Understanding the Resource Table

Overview

The contents of each resource are presented using a structure that mirrors the sequence of elements within the Ed-Fi JSON specification, and its specific implementation by the Kansas Department of Education. While there is also an Ed-Fi XML specification, the Kansas Ed-Fi implementation uses the JSON data-category format to transmit data. JSON employs a transactional processing model to transmit only the data elements that have been added or changed since the last update to the state Ed-Fi Data Hub. Therefore, depending on the transaction, only a subset of elements within a resource may be transmitted, and the PowerSchool output file will not reflect the full content as depicted in the resource table.

Selection Criteria

Within the introduction to each resource, the Selection Criteria section summarizes the requirements and related business logic governing the publishing of resources. The specified conditions must be met in order for data within a resource to be extracted for transmission. Refer to State Reporting Setup for additional information about the specific configurations and data entry required to support your state's implementation.

Resource Output

The Resource Output section first summarizes the contents and key elements within the published data. Depending on the resource, a single record or multiple records may be published for a single student. An example of the single record model is the Student resource, in which a single record per district student is published. Multiple records apply to resources with a one-to-many relationship, such as the StudentSchoolAssociation resource where, for each student, a separate record is published for each school the student attends. Any dependencies that may govern the successful publishing of a resource are also listed.

Following the resource output summary, each resource output table lists the corresponding data elements and their specified properties, including the description, data type, PowerSchool source field, and an indication if the element is required or not. In cases where multiple values can apply to a single element, this one-to-many relationship is indicated as "1-many" if the element is required, or "0-many" if it is optional; one example is the reporting of student race codes, where multiple races such as "Asian" and "White" may apply.

Some Ed-Fi resources contain multi-element complexes comprised of a set of related fields, also referred to as an "array" in the Kansas Department of Education specifications. These can be recognized by the presence of a header shown in bold above the child data elements contained within the complex, and by the use of indenting and forward slashes to depict the parent-child relationship of the included elements.

Output Table Content and Conventions

Resource output tables include the following information:

• Ed-Fi Data Element – The name of the data element.

• Data View Column - The column name of the

• Business Rules– Additional information about the element, including state reporting rules.

• [Table]Field Name – The name of the source PowerSchool table and field where the data is stored, or from which the data output is derived.

Note: The Table name appears in brackets with the Field Name directly following. Example: [Table]FieldName.

• Submission– A value of "Required" or "Optional" indicates whether the element is required or optional in the Kansas Department of Education implementation.

Descriptors and Types

Many data elements have output values that are governed by standardized Descriptors or Types, designated by the presence of "Descriptor" or "Type" at the end of the JSON data element name. Descriptors and Types are bound by code sets that represent the valid state codes required by the Kansas Department of Education when Ed-Fi data is transmitted to the state Ed-Fi Data Hub. Types are generally standardized Ed-Fi value sets that are not state-specific. Descriptors are state-specific codes, often based on one of the types. Where a descriptor exists that corresponds to a type, the descriptor is used. There are also some cases where types are defined or extended by the state.

These codes, along with their descriptions, are included in the data views within the Descriptors category in the Download Data section on the PowerSchool Ed-Fi Reporting Page. The values stored in PowerSchool are mapped in the Ed-Fi output to Descriptor or Type state code values using these Ed-Fi output conventions:

• Descriptors are output using the CodeValue.

• Types are output using the Short Description.

In many cases, local values stored in PowerSchool are mapped internally to the required Ed-Fi output values within the PowerSchool Ed-Fi publishing routines, and no user intervention is required. In some cases, local values stored in PowerSchool must first be mapped by the district to the equivalent Descriptor or Type state values on the Ed-Fi Code Set Mappings page. Additional information about Ed-Fi Code Set Mappings can be found in the Ed-Fi Getting Started Guide. As each state's Ed-Fi implementation is unique, also refer to the Appendix for further information about the required configuration of PowerSchool state codes, which are referenced when elements using Ed-Fi Descriptors and Types are published.

Education Organization IDs

Every resource includes a reference to one or more Education Organization IDs. These identifiers are typically assigned by the state and entered into PowerSchool. When resources and elements are subsequently published to the state, the same identifiers are used. As needed, local values residing in PowerSchool are automatically converted to the required state format. As an example, depending on the state, the PowerSchool source value for SchoolId may require transformation to add zero padding or to combine the school number with an additional identifier. Any required conversions are automatically applied during the Ed-Fi publishing process.

The following format is used for School Identifiers and Education Organization IDs. 

The KSDE educationOrganizationID is formatted as follows: ttdddbbbb, where: 

• tt = corresponds to the letter alphabet that starts the organization number. 

• D = 14 

• S = 29 

• X = 34 

• Z = 36 

• ddd = last 3 digits of the district number. 

• bbbb = four digits of the school number, 0000 for districts 

This derivation translates to the following sample org numbers and building numbers: