Designing Architecture For School Interoperability

by
Michael D. King

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STAR (Student Tracking and Reporting)

It is the intent of this paper to support school districts in designing and implementing Architecture For
School Interoperability model entitled STAR a Student Tracking and Reporting system for their district.
STAR is a comprehensive model designed to improve student learning through applied available
technologies for data decision making based upon NCLB accountability standards. This paper recognizes
five distinct tenets as key elements in Student Tracking and Reporting (STAR) design. These five tenets
will provide information on how a individual district or state department of education can implement an
infrastructure to monitor real-time assessment of the progress toward the improvement of student
learning using horizontal articulation to manage and report to the local district State Department of
Education by complying with SIF and Open-Standards’ web-based tools.

Meeting State and Federal Demands

As school data becomes pivotal to instructional decisions, storing and retrieving data becomes a
processes of vital importance because data driven decision making is the way schools in the future will
be forced to provide evidence of effectiveness, not only academically but economically as well. School
Districts across the nation are now faced more than ever with the task of investing in resources to build
and safeguard data repositories that will meet the overwhelming demands of the multiple measures
real time reporting required by local, state and federal reporting.

School districts across the Nation are currently faced with the challenge of improving classroom
instruction, data retrieval, and accountability in an ever-changing society. There exists a need to create
newer, faster, and more unified software systems which will enable the school districts in every state to
forward information on request/receive demand. In the near future, school districts across the state will
be responsible for gathering and sharing an array of reported data including formative academic
assessments and end-of-instruction assessments; attendance and suspension rates; real-time student
report cards to meet the needs of No Child Left Behind Act; and ACT/SAT college entrance examination
scores.

Exploring information beyond the data achieved through the State Indicators or Criterion Reference Test
results, school districts must determine the best method to assess student progress and to plan
instruction. To accomplish the growing demand on data retrieval, individual School Districts and State
Boards of Education will need to develop a seamless approach for gathering and implementing
accountability data which would ensure improvement of student learning and records sharing.

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Zone Integration
The Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) Specification is a "set of common definitions for school data
and a set of rules for how the data can be shared". Data is broken up into zones that are managed by a
central Zone Integration Server (ZIS).The ZIS then sends out and receives data from all of the different
SIF-enabled applications Application Agents (See Reference).

Traditionally, the standalone software

applications being used by public school
districts have the limitation of data isolation;
that is, it is difficult to access, share and
integrate a cumulative data reporting system.
This often results in redundant data entry,
meaning that data entry are not standardized
through multiple software applications which
influences data integrity, and inefficient or
incomplete reporting. In many districts
software applications are purchased in
separate packages. The lunch service
department may prefer one software
application while , health services,
transportation and student information
systems are all under different company
labels and have their own special reports that
are not under one integration system, each
being backed up under their own
departments server or hosted out through a
web based application.

Interoperability Framework
In such cases, all department information can appear
in multiple places but may not be identical, for
example, or decision makers may be working with
incomplete or inaccurate information entered by
multiple users. When multiple key entry platforms,
end users, lack of central backup systems are a
Katrina nightmare waiting to happen in multiple
district across this nation as well as a technology
coordinators increase in technical support and
problems associated with maintaining numerous
proprietary systems. To resolve these problems SIF
(Schools Interoperability Framework) products began
to appear on the market as early as 1999. SIF was
initiated to create "a blueprint for educational
software interoperability and data access that
threaded individual software applications through a
central server where seamless data could be
converged, stored, backed-up and used in real time
reporting. In other words to seamlessly transfer data from multiple department silos of information
each district will need to employ the installation of a Zone Integration Server (ZIS) architecture in order
to make multi-measure data useful in the facilitation of change.

