data management manual

.

Data

Management Manual

For use with Scholastic Achievement Manager version 2.3.1 and later

Copyright © 2014 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

PDF0655 (PDF)

SCHOLASTIC, SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT MANAGER, SYSTEM 44, SCHOLASTIC READING COUNTS!, READ 180, FASTT MATH, FRACTION NATION, RSKILLS, and associated logos are

trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

LEXILE is a registered trademark of MetaMetrics, Inc. Other company names, brand names, and product names are the property and/or trademarks of their respective owners.

SAM Data Management Manual

Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Table of Contents • 2 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents Data Management Overview ................................................................................. 3 Roster Import ......................................................................................................... 4

Overview ............................................................................................................. 4 Automatic Account Creation During Roster Import ............................................. 4 Student Roster File Format ................................................................................. 6 Teacher and Administrator Roster File Format ................................................... 9 Importing the File .............................................................................................. 11

Data Export ........................................................................................................... 13 Student Transfers ................................................................................................ 20 Student Lexile Transfer ....................................................................................... 23 Student Promotions ............................................................................................. 26

Viewing Output Files ......................................................................................... 34 Data Aggregation ................................................................................................. 35

Overview ........................................................................................................... 35 District User IDs ................................................................................................ 35 Version Compatibility Requirements ................................................................. 35 The Aggregation Scheduler .............................................................................. 36 Aggregation Scheduler Home Screen ............................................................... 37 Source Servers Screen ..................................................................................... 38 Add Source Server Window .............................................................................. 40 Importing Source Servers From a CSV File ...................................................... 41 The CSV File ..................................................................................................... 42 The Edit Source Server Screen ........................................................................ 43 The Schedule Aggregation Event Screen ......................................................... 44 The Select Source Servers Screen ................................................................... 45 The Select Programs Screen ............................................................................ 46 The Select Data Purge Options Screen ............................................................ 47 The Confirm Aggregation Event Screen ........................................................... 48

Backing Up and Restoring the Database ........................................................... 49 Overview ........................................................................................................... 49 Backing Up ........................................................................................................ 49 Restoring a Database ....................................................................................... 51

Data Migration ...................................................................................................... 52 Technical Support ................................................................................................ 53


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Data Management Overview • 3 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Management Overview

This manual covers data management in the Scholastic Achievement Manager (SAM), importing and exporting roster and performance data, moving data into SAM from other programs and backing up the database.

There are seven types of data management in SAM:

• Roster Import: Imports roster information for students, teachers, and administrators

• Data Export: Exports student roster and performance data from SAM into a CSV file, which may then be analyzed in other software, such as in Excel or a student information system (SIS)

• Student Transfers: Moves a student’s roster and performance data from one SAM installation to another (if a student moves from one school to another, for example)

• Student Lexile® Transfers: Copies a student’s Lexile measure from one SAM installation to another, which may be helpful if the classroom has one SAM installation dedicated to SRI and another SAM installation dedicated to a product such as READ 180® that uses Lexile measures

• Student Promotions: Promotes students at the end of the year and/or transfers them into another SAM installation, if applicable (for example, if they graduate elementary school and move to a middle school)

• Data Aggregation: Copies the database from several SAM installations onto one district-wide SAM installation, which may be used to facilitate district-wide reporting when several schools have their own SAM installations

• Backup: Makes a backup copy of the entire SAM database


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Roster Import • 4 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Roster Import

Overview

Student, teacher, and administrator rosters may be imported into SAM from a CSV file. This is especially helpful when student and teacher data is stored in an SIS system or in a spreadsheet program such as Excel.

Rosters may be imported to create student, teacher, or administrator profiles or to overwrite existing roster data in the database. Scholastic recommends backing up the database before proceeding with any file import, since importing rosters modifies the database file.

Only SAM users with administrative permissions may perform a roster import.

