New York Statewide Data Warehouse Guidelines for Extracts for use in 2007 08 Reporting Data for the 2013–14 School Year September 30, 2013 Version 9 0 The University of the State of New York THE STATE[.]
What Is SIRS?
The New York State Student Information Repository System (SIRS) serves as a centralized source for standardized individual student records, facilitating analysis to enhance student performance and comply with State and federal reporting requirements Access to the data is restricted to users with a legitimate educational interest, ensuring confidentiality Local Education Agencies (LEAs), which include public school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and various State agencies, are required to report specific data to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) through this system Additionally, nonpublic schools participating in State assessments must also utilize SIRS for reporting purposes.
The New York State Student Identifier System (NYSSIS) is an essential component of the Student Information Reporting System (SIRS), designed by NYSED to provide a unique and stable identifier for every preschool student referred to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), as well as for all public school students from prekindergarten to grade 12 and participants in approved GED programs These unique identifiers significantly enhance student data reporting, improve data quality, and facilitate longitudinal tracking of students as they transition between Local Education Agencies (LEAs) Each student is assigned a 10-digit identifier upon entering a state public school, public agency, child-care institution that operates a school, or a participating nonpublic school, ensuring accurate and consistent data management.
SIRS features various data collection points, starting with the local student management system (SMS) utilized by local education agencies (LEAs) This system gathers essential data, including student demographics, school enrollment figures, program participation, and assessment performance LEAs equipped with a local SMS can export their data into "Level 0" of SIRS, while those without a local SMS have the option to input their data directly into "Level 0."
Level 0 is a Web-based application hosted by the Level 1 Data Centers that provides
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can enter and validate data directly into the system, which also allows for data export This system is capable of collecting supplementary information, including teacher evaluation data, that may not be found in a Student Management System (SMS) Once validated, the data is exported from Level 0 in a format compatible with the Level 1 repository.
Level 1 repositories are implemented and operated by most RICs and some Big 5 City
School Districts, also referred to as the “Level 1 Operators” (See diagram below.) Each Level
A Level 1 repository must contain all data elements specified in Chapter 4 for state reporting requirements, while users have the option to add extra data elements to address local or regional needs, such as those needed for local analysis and reporting or for pre-printing scannable assessment answer sheets Additionally, demographic data elements are utilized to match existing NYSSIS IDs or create new ones, ensuring comprehensive data management.
Level 1 repositories utilize data templates and load plans from the eScholar application, requiring participation from all school districts, charter schools, state agencies running educational programs, nonpublic schools administering state assessments, BOCES, and childcare institutions operating schools These repositories are essential for preparing data for submission to the Level 2 Repository.
Repository are available only to users with a legitimate educational interest.
The Level 2 Repository serves as a comprehensive statewide data warehouse, integrating all necessary student data from Level 1, along with records for teachers and principals Each student is assigned a unique 10-digit NYSSIS number for identification This repository supports various functions, including the development of the New York State School Report Card, assessing the accountability status of public and charter schools, and linking student data with educators Additionally, it fulfills federal reporting requirements, aids in policy decision-making, and addresses other state needs for individual student data Standardized data aggregations from the Level 2 Repository are also made available in the Annual Reporting Database, granting the public access to essential school performance metrics.
Authorized users can access SIRS data through the Level 2 reporting (L2RPT) environment, a statewide web-based service hosted at regional Level 1 data centers This platform enables Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and other personnel to generate reports utilizing the data available in Level 2.
The article discusses three key components of the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) reporting systems: 1) the Repository, 2) the Pupils with Disabilities (PD) System, which offers online reports on special education assessments and performance metrics, including timelines and service details, and 3) the Unique Identifier Audit System (UIAS) reports, which enhance data quality by alerting Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to potential errors in specific reporting rules, based on the current status of NYSSIS IDs in Level 2 enrollment records.
Student Reporting Rules
Guidance on the Role of District Data Coordinator
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) play a crucial role in managing and submitting specific data elements mandated by the State to the State Student Information Repository System (SIRS) To ensure compliance, LEAs should appoint District Data Coordinators who are tasked with the accurate maintenance and transmission of these essential State-required data elements.
In particular, these District Data Coordinators should be responsible for implementing accurate reporting of individual student and other data by completing the following activities:
To effectively manage the district's operations, it is essential to assemble and lead a team of personnel with technical expertise in the district's management systems and infrastructure This team should possess a solid understanding of current reporting requirements, particularly for special populations of students, including those under ESEA, special education, migrant, and LEP categories Additionally, familiarity with the district's registration materials and processes, along with data analysis experience and a background in instruction, is crucial for ensuring comprehensive support and effective decision-making.
• Defining and documenting data collection standards that include: o department configurations and staff responsibilities, o alignment with State codes for State and federal reporting requirements, and o consistency across departments and functions.
When reviewing electronic management systems for compliance with standards, it is essential to ensure the system's flexibility for adding fields or screens, enabling staff to update or modify validation tables, and thoroughly documenting all processes and procedures for both current and future employees.
• Communicating data governance standards across departments.
