How Ed-Fi Support is Enabled in PowerSchool

The PowerSchool Data Exchange has to be manually installed on the application server(s). Data is securely transferred between PowerSchool and the State Ed-Fi systems using secure HTTP with each LEA receiving separate security credentials as specified by the State Education Agency (SEA). Transferred data must be formatted per the published Ed-Fi specification, an Application Programming Interface (API) based on Representational State Transfer (REST) to create, read, update, or delete information using the JSON data-category format and HTTP.

The Ed-Fi REST API is key to the Integrated Data Exchange with Ed-Fi, and provides the following services:

• Download data including state code lists (Ed-Fi Descriptors) and education organizations
• Upload data on an as-needed basis
• Publish data changes in near real time
• Publish/Receive student transfer data
• Process student transfer data
• Report data quality issues

Installation

Use the steps below to  configure PowerSchool Data Exchange.

Enable PowerSchool Data Exchange Plugin

1. Navigate to Setup > System > Server > System Settings.
2. Click Plugin Management Configuration.
3. In the Plugin Management Dashboard, select the Enable/Disable checkbox next to PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX).
4. Click PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX).

5. In the PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX) Setup page, click Profile Configuration.

6. Click Add Profile.

   1. Enter a Profile Name.

   2. Select the Profile Type.

   3. Select Enabled On, and Save the profile.

Configure PowerSchool Data Exchange

1. Navigate to System > Data Exchange > General Setup.
2. On the Data Exchange Setup page, select System Enabled On.
3. Select the Profile Name.
   Important Note: All Communication Settings are profile specific. Verify that you have selected the correct profile before making the following changes.
4. Edit the following:
   1. Enter the Data Exchange URL
   2. Enter the Authentication URL
   3. Select the School Years
   4. Choose the Service Options
5. In the LEA section, click Configure and edit the following:
   1. Enable LEA
   2. Enter the Authentication Key
   3. Enter the Authentication Secret
   4. Test the connection and save the communication settings.
      1. PowerSchool recommends that you test your connection after completing these communication settings. Click Test Connection. A message appears to inform you whether or not the test was successful. Click the Save button to record your settings once the test is successful.
   5. Click Save to save the Data Exchange Setup.

Note: State-specific setup and configuration is required to use Ed-Fi in PowerSchool. Refer to the Getting Started with Ed-Fi and PowerSchool Data Exchange documentation for further information.