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Through the development of ZIS architecture, school districts should be committed to a number of data
analysis tools for tracking school improvement while allowing the flexibility of adding future applications
to the data sharing zone. Such data analysis will include monitoring district constructed benchmark
assessments; measuring student performances through content analysis; tracking at-risk student
performance; and providing real-time student assessment information to each Department of Education
Zone Integrated Server (ZIS) through an Extensible Markup Language (XML), an industry Open-Standard
data format which allows state and federal agencies the readability of pertinent student-tracking
information. The Open-Standard data format provided through an SIF framework will enable each
district across the state to share data that moves among other software applications to support
'horizontal interoperability. This data sharing will allow administrators and teachers to streamline data
management and create a true information management system. The newly designed system will
integrate disparate data repositories through a platform-independent, vendor-neutral communications
architecture based on open-standard rule.

No Child Left Behind and Data Accountability

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002 is breaking new ground by requiring the collection of data
that describes school effectiveness through measurements of student progress and staff effectiveness.
This Act outlines four basic education reform principles: stronger accountability for results, increased
flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that
have been proven to work. The data points necessary to make these determinations come from across
the pre-school through twelfth grade enterprise including student enrollment by socio-economic status,
student performance on standardized tests disaggregated by race and ethnicity, class schedules, and
staff qualifications and teaching assignments.

In many school systems across the Nation, most of this data is maintained in a variety of unconnected
software applications. The required data import/export task is time-consuming and costly. These
applications are often purchased by different departments within a school or district, resulting in data
‘silos’ that mirror the school and district organizational structure. The impact of NCLB is that schools,
districts, and states must draw their data out of these disparate applications in order to respond to the
new requirements imposed by NCLB's ‘horizontal questions’ which cut across the software and
organizational silos.

Nationwide individual state departments of education need to recognize advancements in real-time

technology that can provide local districts the opportunity through ZIS architecture to systematically
account for individual and group academic and performance skills. It is the intent of this paper to
demonstrate within this application a model for accomplishing the accountability questions derived
from the National requirements the importance of building a National Student Tracking and Reporting
System entitled "S.T.A.R."

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STAR (Student Tracking and Reporting)
The STAR (Student Tracking and Reporting) project will support the necessary management of
performance outcomes and district reporting methods through the use of synchronization of data across
various third party applications currently running in the districts across most states. The paper will
discuss the importance of each school district implementing a School-based Interoperability Framework
(SIF) that will assist in managing the following applications: (1) real-time reporting of curriculum
expectations, (2) monitoring student performances in key content areas, (3) analyzing student
subgroups’ performances, (4) implement electronic grading and real-time assessment viewers, (5)
tracking attendance rates of individual students, (6) reporting student suspensions, (7) tracking
individual educational plans, and (8) developing e-portfolios for individual students across grades eight
through twelve. Through the use of Open-Standards and web-based applications, this paper will outline
how individual school districts will transform their information technology from a collection of stand-
alone silos of information to an integrated information systems platform that will enable world-class
educational experiences spelled out under the NCLB Act.

Tenet One: Designing Architecture For School Interoperability

In Tenet one, “Designing Architecture For School Interoperability” will initiate all necessary points
required for the planned implementation of methods addressing the issues of horizontal data through
the application of a Zone Integrated Server. This goal will be achieved through the describing ways of
constructing an infrastructure which supports fail-safe, centralized seamless data that tracks and reports
districts, schools and individual students as they progress through our National Education System or
required state reporting. With the support of, Information Technology Directors, and Business Manager
and State Superintendents school districts can unify across the nation a process of seeking a new vision
of information technology as a key enabler for enhancing the teaching and learning experience. Unified
with this vision is the design of a data system which will provide interoperability, standardization, and
centralized management.

The first order of business will be to lay out a foundation on which to build a within each school district
an infrastructure that will support real-time communication of data that is SIF compliant to all software
applications.. At each local district it is recommended that the initial infrastructure includes at least two
Dell Power Edge Rack Mounted Servers and a Dell/EMC SAN containing nearly two to four Terabytes of
disk space and backup fail safe backup system which will allow centralized storage, fault tolerance, and
streamlining administration of district data across individual remote sites.