NOTE: The instructions in this section may also be used to import other types of files: for example, a ZIP file as part of the Student Transfer, Student Lexile Transfer, Student Promotion, or Data Aggregation processes. For any of these import processes, simply begin with Step 2 of the import process.

Automatic Account Creation During Roster Import

District administrators, school administrators, and teachers with administrative permissions may use the Roster Import process to create classes and student accounts that will automatically appear in the SmartBar. This is the easiest way to avoid manual entry of accounts when setting up the SmartBar at the beginning of the school year. Students may be assigned to multiple classes or have their classes synchronized (their records added or removed from classes) during the import.

Schools must exist in SAM prior to importing students for the import process to work. The import process creates classes within that school so that each imported student may be associated with the proper class on the SmartBar.

If the necessary school name (SCHOOL_NAME) and class name (CLASS_NAME) are not included in the roster import CSV file, use the Manage Inactive Accounts function to place students in classes.

The student data import process updates all student roster data other than the SIS_ID including the username and password.

District User IDs may be generated automatically to non-student users during the import process.



To import a student, teacher, or administrator roster, first create a CSV file with the roster information. One CSV file may import student, teacher, or administrator roster information, but SAM cannot import students, teachers, or administrators from the same file.

If there are any errors in a CSV roster import file (for either a student, teacher, or administrator), the record for the student, teacher, or administrator with that error will fail, but the rest of the import process will proceed as usual.

In cases where one or more records cannot be imported, the Roster Import process generates two files in the original roster location: an error log ([filename]-errors-[timestamp].csv) and a CSV file that contains the records that could not be imported ([filename]-exceptions-[timestamp].csv). Open the error log and review the reasons why each problematic record failed to import, then open the CSV file, correct the records, and follow the steps to import a formatted CSV file.

Only those files that contained problems are in the log and CSV file; non-problematic records have been imported.



Student Roster File Format

Shaded fields are required; other fields are optional.

Field names in the roster import file must match the Column Heads as specified in this chart. Import fields that contain special characters (other than username and password) may prevent that record from displaying in SAM.

Descriptive SAM Reference Column Head Data Type

Allowable Special Characters

Student ID SIS_ID [alpha-numeric] None

First Name FIRST_NAME [alpha-numeric] None

Middle Initial MIDDLE_NAME [alpha-numeric] None

Last Name LAST_NAME [alpha-numeric] None

Username USER_NAME [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [hyphen], [space], [underscore]

Password PASSWORD [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [hyphen], [space], [underscore], [at sign], [caret], [tilde]

Grade GRADE [numeric] None

Gender: Male GENDER_MALE [Y/N], [y/n] None

Gender: Female GENDER_FEMALE [Y/N], [y/n] None

School SCHOOL_NAME [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [hyphen], [space], [underscore]

Class CLASS_NAME [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [hyphen], [space], [underscore]

SRI (Lexile) Score LEXILE_SCORE [numeric] -32,768<SRI<32,767

None

SRI Score Date LEXILE_MOD_DATE mm/dd/yyyy OR yyyy-mm-dd

None

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian

ETHNIC_CAUCASIAN [Y/N], [y/n] None

Ethnicity: Black/African American

ETHNIC_AFRICAN_AM [Y/N], [y/n] None

Ethnicity: Hispanic ETHNIC_HISPANIC [Y/N], [y/n] None

Ethnicity: Pacific Islander

ETHNIC_PACIFIC_ISL [Y/N], [y/n] None

Ethnicity: American Indian/Alaskan Native

ETHNIC_AM_IND_AK_NATIVE

[Y/N], [y/n] None

Ethnicity: Asian ETHNIC_ASIAN [Y/N], [y/n] None



Descriptive SAM Reference Column Head Data Type


AYP: Economically Disadvantaged

AYP_ECON_ DISADVANTAGED

[Y/N], [y/n] None

AYP: Limited English Proficiency

AYP_LTD_ENGLISH_ PROFICIENCY

[Y/N], [y/n] None

AYP: Gifted and Talented

AYP_GIFTED_ TALENTED

[Y/N], [y/n] None

AYP: Migrant AYP_MIGRANT [Y/N], [y/n] None

AYP: Students with Disabilities

AYP_WITH_ DISABILITIES

[Y/N], [y/n] None

SAM version 2.3 contains two types of student password requirements:

• Grades Pre-K to 2: Passwords must contain between 3 and 16 characters and cannot be only the user’s first or last name or a combination of the two.

