Skip to main content
Skip table of contents

Descriptors (State Codes)

This category captures the descriptors defined by the Wisconsin DPI, and used in subsequent publishing to the state.

Descriptor

The Ed-Fi Descriptor Interchange is used to describe metadata about the descriptors and their structure. It is used to define enumeration vocabularies that are not fixed within the Ed-Fi schema, and whose values vary according to each state's Ed-Fi implementation.

  • Descriptors provide states, districts, vendors, and other users of the Ed-Fi solution with the flexibility to use their own enumerations and code sets without modifying the Ed-Fi core schema.
  • Descriptor values are defined at the state level and downloaded from the state.
  • This information is downloaded and stored in PS publishing tables and used with data quality checks to ensure all data is compliant before uploading to the ODS.
  • As Ed-Fi data is subsequently published to the state, any data element whose name ends in "Descriptor" or "Type" will be output using one of the valid code values specified by the state.

Downloaded Code Set Summary

This view proves a summary of the Descriptors as defined by the DPI, and downloaded into PowerSchool. The view includes the Code Set Name and Description, along with a count of the corresponding Code Values Defined for each descriptor, and the date of the Last Update. The download includes the Descriptors used in the current Wisconsin Ed-Fi implementation, as well as the broader list of items defined within in the Ed-Fi specification that may be used in future phases.

Code Set Name

Description

Academic Honor Category Types

Describes academic distinctions earned by or awarded to a student

Academic Subject Types

Describes academic subjects taught by an individual

Academic Subjects

Describes academic content or subject areas

Accommodations

Describes how an assessment is taken

Accommodation Types

Describes the variations used in how assessment is presented or taken

Achievement Categories

Learner achievement categories

Achievement Category Types

Describes the achievement categories

Additional Credit Types

Describes the additional credit types

Address Types

Describes elements in an address including street address, city, state and zip code

Administration Environment Types

Describes the environment in which a test was administered

Administrative Funding Control Types

Describes the type of education institution as classified by its funding source

Administrative Funding Controls

Type of funding source for education (e.g., private or public)

Assessment Category Types

Describes the category of an assessment based on format and content

Assessment Identification System Types

Describes a coding scheme used for identification purposes to refer to an assessment

Assessment Item Category Types

Describes a category or type of the assessment item

Assessment Item Result Types

Describes the analyzed result of a student's response to an assessment item

Assessment Reporting Method Types

Describes the method to report the performance and achievement of all students

Attendance Event Categories

Attendance event categories

Attendance Event Category Types

Describes a code categorizing the attendance event

Behavior Categories

Behavior categories describing a discipline incident

Behavior Types

Describes enumerated items defining categories of behavior in describing an accident

Calendar Event Types

Describes the type of scheduled or unscheduled event for the day

Calendar Events

Types of scheduled or unscheduled events for a day

Career Pathway Types

Describes the cluster or pathway representing the career path of the vocational/CTE concentrator

Certificated Program Status TypesDescribes the status in a certified program.

Charter Status Types

Describes the category of charter school

Citizenship Status Types

Describes whether or not the person is a U.S. citizen

Classroom Position Types

Describes the type of position the staff member holds in the specific class or section

Classroom Positions

Type of position for a staff member in a specific classroom

Cohort Scope Types

Describes the scope of cohort

Cohort Types

Describes the type of cohort

Cohort Year Types

Describes enumeration items for the set of cohort years

Competency Levels

Defines various levels for assessed competencies

Content Class Types

Describes the predominate type or kind characterizing the learning resource

Continuation of Service Reasons

Allows continuation of services after certain reasons

Continuation Of Services Reason Types

Describes reasons why services are continued after a child is no longer considered migratory

Cost Rate Types

Describes the rate by which a cost applies

Count Date Name Types

Describes common names associated with count dates

Count Date Receiving Service Types

Describes service types associated with count dates

Course Attempt Result Types

Describes the result from the student's attempt to take the course

Course Defined By Types

Describes whether the course was defined by the SEA, LEA, school, or national organization

Course GPA Applicability Types

Describes whether the course being described is included in the computation of the student's GPA

Course Level Characteristic Types

Describes the nature and difficulty of instruction

Course Repeat Code Types

Describes if an academic course has been repeated and how it will be computed in the student's GPA

Credential Types

Describes the category of credential an individual holds

Credit Types

Describes the type of credits or units of value awarded for the completion of a course

CTE Program Area TypesDescribes Wisconsin CTE program areas.

