SIF Mystery to SIF Mystery to RealityRealityCharles BurtonCharles Burton

Calcasieu Parish School Calcasieu Parish School SystemSystem

Interoperability Interoperability ChallengeChallenge

Applications and their data isolatedApplications and their data isolated Redundant data entry is routineRedundant data entry is routine Isolated solutions increase support costsIsolated solutions increase support costs Common data reporting across applications Common data reporting across applications

& systems is possible today but can be costly & systems is possible today but can be costly to implementto implement

Data is not available to school decision Data is not available to school decision makers and is not always currentmakers and is not always current

Creates procurement challenges with schools Creates procurement challenges with schools & districts concerned with interoperability& districts concerned with interoperability

SIS

Network Accounts

Cafeteria

LibraryTransportation

Traditional Setup

• The situation in many schools and school systems is that there are a series of software applications which all may require the same data, but which have no way to talk to each other.

• It may be possible for one or two applications to share data through proprietary methods, but open, dynamic and synchronized data sharing does not occur.

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SIFA formed create a community standard SIFA formed create a community standard for data sharing within schoolsfor data sharing within schools

SIFA began in 1997 with cohesive SIFA began in 1997 with cohesive meetings between education stakeholders meetings between education stakeholders like application vendors and school like application vendors and school district administratorsdistrict administrators

SIFA officially launched in 2003 provides SIFA officially launched in 2003 provides a standards committee for the framework a standards committee for the framework and community for developmentand community for development

SIF certification provides confidence for SIF certification provides confidence for purchasers and validity for vendorspurchasers and validity for vendors

What does the SIF What does the SIF Framework consist of?Framework consist of?

Software ApplicationSoftware Applicationsoftware solution used within the school software solution used within the school systemsystem

SIF Data ObjectSIF Data Objectbits of information shared by using the bits of information shared by using the rules of the SIF specificationrules of the SIF specification

SIF AgentSIF Agentvendor specific application used to vendor specific application used to communicate data with the SIF Zonecommunicate data with the SIF Zone

SIF ZoneSIF ZoneZone Integration Server is central data Zone Integration Server is central data communications pointcommunications point

SIF components SIF components working togetherworking together

Network Account

H.R. &Finance

Data Analysis

& Reporting Instructional

Services

Library Automation

Student Information

Services

GradeBook

FoodServices

Zone Zone Integration Integration Server (ZIS)Server (ZIS)

SIF AgentsSIF Agents

ApplicationsApplications

SIF Data SIF Data ObjectsObjects

CPSB ZISCPSB ZIS

CPSB SIF AgentsCPSB SIF Agents

Cafeteria SIF agent Cafeteria SIF agent provisioningprovisioning

Typical SIF Data Object Typical SIF Data Object provisioningprovisioning

Vertical InteroperabilityVertical Interoperability

Federal

School

District

State

Common Data Objects

Common Request/Query language

Application & Platform independent

ZIS

ZIS

District SIF Zone

State SIF Zone

SIFAgent

SIFAgent

SIFAgent

SIFAgent

SIFAgent

State: “I need a report with these parameters”

State ZIF: “Let me make the request”

District: “I have that information?”

District ZIF: “I am collecting”

District ZIF: “Here is the Data”

State ZIF: “Here is the Report”

District employee

State Employee

Sure glad we got SIF.

SIF School BenefitsSIF School Benefits

TeachersTeachers Real-time access to critical Real-time access to critical

informationinformation

Better data analysisBetter data analysis

Teachers time better spentTeachers time better spent

Students & ParentsStudents & Parents Personalized Student Personalized Student

ContentContent

Improved timeliness of Improved timeliness of serviceservice

Accurate School DataAccurate School Data

Increased EfficiencyIncreased Efficiency

IT DepartmentsIT Departments Reduced support costs Reduced support costs

Reduced time needed to Reduced time needed to manage multiple data manage multiple data sources sources

Save money using existing Save money using existing systems and systems and infrastructureinfrastructureAdministratorsAdministrators Increased EfficiencyIncreased Efficiency

Reduced redundancy and Reduced redundancy and errorserrors

Reduced compatibility issuesReduced compatibility issues

Efficiency, Accuracy, Cost Savings

District cost savingsDistrict cost savingsNew Student Registering for Enrollment into:New Student Registering for Enrollment into: *Student Information System*Student Information System *Directory Service *Directory Service

ApplicationApplication *ID Card System*ID Card System *Library Automation *Library Automation

SystemSystem *Cafeteria Management System*Cafeteria Management System

Typical SchoolTypical School SIF School SIF School- 49 minute task- 49 minute task - 4 minute task- 4 minute task- 10 times data entered- 10 times data entered - 1 time data - 1 time data

entryentry

45 minutes/student X 18,000 45 minutes/student X 18,000 students=students=

6 FTE’s!6 FTE’s!1/101/10thth the Time – 1/10 the Time – 1/10thth the Risk the Risk

State Costs SavingsState Costs Savings

Wyoming Dept of EdWyoming Dept of Ed 8 hours to produce a single school report8 hours to produce a single school report Eliminated 23 reportsEliminated 23 reports 70,000hrs school staff time saved70,000hrs school staff time saved 18,000hrs district staff time saved18,000hrs district staff time saved

$1,760,000$1,760,000 est. savings on reporting est. savings on reporting alonealone

What’s this going to cost What’s this going to cost me?me?

HardwareHardwareCPSB used multi-role server, purchased CPSB used multi-role server, purchased server $5,000server $5,000

SIF ZoneSIF ZoneZone software varies by vendor, CPSB utilizes Zone software varies by vendor, CPSB utilizes Edustructures at a cost of $1 per studentEdustructures at a cost of $1 per student

SIF AgentSIF AgentAgents from vendors run $500 to $5,000Agents from vendors run $500 to $5,000

Staff TimeStaff TimeVaries greatly by staff members experience Varies greatly by staff members experience with data communications and databases, can with data communications and databases, can be outsourcedbe outsourced

Who is doing this?Who is doing this?

Schools and Districts are using SIF in Schools and Districts are using SIF in “one off” solutions or in broader “one off” solutions or in broader projectsprojects

States involved with SIFStates involved with SIFDelaware, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Idaho, Utah, Delaware, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Idaho, Utah,

Nevada, South Dakota, South Carolina, Nevada, South Dakota, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, …Pennsylvania, Virginia, …

Application vendorsApplication vendorsApple PowerSchool, Microsoft School Server, Apple PowerSchool, Microsoft School Server,

Microsoft Active Directory, Moodle, Blackboard, Microsoft Active Directory, Moodle, Blackboard, Renaissance Place, Follett\Destiny Edulog, Data Renaissance Place, Follett\Destiny Edulog, Data Futures, Pentamation, SASI, …Futures, Pentamation, SASI, …

Tips for ImplementationTips for Implementation

Be prepared to deal with data Be prepared to deal with data inconstancies with each agent implementedinconstancies with each agent implemented

Identify Key fields for student & employee Identify Key fields for student & employee data which will maintain accuracy across data which will maintain accuracy across systems. Ie. Student ID.systems. Ie. Student ID.

Maintain backup processes incase Maintain backup processes incase integration issues arise.integration issues arise.

Inform users how to correct data problemsInform users how to correct data problems Ask about SIF compliance with all new and Ask about SIF compliance with all new and

existing application vendors weather you existing application vendors weather you plan to implement SIF or not.plan to implement SIF or not.

Thank for Thank for Attending.Attending.

Charles BurtonCharles BurtonCharles.burton@cpsb.orgCharles.burton@cpsb.org

You can find more information @

www.sifinfo.org