• Developing a data verification protocol to ensure that data are accurate when they are transferred to the SIRS
The District Data Coordinator should:
• coordinate and facilitate district data team meetings;
• obtain authorization for school and district personnel to view student records in, and obtain reports from, the SIRS;
• provide status reports regarding the district’s compliance to the superintendent and respond to requests for data for analysis purposes;
• identify training needs for support staff;
• monitor compliance with regard to data standards and maintenance of records;
• submit requests for data extracts that conform to the Data Warehouse file formats;
• act as the liaison between the district and the regional Level 1 data center;
• secure the certification of the data by the school superintendent prior to data transmission by the Level 1 data center;
• direct or assist in the direction of the data analysis activities and instructional improvement initiatives; and
• attend informational sessions provided for District Data Coordinators by Level 1 data centers.
Who Must Report Student Data Using the SIRS?
The responsibility for student education encompasses three key areas: providing general instruction, accountability for performance, and determining eligibility for special education services For most students attending public schools within their district of residence, these responsibilities lie with the respective school district Consequently, the district is required to supply all necessary student records, including relevant program service records, through the Student Information Repository System (SIRS) It is essential for designated entities to report data accurately using the SIRS framework.
• all public schools and districts with instructional and/or accountability responsibility, including special act districts and charter schools;
• all schools operated by State agencies, such as the Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Mental Health, and the Department of Correctional Services;
• all child-care institutions with affiliated schools that provide educational services pursuant to Article 81 of the Education Law (see http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sedcar/schoollsts/article81.htm);
• BOCES institutions (see eScholar templates for data to be reported by BOCES);
• nonpublic schools (records for parentally placed students who participate in any state assessment); and
• the New York State School for the Blind in Batavia and the New York State
School for the Deaf in Rome
When a student enrolls in a school outside their local public school district, the responsibility for education and reporting may be shared among different educational institutions The specific institution accountable for reporting student records is influenced by various determining factors.
• whether the parent or guardian, the public school district, another agency, or the court placed the child, and
• in the case of students with disabilities, which institution has Committee on
Special Education (CSE) or Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) responsibility.
The district of residence is required to report all records for students placed in external educational programs, such as BOCES or approved private schools for students with disabilities, by district officials or the district's Committee on Special Education (CSE) or Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) However, the district is not obligated to report academic records for students placed outside the district by parents, legal guardians, courts, or social service agencies, unless it maintains CSE responsibility for those students.
Public school districts and charter schools are tasked with delivering general instruction and suitable special education services for students in specified categories They are also responsible for assessing eligibility for special education and ensuring accountability for student performance Consequently, these educational institutions must maintain and report all necessary records for resident students within these categories.
All public school students in preK–12, including ungraded students with disabilities of equivalent age, who are enrolled at any point during the current school year, are included in this policy This encompasses students who may have left school for various reasons or those who have faced suspension.
• Public school students with disabilities in preschool enrolled at any time during the current school year, including students who left school for any reason or were suspended from school;
Resident students of compulsory age who are not enrolled in public or nonpublic schools, or an approved home schooling program during the current school year must be reported until they reach the age of compulsory schooling, move out of the district, or the district obtains documentation of their enrollment in another educational program leading to a high school diploma This is indicated by the Enrollment Code 8294, which is used for census purposes only Once the student surpasses the compulsory school age, they should be removed from the roster.
The "8294" enrollment record utilizes Reason for Ending Enrollment Code 357, indicating that a student left school and was previously classified as a dropout If a student with the 8294 code ends enrollment for a different reason, the corresponding Reason for Ending Enrollment Code from Chapter 5 must be applied Districts are required to perform due diligence to confirm that students are still residing within the district before using the 8294 code If it is determined that a student is no longer a resident, the enrollment should be concluded using the appropriate Reason for Ending Enrollment Code For students who drop out while still of compulsory school age, the 8294 Reason for Beginning Enrollment Code should be recorded immediately after the appropriate Reason for Ending Enrollment Code is entered.
Students residing in the district and participating in an Alternative High School Equivalency Preparation Program (AHSEPP) approved under Section 100.7 of the Commissioner of Education's Regulations must be reported accordingly For a comprehensive list of approved programs, please visit the New York State Education Department's website.
AHSEPP enrollment record (Reason for Beginning Enrollment Code 5654 –
Enrollment in a AHSEP program) until they earn the high school equivalency diploma, transfer to a diploma-granting program, or leave the AHSEPP;
Students who are placed outside their district by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) or a district official include those with disabilities attending approved private schools, state-supported schools (Section 4201), special act districts, or component schools from other districts.
• Resident students attending a BOCES on a full-time basis;
• Resident students in equivalent-attendance programs operated by the district or BOCES;
• Resident students receiving homebound instruction who were not reported as enrolled in a district school;
• Students placed by a court or a social service agency in a residence in the school district;
• Students placed in a county jail or a jail operated by the city of New York within district boundaries; and
• Foreign-exchange students from outside the United States who are enrolled in a New York State school.
Public school districts hold a partial responsibility for reporting educational records for certain students attending nonpublic schools and those who are home-schooled They must ensure accurate reporting of the specified education records for these students.
• Enrollment, student demographic, and program participation for home-schooled and walk-in students;
Enrollment and demographic information, along with program services and special education records, are essential for parentally placed students in nonpublic schools This data pertains to those evaluated for special education eligibility or identified as having a disability, regardless of whether they received publicly funded special education services.
Home-schooled students evaluated for special-education eligibility or identified as having disabilities by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) are required to maintain comprehensive records This includes enrollment data, demographic information, program services, and details of the special-education services they received.