The end result of infrastructure improvements and the installation of the Zone Integration Server will
provide a mechanism for synchronizing data across various third-party applications that are currently in
operation in the district or within a reporting domain such as a state agency. The first stage of a system
would include implementation of SIF compliant, student information software, with real-time electronic
grade book, integrated Health Services, and Special Education applications. The second phase of SIF
compliant software application to the ZIS (Zone Integrated Server) will include E-Portfolio Student
Information Credentialing, School Lunch accounting systems, student formative assessment, all housed
within an Academic Data Warehouse. These implementation phases would be primarily decided based
upon current or dedicated funding and what software applications within the district are already SIF
compliant.

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Tenet Two: Zone Integrated Server Data Warehouse Application
The Second tenet of the STAR is the Application Process which is devoted to the development and
implementation of the Zone Integrated Server (ZIS). ZIS is based on Microsoft’s SQL Server for business
logic and employs Microsoft’s SQL Server for data repository. With ZIS in place, data entered into any
one of the applications will be replicated with other software linked to the Zone. This will eliminate the
need for time and cost redundancy on data entry while improving seamless events across the network.
The ZIS architecture will be built upon the Open Standard rule allowing the flexibility of adding future
applications. The model presented in tenet two is designed to achieve the School’s Interoperability
Framework allowing data across multiple-software platforms to be interactive with one another or the
ability to be viewed as a single entity within the Zone.

Although the Five Tenet model for the STAR implementation can be applied separately through SIF/Zone
compliance, the STAR model will disseminate information on how to blend individual assessment tools
into the big picture of the school improvement process. The STAR tenet discussed in the second section
of the application will include the development of assessment tools within the SIF/Zone Framework to
data-driven decisions in the following areas: (1) real-time reporting on achievement of curriculum
expectations through benchmark assessment strategies, (2) monitoring student performances in key
areas, and (3) electronic grading and real-time assessment viewers.

The school districts goal, in phase two of the STAR Project, is to provide easy access to various
constituent groups across the District and possibly to the State Reporting agency to transmit seamless
real-time data. The solution would be to build a data warehouse using a Microsoft SQL server. Once this
is accomplished, the district could provide preformatted and Smart Item Crystal Reports (SICR). These
SICR, specially designed reports that request specific data from the Zone Integrated Server which meet
the individual reporting needs of the district, will give quick and flexible access to district-wide data.
Cumulative data, made available through the academic data warehouse, could include real-time
reporting to specified constituent groups with Read Only Permission Rights allowed in the following
areas:

 State Tests that Include End Of Year Assessment and CRT Scores
 Class Lists
 Demographics
 Student Class Schedules
 Reading Inventory Assessment Results For Application Of State Drivers Licenses
 School Designed Benchmark Assessments In Math, Reading, Writing, and Science
 Individual Student Profiles That Contain Tests Scores, Attendance, Mobility, And More
 Individual Student Portfolios that Contain Necessary Components For College Entrance And
Employability.

The data warehouse will pull information from the ZIS data repository and other critical systems into a
central data store. These specific data stores will then be integrated into the district’s Web Portal
providing access through the Internet. The SharePoint Portal will provide a highly customized point of
entry that will be designed to share on a restrictive log-in script with teachers, administrators, students,
and parents. Through log-in profiles, each constituent group will be presented with a unique, user
interface and the ability to retrieve and review pertinent data for their perspective needs.

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Tenet Three: Real Time Assessment-Based School Improvement
In tenet three, the school district should reveal its proposed plan to share and aggregate data across
core district applications. Within this application, a strategy should have been developed in phase two of
the STAR implementation process to provide a single point of entry to a web-based, district-wide data
warehouse using an open standards’ platform portal to retrieve and review pertinent data for
constituent needs.

The procedural development of real-time benchmark assessment strategies for measuring and analyzing
real-time cumulative student growth is a simple process that can be achieved by using software package
like FileMaker pro or any other database management software applications that will allow for the
import and export of individual student benchmark formative assessment.

