County-District-School (CDS) Codes
The CDS (County-District-School) code system is an administrative
convenience designed to provide the California Department of Education
(CDE), the Department of Finance, and postsecondary institutions
with a basis for tracking schools.
This 14-digit code is the official, unique identification of a
school within California. The first two digits identify the county,
the next five digits identify the school district, and the last
seven digits identify the school.
CDS codes are not assigned to programs. Evidence that the entity
is a school rather than a program is provided by the governing
board action approving formation of the school and board action
establishing the school. Governing boards can act only by a majority
vote at a public meeting (Education Code sections
1011, 1013, 1040, 35163, 35164; Government Code section 54950 and
following (the Brown Act)).
CDS Guidelines and General Information
- Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions related to CDS administration and using the Online Public Update for Schools (OPUS)-CDS Web application to submit changes. - Definition of a School
CDE's definition of a school for data management purposes. - School Code Assignment
Criteria for assigning school codes. - Information Sheet for Charter Schools
Information for making changes to, or starting new charter schools. - CDS Codes for Statewide Benefit Charter (SBC) Schools
Guidelines for obtaining CDS codes for Statewide Benefit Charter schools. - Closing a School Best Practices Guide
Guidelines for making the decision to close a school.
School and District Updates
Updates to school and district information may be requested by authorized local educational agency (LEA) personnel using the OPUS-CDS application, or the CDS forms posted below. Changes initiated by the public must be routed through the LEA CDS coordinator.
Online Public Update For Schools (OPUS)
Web application used by authorized LEA CDS coordinators to submit changes regarding a school or district including contact information, agency name, school type, grade span, status. etc.
- OPUS-CDS Web Application
Application used by authorized LEA CDS coordinators to notify the CDE of updates to the Public School Directory. A user name and password is required to access this application. - OPUS-CDS Application and Resources
Access the OPUS-CDS Web application, as well as useful information for using this application.
School Forms
- Application
for a County-District-School (CDS) Code (form TSD-01) (Revised 05-Mar-2008; DOC;
53KB; 2pp.)
This form is used to open a new school or district. - Change Request for
a County-District-School (CDS) Code (form TSD-02) (Revised 05-Mar-2008; DOC;
53KB; 2pp.)
This form is used to close a school and to make changes regarding a school that cannot be made using the OPUS-CDS application. Requests made using this form must be submitted by authorized district personnel.
Returning Forms to the CDE
CDS Administration
Data Management Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 6308
Sacramento, CA 95814
District Reorganizations
District Reorganizations
List of district reorganizations, name changes, and new or retired districts.
Resources for Obtaining Information About Schools and Districts
- California School Directory
Online application for obtaining contact and general information about California schools and districts. - Public School Database (downloadable)
Downloadable file of California public schools and districts. - Public School Directory or CD-ROM (for purchase)
Information on purchasing the California public school directory (printed or on CD-ROM). - Nationwide Search for Public Schools (Outside Source)
National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) online application for locating public schools nationwide. - Nationwide Search for Private Schools (Outside Source)
NCES online application for locating private schools nationwide. - DataQuest
Online application for obtaining data for California public schools.