• Grades 3 to 12: Passwords must contain between 6 and 16 characters and cannot be only the user’s first or last name or a combination of the two. Passwords must also contain at least one numeral.

District administrators may change these requirements through the SAM Server Utility. Districts using Scholastic Hosting Services should contact Scholastic Technical Support (page 53) for help changing password requirements. Previously set passwords and requirements are unaffected.

Every record in the CSV import file must include all five required fields or that record will fail. The required fields are:

• SIS_ID

• FIRST_NAME

• LAST_NAME

• USER_NAME

• GRADE

Depending on how the roster import file is set up, students will either appear in Inactive Accounts or in the SmartBar.

• If SCHOOL_NAME and CLASS_NAME are not included, students will appear in Inactive Accounts.

• If SCHOOL_NAME and CLASS_NAME are included and if that exact school already exists in the SmartBar, students will appear in the SmartBar associated with those schools and classes. If the CLASS_NAME does not exist in SAM, the class will be created within the existing school.



Note that new classes created through the CSV import do not have a grade association, even though Grade is a required field for a class when creating it through SAM.

Column headings for optional fields do not need to be included. Optional fields for some records may be kept blank, however:

• If an optional field is blank and data exists in the database for that SIS_ID, the existing data will remain; blank fields will not overwrite existing data.

• If nothing is entered for PASSWORD and the account does not already exist, the default will be P@5sword.

• If a duplicate USER_NAME already exists in the database, SAM will append digits to the imported USER_NAME to render it unique. Changed usernames will be reported at the end of the process.

• If LEXILE_SCORE is included, LEXILE_MOD_DATE must also be included. This score will replace the existing Lexile value for a student only if the LEXILE_MOD_DATE is more recent than that for the existing Lexile measure.

The following is an example of a properly formatted CSV student roster import file; it includes each of the five required fields as well as Lexile measures and dates. The first row represents the column headers for the required fields plus Lexile measure and date. Student information is represented in successive rows after the headers.



Teacher and Administrator Roster File Format

The Roster Import process may now be used to update all information in a teacher or administrator profile provided all District User IDs match. Shaded fields are required; other fields are optional. Starting with SAM version 2.0, District User ID is a required field for teachers and administrators.

Teachers and administrators with records on more than one server in a school district must have usernames and District User ID numbers that match exactly, or their access to Interactive Teaching Services and the Training Zone will be disabled (access is re-enabled when the username and ID number are corrected).

It is vital that two different users do not have the same District User IDs on the same server when performing an import. If two users have the same District User ID, the newer user is added to the Roster Import and the older user’s account is overwritten. The District User ID must also be the same in the import file as the database, or a new account will be inadvertently created.

Field names in the roster import file must match the Column Heads as specified in this chart. Import fields that contain special characters (other than username and password) may prevent that record from displaying in SAM. Descriptive SAM Reference

Column Head (field name) Data Type


Account Type ACCOUNT_TYPE [alpha-numeric] None District User ID DISTRICT_USER_ID [alpha-numeric] None Scholastic Profile Services

SPS_ID [alpha-numeric] None

Prefix PREFIX [alpha-numeric] None First Name FIRST_NAME [alpha-numeric] None Last Name LAST_NAME [alpha-numeric] None Title TITLE [alpha-numeric] None Suffix SUFFIX [alpha-numeric] None Email EMAIL [alpha-numeric] None Username USER_NAME [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [space],

[hyphen], [underscore] Password PASSWORD [alpha-numeric] [apostrophe], [hyphen],

[space], [underscore], [at sign], [caret], [tilde]

Last Coll LAST_COLL [alpha-numeric] None School SCHOOL_NAME [alpha-numeric] None Class CLASS_NAME [alpha-numeric] None

School Name is not required for teachers or district administrators, but is for school administrators.