Curriculum Used Types

Describes the type of curriculum used in an early learning classroom or group

Delivery Method Types

Describes the way in which an intervention was implemented

Diagnoses

Defines diagnoses that interventions are intended to target

Diagnosis Types

Describes the target purpose of the intervention

Diploma Level Types

Describes the level of diploma or credential awarded after completing curricular requirements

Diploma Types

Describes the type of diploma or credential awarded after completing curricular requirements

Disabilities

Defines a child's impairment

Disability Category Types

Describes the type of disability designation

Disability Types

Describes the type of disability condition that describes a child's impairment

Discipline Action Length Difference Reason Types

Describes the reason for the difference between the official and actual lengths of a disc assignment

Education Organization Category Types

Describes the classification of the education agency within the geographic boundaries of a state

Education Organization Identification System Types

Describes a coding scheme used for identification purposes to refer to an education organization

Education Plan Types

Describes the type of Education Plan(s) the student is following

Educational Environment Types

Describes the setting in which a child receives education and related services

Electronic Mail Types

Describes the numbers, letters, and symbols used to identify an electronic mail

Employment Status Types

Describes the type of employment or contract

Employment Statuses

Defines the type of employment or contact

Entry Codes

Defines the process by which a student enters a school during a given academic session

Entry Grade Level Reason Types

Describes why a staff member determined a student should be promoted or demoted at the end of a term

Entry Type Types

Describes the process by which a student enters a school during a given academic session

Event Circumstance Types

Describes an unusual event that occurred during the administration of the assessment

Exit Withdraw Codes

Defines the circumstances under which the student exited the educational institution

Exit Withdraw Type Types

Describes the circumstances which a student exited from membership in an educational institution

Grade Level Types

Describes the enumerated collection for specifying one or more grade levels

Grade Levels

Grade level definitions

Grade Types

Describes the type of grade in a report card or transcript

Gradebook Entry Types

Describes the type of the gradebook entry

Grading Period Types

Describes the name of the period for which grades are reported

Grading Periods

Names for the period for which grades are reported

Graduation Plan Codes

Graduation plan types

Graduation Plan Type Types

Describes the type of academic plan the student is following for graduation

Gun Free Schools Act Reporting Status Types

Describes whether the school or LEA submitted a Guns-Free Schools Act report to the state

IAC Code TypesDescribes the IAC codes, which are a subset of federal CIP codes used in Wisconsin CTE programs.

Identification Document Use Types

Describes the type of use given to an identification document

Incident Location Types

Describes where the incident occurred and whether or not it occurred on school property

Institution Telephone Number Types

Describes the 10-digit telephone number, including the area code, for the organization

Integrated Technology Status Types

Describes the status for integrated technology

Interactivity Style Types

Describes the predominate mode of learning supported by the learning resource

Internet Access Types

Describes the type of Internet access that is available

Intervention Class Types

Describes the way in which an intervention is used curriculum, supplement or practice

Intervention Effectiveness Rating Types

Describes if the intervention demonstrates effectiveness and caused an improvement in outcomes

Language Types

Describes the language the individual uses to communicate

Language Use Types

Describes the category denoting how a language is used

Languages

Languages that are written or spoken

Leave Event Category Types

Describes the type of leave event

Level Of Education Types

Describes the enumeration of the difference levels of education achievable

Levels

Grade levels certified for teaching

Levels Of Education

Achievable levels of education

Limited English Proficiency Indicators

Indicates the student has been identified as Limited English Proficient

Limited English Proficiency Types

Describes if the student has been identified as Limited English Proficient or English Proficient

Local Education Agency Category Types

Describes the category of LEA, District, Independent or Charter

Magnet Special Program Emphasis School Types

Describes a school designated to attract students of different racial or ethnic backgrounds

Medium Of Instruction Types

Describes media through which teachers provide instructions to students and students to teachers

Meeting Day Types

Describes the day(s) of the week the class meets or an indication the class meets

Method Credit Earned Types

Describes the method the credits were earned

Network Purpose Types

Describes the purpose(s) of the network, shared services, collective procurement, etc.

Old Ethnicity Types

Describes previous definition of Ethnicity combining Hispanic/Latino and Race

Operational Status Types

Describes the current operational status of the education organization

Other Name Types

Describes other names

Performance Base Conversion Types

Describes standard levels of competency or performance that can be used for dashboard visualizations

Performance Levels

Levels or thresholds for performance on an assessment

Personal Information Verification Types

Describes the evidence presented to verify one's personal identity

Population Served Types

Describes the type of students the course was designed for

Post Secondary Event Category Types

Describes the post-secondary event

Post Secondary Institution Level Types

Describes whether a post-secondary institution's highest level of offering (in years)

Posting Result Types

Describes whether the position was filled or retired without filling

Program Assignment Types

Describes the education program for which a teacher is assigned to a school

Program Assignments

Education program names assigned to teachers

Program Characteristic Types

Describes important characteristics of the Program, such as categories or particular indications

