School Teleconference

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Nebraska Student and Staff Record System (NSSRS)

• School Teleconference
• April 25 and 27
• May 2 and 4

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Presentation Outline

• Introductions
• What is NSSRS?
• The Project, the Pilot and the Parallel
• Essential Functions and Puzzle Pieces
• Getting Ready for NSSRS
• Challenges
• Key Points
• NSSRS Contacts

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Presentation Goals

• Shared terminology
• Understand timelines
• Understand expectations during parallel

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What is the Nebraska Student and Staff Record
System (NSSRS) ?

• A data repository containing detailed
  (individual) level data on students and staff
• A system for assigning and maintaining a unique
  student identifier for every student in Nebraska
  
• A tool for data analysis and reporting
• A common data dictionary for NDE data collections

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NSSRS is not

• a Student Information System
• Or a Staff Information System
• Or an Assessment Information System
• a system that collects daily information on
  students and staff
• one single System
• But rather a set of inter-related systems or
  components
• eScholar Uniq-ID
• eScholar WorkFlow Manager
• Cognos ReportNet
• eScholar Complete Data Warehouse
• Microsoft SQL Server
• GlobalScape Secure FTP Server

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Why NSSRS?

• Improve the quality of our data
• Detailed data rather than summary data
• To reduce the paperwork burden on local schools
• Collect data once and use many times
• Collect data electronically
• Facilitate state and federal reporting
  requirements

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NSSRS The Project

• NDE Student IDs assigned statewide
• NDE Data Dictionary
• Map NDE data to eScholar Templates
• Districts map their data to eScholar Templates

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NSSRS The Project (2)

• Vendor Involvement
• Out of scope
• Curriculum
• Detailed Special Education
• Migrant
• Financial

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NSSRS The Pilot

• 2005-2006 school year
• 14 Pilot Districts
• Submit template-formatted files
• Validation reports

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NSSRS The Pilot Districts

• Bridgeport
• David City
• Kearney
• Lincoln
• Malcolm
• McPherson County
• Mitchell

• Niobrara
• North Platte
• Omaha
• Omaha Archdiocese
• Overton
• Papillion-La Vista
• Wausa
• Westside

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NSSRS The Parallel

• 2006-2007 school year
• All Public districts
• Test the process
• Current collections will be the official data
• Compare the results

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Essential Functions

• Uniquely identify all students
• Uniq-ID (in production, not parallel)
• Receive/process the data
• WorkFlow Manager
• Store the data
• Complete Data Warehouse
• Validate/report the data
• Cognos ReportNet

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eScholar Uniq-ID

• Purpose Assign each student only one NDE Student
  Identifier
• NDE Student Identifier stays with the student
• System with web browser interface
• Data NOT used for student reporting

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NDE Student Ids

• Ten digit, random, non-intelligent
  non-sequential
• 318,000 NDE Student IDs already assigned
  statewide
• SIS vendors create functions to assist districts
  in assigning IDs
• ESU trainers were instrumental in successful
  implementation
• Periodic updates from districts/systems

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eScholarWorkFlow Manager

• System with web browser interface
• Enables districts to initiate ETL processing of
  files that have been submitted via secure FTP
• ETL Extract-Transformation-Load

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eScholar CompleteData Warehouse

• Data structures for storing data
• Many domains (Student, Staff, District, Location,
  Assessment, etc.)
• Verification database
• Validation Reports
• Reporting database
• Result of Move to Production (M2P) process
• Source for State of the Schools Report and State
  Aid

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Cognos ReportNet

• Reporting component
• Validation Reports
• Review/revise data before Move to Production
  (M2P) window
• ReportNet Framework

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eScholar Templates

• Template Detailed file format specifications
• Examples
• Student
• Student Snapshot
• Student Summary Attendance
• Staff
• Vendor add-ons to produce template-formatted
  files

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eScholar Templates (2)

• Each template defines a separate file
• All columns are identified
• Not all columns required
• But all columns must be accounted for
• Order of columns is identified
• Field formats are included
• e.g. Dates must be in YYYY-MM-DD (ISO) format
• Field lengths are identified

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eScholar Templates (3)