Tenet Three, ‘Measuring and Analyzing Real-Time Cumulative Growth,’ involves frequency decisions on
retrieval and dissemination of information. The frequency for data retrieval should be designed in such a
way that assimilation of data is reported within relative short periods of time. The frequency for data
retrieval from individual instructors should be instantaneous and district reporting to curriculum
consultants will not extend beyond a one-week period of time.

The information obtained from individual teacher assessments can be transferred to a district-level, data
collection server to map curriculum progression. Data gained from this type of mapping program would
give teachers real-time benchmarks regarding the skills needing further reinforcement prior to year-end
state assessment.

Tenet Four: Identifying Student Performance In Key Content Areas

The identification and understanding of curriculum standards in key content areas is an important
process in the improvement of student learning. Individual school districts should employ at least one
individual who would be responsible to track the performance of students in specific content areas. The
data manager would design and provide benchmark data that allows teachers and principals to retrieve
information regarding the trends in content strengths/weaknesses and to determine gaps in learning
across specific subject areas as they are validated to state testing indicators.

A plan should also be provided through Professional Learning Communities on how, student information
generated from the each benchmark assessment will be stored in an Academic Data Warehouse (ADW)
using SIF/ZIS architecture through which our district will be able to identify content standards.
Furthermore, allowing teachers to align specific learning standards in a priority order through content-
analysis reports. These content-analysis reports, generated through the Academic Data Warehouse, will
provide the necessary information for each teacher within a grade level or department to select and
prioritize content based on the prescriptive needs of a group of students as identified through the
school’s standardized assessment instrument as well as prescribe interventions for individual students
when needed.

The content analysis reports will provide teachers with specific data regarding present student-
proficiency levels and mastery expectations for that grade level. Content proficiencies are defined as the
desired learning proficiencies that will be measured in the district’s or state’s assessment program.

Finally, understanding the data, through formal teacher training, on how to apply assessment strategies
to instruction is the key to increased student performance. When teachers understand the criteria for
which measurement will occur, their approach to the school improvement process in regards to student
learning will become more effective.
Tenet Five: Electronic Grading And Real Time Assessment Viewer
Each school district should also provide teachers, parents and students with the opportunity to review
daily academic progress through real-time grade book software applications that are SIF compliant. A
real-time electronic grade-book will software package is a supportive means to provide accountability
on student performances. This SIF compliant student information software will provide teachers and
school office staff more effective time-management opportunities by reducing clerical tasks. The
reduction of clerical tasks will include multiple-point entries of student rosters, posting grades, and the
real-time availability of student information. ‘Real-time Student Information’ is designed to provide a
record of student achievement on individual assignments, real-time grading solutions to real-time
reporting will provide administrators, teachers, and office staff with the capability to automate student
grading, attendance, behavior data entry, and reporting.

The interface between student information system (SIS) and the Zone Integration Server is a must if real
time student information reporting is a district goal when facilitating the synchronization of data.
Without SIF compliant software synchronization across the zone will be lost and multiple key data
entries will become infallible to the central purpose of seamless data. The key elements of the electronic
grade book will be a secure interface, an uncompromised back-up and recovery system assigned to the
central server and being SIF selective based when choosing a student information system for the
district. The core features of the SIF compliant student information system should include some of the
following features:

 Track Class Resources/Textbooks

 Manage Assignment Plans
 Align Assignment Plans to District Defined and State Objectives/Standards
 Record Attendance
 Record Assignment Scores/Comments
 Track Student Performance of District Defined and State Objectives/Standards
 Grade Evaluation Process to Determine Eligibility and Session Grades
 Discipline Office Notifications
 Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Developer

For more information on how to select Student Information Systems that are SIF compliant or how to
implement and design architecture for school interoperability contact Michael D. King at
digitalsandbox1@gmail.com.

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Distribution for educational purpose has been granted as long as the authors name has been given credit for the works.