Program Characteristics

Important program characteristics such as categories and indications

Program Sponsor Types

Describes providers of funds for a particular educational or service program or activity

Program Types

Describes the program of instruction, training, services, etc. available from government agencies

Publication Status Types

Describes the publication status of the document

Race Types

Describes the general racial category which most clearly reflects the individual's recognition

Reason Exited Types

Describes the reason the child left the program within a school or district

Reason Not Tested Types

Describes the primary reason the student is not tested

Reasons Exited

Reasons a student exited a program

Recognition Types

Describes the nature of recognition given to the student for accomplishments in an activity

Relation Types

Describes the nature of an individual's relationship to a student

Repeat Identifier Types

Describes whether a student has previously taken a given course

Reporter Description Types

Describes the type of individual who reported the incident

Reporter Descriptions

Type of individual who reported an incident

Residency Status Indicators

Indications of location of a person's legal residence relative to this school

Residency Status Types

Describes the location of a person's legal residence relative to the school boundaries

Response Indicator Types

Describes the indicator of the response

Responsibility Type Codes

Types of responsibility per education organization

Responsibility Type Types

Describes the education organization's responsibility for a student, such as attendance

Restraint Event Reason Types

Describes the items of categorization of the circumstances or reasons for a restraint

Result Datatype Types

Describes the datatype of the result

Retest Indicator Types

Describes if a test has been retaken

School Category Types

Describes the category of school

School Choice Implement Status Types

Describes whether the LEA implemented the provisions for public school choice under Title 1, Part A

School Food Services Eligibility Type Codes

Student level of eligibility for break

School Food Services Eligibility Type Types

Describes a student's level of eligibility for breakfast, lunch, supper, and milk programs

School Types

Describes the type of education institution as classified by its primary focus

School Year Types

Describes a school year

Section Characteristic Types

Describes enumeration items for Section Characteristics

Separation Reason Types

Describes reason for terminating the employment

Separation Reasons

Reasons for terminating employment

Separation Types

Describes types of employment separation

Services

Services provided by an education organization for students in programs

Sex Types

Describes a person's gender

Special Education Setting Types

Describes the major instructional setting for a student

Special Education Settings

Major instrument setting (more than 50 percent of student spec ed program)

Staff Classification Types

Describes an individual's title of employment, official status or rank

Staff Classifications

Describes individual title of employment, official status, rank

Staff Identification System Types

Describes a coding scheme for identification purposes by schools, etc. to refer to a staff member

State Abbreviation Types

Describes the abbreviation for the state which an address is located

State Endorsed Regional Career Pathway Status TypesDescribes the state-endorsed, regional career pathways.

Student Characteristic Types

Describes the important characteristics of the student's home situation

Student Characteristics

Student characteristics

Student Identification System Types

Describes a coding scheme used for identification purposes by schools, etc. to refer to a student

Student Participation Code Types

Describes the role or type of participation of a student in a discipline incident

Teaching Credential Basis Types

Describes pre-determined criteria for granting the teaching credential an individual holds

Teaching Credential Type Codes

Categories of legal document giving authorization to teach

Teaching Credential Type Types

Describes the category of a legal document authorizing to perform teaching assignment services

Telephone Number Types

Describes the category of a legal document authorizing to perform teaching assignment services

Term Types

Describes the type of the session during the school year

Terms

Terms associated with a session during the school year

Title I Part A Participant Types

Describes the type of Title I program which the student is participating and served

Title I Part A School Designation Types

Describes the Title I Part A designation for the school

Visa Types

Describes a non-U.S. citizen's Visa type

Weapon Types

Describes the type of weapon used during an incident

Weapons

Types of weapon used during an incident

Downloaded Code Set Values

This view captures a complete list of Descriptor values by code set (state codes) as defined by the DPI, and downloaded into PowerSchool. Descriptors are used to categorize data for publishing to the state dashboards. The view captures the Code Set Name, Code Value, Description, Effective Begin Date, and Effective End Date (if applicable). For details about the specific code values, visit the Descriptors (state code) category on the PowerSchool Ed-Fi Reporting page.

Local district and/or school codes must be mapped to these state descriptor values for data to be successfully published. In most cases, this mapping is handled internally within the PowerSchool Ed-Fi business logic. In some cases, local codes must be mapped by the district on the PowerSchool Ed-Fi Codes Set Mappings page. District personnel can access the Ed-Fi Codes Set Mappings page on the System Administrator page. If this page does not contain data, select [Run Now] on the Ed-Fi State Reporting page to download descriptor code values from the DPI.

JavaScript errors detected

Please note, these errors can depend on your browser setup.

If this problem persists, please contact our support.