• Template Package
• File specifications provided in an Excel workbook
  format
• Index Worksheet
• Table of Contents of template workbook
• Templates that must be extracted by districts
  have been highlighted
• Information Worksheet
• Explanation of template terms
• Summary of key business rules
• File naming convention
• Template Worksheets
• Each template is a separate worksheet
• Fields that should be populated within any
  required template are highlighted

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Template Example
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Point A to Point B

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Data SubmissionWindows

• Each Data Submission window has
• - one valid snapshot date or count day
• YYYY-10-01 (e.g. Fall Membership)
• YYYY-12-01 (e.g. Special Education)
• YYYY-06-30 (e.g. End of school year)
• Acceptance Window
• Move to Production (M2P) Window
• Approximately one per month

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Data Submission Window Example
Green Acceptance Window Blue Move to
Production (M2P) Window Gray NDE Maintenance
Window
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Annual Data SubmissionWindow Calendar
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Getting Readyfor NSSRS

• A report from the pilot Districts
• Sharlene Karbowski, Westside Community Schools
• Georgia Johnson, Niobrara Public Schools

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BREAK
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Pilot School Perspective

• Sharlene Karbowski,
• Coordinator of Student Information and
• Web Services
• Westside Community Schools
• Omaha, Nebraska

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Things you need to know about NDE implementation
. . .

• Best state implementation
• Great support (helpdesk)
• NSSRS Web Site Resource
• Leading data analysis solution (eScholar)
• 1 yr. expertise and feedback from Pilot Districts
• Consideration for school district and vendor
  needs
• Great process vendors working with districts, as
  well as self-deployed District software

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Some practical advice on where to begin . . .

• Take in stride all of the NDE Technical ease.
• Become familiar with eScholar templates (aka
  spreadsheets) and business rules.
• Determine what data NDE wants districts to
  collect with each templateand in what format.
• Begin to formulate what you might be missing
  (Note You probably have most of it already!).

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Some practical advice on where to begin . . .

• Meet with your key people and talk about data you
  need and in what format. Get them involved early!
• Become really good friends with your vendor
  and/or tech person, and implement speed dial for
  tech support and NDE help desk.
• Be sure to have someone attend all NDE or
  vendor-offered training.

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Youll Learn new Technical Ease/vocabulary . . .

• Templates, templates, templates . . . In a data
  warehouse
• Dimension and Fact
• Primary Key
• Mandatory/Optional
• Snapshots vs. Student
• Naming Conventions
• Workflow manager
• ETL Scheduler
• Language codes . . .

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Take advantage of great documentation . . .

• Extensive documentation repository for this
  project?
• There will be more questions and more answers? .
  . .
• Use the NSSRS web site and other online
  resources/portals!
• Use the validation reports.

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Validate your data and network ideas with other
educators?

• Dont forget to validate your data along the way.
• Network with other Districts using similar
  extraction methods/vendors.

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I cant believe how far this project has come?

• How would this ever work?
• to
• Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

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Why report parallel 06-07?

• This is truly your lucky day . . .
• You will have the time and chance to align your
  data with the state.
• Testing either your individual or vendor
  processes will be essential.
• You will be able to validate paper vs. your
  electronic send.

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Why report parallel 06-07?

• Again, this is truly your lucky day . . .
• 07-08 you will wonder what all the commotion was
  about.
• 07-08 will be a breeze thanks to the parallel
  opportunity the previous year.
• Last but not least, the entire project should
  have credible data when its the real thing.

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Recap in simple terms . . .

• Determine what fields you need.
• Add other data fields not in SIS.
• Validate your data is correct as you would
  anyway.
• Export the data in the format the warehouse will
  accept.
• Load to the NDE site.
• Check/fix errors.
• Celebrate and applaud yourselves for a job well
  done.

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Thank You ! ! !

• . . . Nebraska School Districts and Vendors for
  helping NDE and all stakeholders utilize the
  framework and efficiency to revolutionize state
  reporting in Nebraska.

