. Resolve IEP meetings without consent. Follow up with Awaiting Consent meetings by sending a copy via mail, providing a copy for pick-up at the school, or do a home visit. Make sure your attempts are documented in SIRAS. Refer to the Parent Response Help Sheets for more information. 
• Schedule all of your remaining meetings for the year. Go to the Choose Student list by clicking on the number of records below the SIRAS logo. Select Overdue from the Overdue menu and press Student Lists. Change the “as of” date at the top to 6/30/25 to find all students who have annuals or triennials due by the end of the school year. To view students who have annuals or triennials due during summer and within the first week(s) of next school year, adjust the “as of” date accordingly. 
• Use the Student Data Overview links on your home page to monitor currently overdue meetings on the left, and annuals/triennials held late. Data on the right-hand side correlates to the 16.21 report from CALPADS.
• Spring DRDP: All infants and preschoolers through the age of 5 who have begun SPED services before April 1 (in any district) will need to have a DRDP. The DRDP is not required for students turning 6 by June 30 unless your Director chooses to have everyone assessed.  DRDP data must be entered into SIRAS by Friday, May 16th. Locate all DRDP required students by going to the Search button/Predefined Queries/Testing Related.  The DRDP measures student development as well as student growth. It is not recommended to have the Spring DRDP administered too closely to the Fall DRDP to allow for this growth.
  
   

IMPORTANT Information for SIRAS Data Administrators in SIRAS

• Change in Individual and Small Group Instruction code 350 services for Preschool Students described above will occur July 1, 2025. We have been told that this will have no impact on our ability to certify for EOY4 or Fall1 as long as any remaining code 350 services are associated with a PLAN effective date prior to 7/1/2025.
• Continue practicing ongoing data monitoring procedures. These include addressing Errors/Warnings in SIRAS and in CALPADS/View Submissions, sending data to CALPADS, reviewing Predefined Queries, monitoring meetings for readiness to finalize, reviewing Statistical Reports and the New Referral List. See the Happy Fox for a complete list of Data Monitoring Procedures and help sheets.
• Review the Accountability Report (16.21) from CALPADS for overdue and late IEPs. Follow up with IEP teams and in SIRAS to make sure any missing data gets to CALPADS in a timely fashion.  IEPs overdue since Census Day are priority. Meetings held late must have an Overdue Reason sent to CALPADS with the record.
• Compliance Concerns:  Address compliance concerns by reviewing the Overdue Monitoring Report (16.21) from CALPADS for all compliance areas (Annual, Triennial, Transition Regulations), as of End of Year (6/30). Follow up with IEP teams and in SIRAS to make sure the appropriate meeting data gets to CALPADS before staff leave for summer. Contact SELPA to schedule a district level EOY compliance review.  It is most effective to include both the SIRAS Data Admin and District Admin to thoroughly address all concerns. 
• Spring DRDP: All infants and preschoolers through the age of 5 who have begun SPED services before April 1 (in any district) will need to have a DRDP. The DRDP is not required for students turning 6 by June 30 unless your Director chooses to have everyone assessed.  DRDP data must be entered into SIRAS by Friday, May 16th. Locate all DRDP eligible students by going to the Search button/Predefined Queries/Testing Related. Refer to the DRDP Help Sheets on the Happy Fox.
• Post-secondary outcome surveys: The 2025 survey form is now posted in SIRAS and ready to send out.   Post-secondary data is due in SIRAS on Friday, June 27th. See the Post-Secondary Help Sheets found HERE for more information. Please work with your Workability Specialist if you have one as they also need this data for their database by May.
• The schedule of SIRAS Support Zoominars/Office hours as well as information about CDE Office Hours is posted in Happy Fox. 

 ~ SIRAS Translation Services ~

To request a quote contact steve@sirassystems.com:  Provide SSID, meeting Purpose/Date; and Language 

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SST Tracker and the 504 Modules:

>>> 504 Module - SIS Integration now available. Click here for more technical information 

• Contact steve@sirassystems.com for a quote and to arrange
• The modules employ Transfer buttons on the MIS Summary page which move the student record from one module to another (for example, SST to 504 or SST to Special Education). If your district is interested in using either the SST Tracker or the 504 Plan Developer email Siras Systems for assistance to get started. 
• Optional Costs:
       - Customized 504 Forms
       - SIS Integration of demographic and contact data
       - Training & Workshops