The document provides information about the School Interoperability Framework (SIF) program in Massachusetts for 2014. It discusses the statewide student information system (SIS) contract with Aptium LLC to provide a web-based SIS hosted in the state data center. It outlines the SIF certification process for vendor agents and onboarding process for districts to connect to the state system in real-time using SIF. The future plans include expanding SIF data elements and applications as well as daily attendance reporting and real-time student identifiers.
6. The Executive Office of Education (EOE) in conjunction with
Massachusetts Information Technology (MassIT) and Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has contracted with Aptium
LLC (SchoolBrains) to deploy a web based Student Information System
(SIS) in the Commonwealth’s Data Center. SchoolBrains is a MA SIF and
SIS Certified Vendor currently supporting a number of districts.
The web based Software as a Service (SaaS) model will allow even very small
Districts to utilize a fully functional SIF enabled SIS for a very low annual Price
Per Student (PPS) cost.
The Statewide SIS SaaS contract is available to all Districts.
Comprehensive Functional and Technical Requirements included in Core SIS
Statewide SIS SaaS
8. SIF Solution
Problem: Need to put actionable information in the
hands of those who can make a difference and the data
we have is periodic not reflective of what is happening
in our schools today
Solution: Collect near-real time data from school
districts that can be turned around and used in tools as
actionable information
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9. SIF Program
The MA SIF Program went operational on November
30, 2013.
108 districts certified thru SIF for the SIMS 2014 EOY
Collection
90% of our 234 Race To The Top (RTTT) districts on-
line with SIF.
All 403 MA Districts to be connected to the State using
the real-time event driven SIF Framework by July 2015
The standards, policies and procedures established
from this initiative were designed to be rolled forward
for all future annual SIF Program infrastructure, data
element, and subscribing application enhancements
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11. SIF Program 2013 Process
SIF Program Repeatable Process
Agent Vendor Certification
Web Site
Requirements
Test Scripts and Sites established
Documentation
District Process
• Real-time event driven verses scheduled batch file uploads
• Real-time local data validations implemented
• Error Reports available 24/7 -365 days a year
• Real-time State EDWIN Data Warehouse reports updates
• Dedicated District SIF support and on-boarding teams
District On-Boarding
Vendor Specific District User Guides
District Best Practices Established
District Pre-Validation Tools
SIF District Dashboard
12. MA District Vendor
SIF Performance Rating
August 18, 2014
1. School Brains
2. MMS
3. IMG
4. Pearson
5. Rediker
6. Follett
13. District Focused SIF Documentation
Enhanced SIF Reporting Guide designed in
conjunction with District Vendor and specifically
targeted to seamlessly integrate with current SIS
application documentation.
Includes Best Practices
Data Quality Validation Checklist designed to assist
Districts and Schools verify data for SIF compliance
prior to on-boarding with State.
14. SIF Program 2013 Tools
SIF Production Support
Help Desk
Operational Support Guide
SIF Program Documentation
Reusable System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Documentation
Architectural Designs
Technical Designs
Application Work Flows
Requirements
Functional Specifications
Use Cases
Test Plans
Test Cases
SharePoint Repository
Standardized MA SIF Profile and Associated Guide
15. SIF Program 2013 Deliverables
SIF Applications
Student Information Management System (SIMS)
Student Course Schedule (SCS)
Education Personnel Information Management System
(EPIMS)
Student Claiming and Un-claiming
SIF Integrations
EDWIN Teaching and Learning (IIS via Thinkgate)
EDWIN Analytics (Longitudinal Data System - LDS)
MA Data Collections Applications
16. SIF Program 2013 Technology
SIF Infrastructure Established and Tested
Visual Software Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Software
DEV, QA, Staging Prod Environments
Load balanced, Multi-Server, Zone Integration Server (ZIS)
Veracity rules engine established (over 230+ business rules)
Preliminary Performance Benchmarks completed
SIF Architecture and POC
Oracle Data Integrator (ODI) Validations (1000+ rules)
Real-time Event Driven Push Mode
Level 3 Authentication & Level 4 Encryption
17. District Level
ESE ZIS
Production State: District Perspective
SIS Publishing
Agent (push)
Horizontal ZIS
Teaching and Learning
Stage
Subscribing Agent
EDWIN
18. SIF Firsts:
MA is first State to require a real-time district initiated push model
MA is first State to require level 3 authentication and level 4
encryption
MA is the first State to wrap the SIF certification requirement with its
own vendor certification program.
o Assists vendors to get their agents and SIS working properly,
so that data is pre-validated in real-time reducing everyone’s
operational support costs.
o Vendors are rated and listed on State website
MA is first State to implement a two-way, push mode, load balanced
ZIS implementation
MA is first State to implement a near real time, cross-object data
quality checking and feedback loop
MA is first State to provide district focused SIF /SIS documentation
and provide a support team dedicated to assist them in cleaning up their
data and on-boarding.