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A Small Schools Perspective
Georgia Johnson Business Manager Niobrara Public
Schools
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In the beginning there was

• A feeling of being overwhelmed
• No information system currently in place at
  Niobrara
• A need to centralize/assemble required
  information from a variety of sources

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How do you spell relief?Stress relieved
through--

• Receiving e-scholar templates
• Becoming familiar with access data base
• Chris Cassel and crew at NDE Help Desk!

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Suggestions for schools that donot have a
Student and Staff Information System.
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Be Prepared!

• Go through the templates and review the mandatory
  fields that need to be populated.
• Meet with other key personnel from within the
  school district.
• Review/select optional fields that may benefit
  your district to keep track of.

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Pay attention to the business rules!!

• You will save time when you know the formats for
  fields that need to be populated
• Date Fields
• School Codes
• Grade Codes
• Social Security Numbers (if used)

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Compiling Information

• Gather data you will need to populate required
  fields
• Start the process this summer
• Become familiar with the format that your
  templates must be in to successfully submit data

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BREAK
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Expectations Fall 2006

• All school districts will submit/update Uniq-ID
  files
• All public districts will submit
• Student Template
• Student Snapshot Template
• Day Calendar Template
• Staff Template
• Staff Snapshot Template
• Additional Templates

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Additional Expectations 2006-2007

• Assessment templates
• Additional submission of Student and Staff
  templates
• Attendance templates
• Additional templates

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Expectations Non-Public Districts

• Non-Public Districts will submit/update Uniq-ID
• Non-Public Districts are invited to participate
  in the parallel implementation, but are not
  required to do so.
• Non-Public Districts will be required to fully
  participate in NSSRS in the 2007-2008 school year

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Training

• Uniq-ID - ongoing
• Data Preparation
• Vendor independent what data is needed in which
  template
• Vendor specific - how information gets from the
  vendors products (training provided by the
  vendors)

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Training (2)

• Validation Reports
• WorkFlow Manager submitting the data
• eScholar Access Database for districts without
  systems

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Training Opportunities

• Video streaming
• Telecasts
• Teleconferences - call in questions
• Regional training
• Vendor-provided training

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Challenges

• Data Dictionary
• Communication
• Security
• Districts/systems without vendor software
  (Student, Staff and/or Assessment)

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Data Dictionary

• Definitions
• Valid code sets
• MetaData web site
• metadata.nde.state.ne.us

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Communication

• Instruction Manuals
• Pilot Conference Calls
• Project Web Site
• www.nde.state.ne.us/nssrs
• Secure Information Web Site
• Accessible via NDE Portal with proper activation
  code
• Intellectual Property
• Teleconference(s)
• ESUs

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Security

• NDE Portal controls user access to Uniq-ID,
  WorkFlow Manager and ReportNet
• Data Management Policy
• FERPA protects individual student data

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Vendor Software

• Student, Staff and/or Assessment
• Districts/systems
• Without such a system
• With such a system that is without eScholar
  template add-ons
• With such a system that has eScholar template
  add-ons
• E.g. those involved in the Pilot

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Key Points

• Vendor-specific training
• NDE Student ID
• Uniq-ID is not the warehouse
• Social Security Numbers
• Optional in Uniq-ID
• Not collected in warehouse
• Templates
• Data Submission Windows
• Validation Reports
• Move to Production (M2P)
• Security

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NSSRSThe Next Six Months

• All NDE Student IDs Assigned (non-publics)
• Uniq-ID Training Provided by ESUs
• Statewide Teleconference
• Vendor Training on Templates
• School District Training
• Districts Resubmit Uniq-ID Files
• Districts Submit Student Data Files

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Where will we be in 12 months?

• Parallel implementation year nearly complete
• NDE Student ID for each student
• Comprehensive reporting and analysis environment
• Efficient district data submission processes
• Directory of state education resources
• Common data definitions
• Data policies and procedures
• An environment that will grow with the
  departments needs over time

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Where will we be in 12 months?

• NDE capacity to manage rollout state-wide
• Group of ESU based trainers equipped with
  appropriate tools and materials

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NSSRS Contacts
NDE Help Desk 1-888-285-0556 helpdesk_at_nde.ne.gov
Project Manager Chris Cassel Project Web
Site www.nde.state.ne.us/nssrs