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
- Navigate to Setup > System > Server > System Settings.
- Click Plugin Management Configuration.
- In the Plugin Management Dashboard, select the Enable/Disable checkbox next to PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX).
- Click PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX).
In the PowerSchool Data Exchange (DEX) Setup page, click Profile Configuration.
Click Add Profile.
Enter a Profile Name.
Select the Profile Type.
Select Enabled On, and Save the profile.
Configure PowerSchool Data Exchange
- Navigate to System > Data Exchange > General Setup.
- On the Data Exchange Setup page, select System Enabled On.
- 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. - Edit the following:
- Enter the Data Exchange URL
- Enter the Authentication URL
- Select the School Years
- Choose the Service Options
- In the LEA section, click Configure and edit the following:
- Enable LEA
- Enter the Authentication Key
- Enter the Authentication Secret
- Test the connection and save the communication settings.
- 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.
- 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.