MA was first to implement a Statewide COTS SIF solution doing the
work mostly by itself (Training and Support from the COTS supplier)
19. SIF Program 2014 Description
SIF Version 2.7 Upgrade
Visual Software Enhancements
Enhanced Performance Metrics
Point in Time Transaction Recovery
Automated State to District Code Table Updating
SIMS, SCS and EPIMS Element Expansion
Web Services
Automatic SASID Assignment Via SIF - Pilot
Student Claiming Enhancements for 2015 Deployment
20. SIF Program 2014 Description
Legacy Backend Re-Architecture
ODI Validations (1000+ rules)
SIMS, SCS and EPIMS Processing
School Safety Discipline Report (SSDR) Re-Architecture
State SIS Software As A Service (SAAS)
Springfield MA State Data Center Hosted
IBM Tivoli Service Management (COMiT) Integration
Rational Team Concert (RTC) Integration
Agent Vendor Re-Certification
New Vendor Test Environments and Process Enhancements
MA SIF Profile v2.7 Certification
Self Certification enabled
District On-Boarding
Significant reduction in District On-boarding schedule
21. SIF Program 2014 Process
Phase I – District Agent Vendor Certification
Vendor successfully certifies in MA QA SIF Test Environment without
Agent Vendor Errors
Vendor successfully demonstrates 100% District load via Push mode
to State
Vendor successfully demonstrates automatic State to District Code
Table Update integration
Vendor Dress Rehearsal District successfully clears QA Testing
without Vendor Errors or manual District assistance
Vendor DR + n Districts successfully clear QA Testing without Vendor
Errors or manual District data entry assistance
22. SIF Program 2014 Process
Phase II – District Pre-Onboarding Process
Documentation Walk-through
SIF Staging Connectivity Check
District clears Staging Data Quality Validation Checks without
Vendor Errors or manual District data entry assistance
Phase III - Onboarding Process
Connecting district to the State SIF production environment
District data is exclusively loaded via push mode except SAS object
District clears production Data Quality Validation Checks without
Vendor Errors or manual District data entry assistance
23. The Future with SIF
Standard Framework by which all MA data will flow
SIF Version 3.1 Upgrade
Statewide Daily Attendance Reporting
Real-Time State Assigned Student Identifiers (SASID)
Real-Time Mass Education Personal Identifiers (MEPID)
Real-Time Student Claiming and Un-claiming
Enhanced EDWIN State Reporting
District to District data sharing
Intra-State data sharing via national exchange
24. District Impact -Statewide SIS
Save Money under Statewide Contract
100% SIF and Federated (Single Sign on) Security Enabled
PPS Cost includes – Hosting, Training, Data Migration, Configuration and
Set-up
Integrated SIS solution reduces district plug-in costs
Reduced district operational and support costs
Web based access for any browser or device
Highly configurable and district customizable
25. District Cost -Statewide SIS
Price Per Student (PPS)*
*Annual Price Per Student Declines as additional districts onboard
26. Statewide SIS Difference
SchoolBrains is the most advanced student information system on the
market. It is also the only truly integrated solution available as a
package or by module that may be completely customized to fit the
unique requirements of every district.
Partial List Of Capabilities:
Custom Report Cards
Easy State Reporting
Instant Access to complete Student Data
Flexible Grade Book
Customized Scheduling
Parent Portal
Built in Assessment Analyzer
Emergency Alert System
27. Contacts:
William A. Holscher
MA SIF State Program Manager
Executive Office of Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781)338-6780 (Office)
(603) 717-2725 (Cell)
Wholscher@doe.mass.edu
31. Class SIF Data in ET&L
Instructional Improvement System (IIS)
32. • Student profiles
• An early warning
indicator system
• Dashboards &
reports
• Model
curriculum
units
• Curriculum
mapping and
Lesson
planning tools
• Aligned to
Standards
• Tools to assess student
understanding of
multiple standards
• Competency Tracking
System
• Aligned to standards
• High-quality
digital
resources to
support
instruction
• Aligned to
standards
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33. SharePoint Repository
MA SIF User and Support documentation including the
MA SIF Operational Support guide.
District SIF Support and Onboarding Dashboard that
identifies all district information including vendors,
contacts, SIF Onboarding Status, ET&L integration, and
Technical product and connectivity information.
PMO and SDLC Documentation including Architectural
and System Designs
SharePoint Repository
Student Information – Edwin Analytics
Early Warning Indicator
Other reports to answer questions educators ask on a regular basis
Educator access through dashboards and through reports
Curriculum Tools – Edwin Teaching & Learning
aligned to the current Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks:
Model curriculum maps
Model curriculum units and the ability for districts to:
create curriculum maps
modify and/or create new curriculum units
create lesson plans
Assessment Tools – Edwin Teaching & Learning
Ability to build and deliver interim and formative assessments
access to banks of assessment items
easy-to-use reports on assessments being delivered
results from classroom/school /district-wide common assessments
Competency Tracking System for Vocational Education
Digital Resources – Edwin Teaching & Learning
easy access to quality online resources to support instruction.
Resources to be “tagged” to standards and be in various formats:
To incorporate into curriculum units and lessons
To help differentiate instruction
To incorporate into assessments