School name and class are not required fields for teacher and administrator imports; however, if these fields are left blank, the teacher or administrator profile will move to Inactive Accounts.

SAM version 2.3 teacher and administrator passwords must contain between 8 and 16 characters and cannot be only the user’s first or last name or a combination of the two. Passwords must also contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one numeral. District administrators may change these requirements through the SAM Server Utility. Districts using Scholastic Hosting Services should contact Scholastic Technical Support (page 53) for help changing password defaults. Previously set passwords and requirements are unaffected.

Column headings for optional fields do not need to be included. Optional fields for some records may be kept blank, however:

• If an optional field is left blank in the CSV file and data already exists in the database for that District User ID, the existing data will remain as is; blank fields will not overwrite existing data.

• If nothing is entered for PASSWORD in the CSV file and the account does not already exist, the default will be P@5sword.

Below is an example of how to format a valid CSV file (note the double comma indicates a necessary but empty field) for teachers: [Line 1] ACCOUNT_TYPE, DISTRICT_USER_ID, SPS_ID, PREFIX, FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, TITLE, SUFFIX, EMAIL, USER_NAME, PASSWORD, SCHOOL_NAME, CLASS_NAME [Line 2] DIST_ADMIN, 141210,1024, Ms., Sarah, Greene, Teacher, Jr., [email protected], SarahGreene, SG024, The Lincoln School, English Class [Line 3] DIST_ADMIN, 56678, 1025, Mr., Jamal, Evans, Teacher, [email protected], JamalEvans, JE555, The Lincoln School, Math Class

Correct format for district administrators and district technical administrators should look like this:

Correct format for school administrators and school technical administrators should look like this:



Importing the File

When the roster import file is created, import the roster:

1. Double-click My District at the top of the SmartBar or click the Roster tab at the district level to access the district’s Profile Screen.

2. In the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner, click the Import link if importing students (or importing a file other than a roster import file), the Import Teachers link if importing teachers, or the Import Admins link if importing administrators. These links open the Select a File to Import Screen.

3. On the Select a File to Import Screen, enter the roster import file name or click the Browse button (or the Choose File button on a Macintosh) to select the roster import file. After selecting the file, click the Next button to open the Import Student (or Teacher) Roster Data Screen. To see a template of the CSV file, click CSV Template. To view and select a roster import file on the SAM Server, click View Server Files. Select the file to import and click Next.



4. At the Roster Import Screen, select the import mode:

• Add Students to SAM and Classes: This will import records, update profile data based on the first instance of a record, and add students to classes listed in all instances.

• Synchronize Student Classes: This will import records, update profile data based on the information in the first instance of a record, add students to classes listed in all instances, and remove students from classes not listed in the file.

5. Click Back to review and verify the name of the file or select a new file. Click Import to import the file.

When the import has started, the Processing Request Screen appears. When the import is finished, a notification will appear in the SAM Home Screen. Click Close to close this screen.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Data Export • 13 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Export

SAM users may export student roster and performance data (CSV files) for use in other software programs, such as Microsoft Excel or a student information system (SIS).

Only a SAM user with administrative permissions may perform this function.

To export data for use in a different application:


2. Click the Export link from the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner of the screen to open the Export Wizard in a new browser window.

3. Click the button to select Export CSV Roster Data and click Next to open the Select Students Screen.



4. Use the pull-down menu to select the school, teacher, and classes for which the data will be exported. Click Next to continue. The Filter Selection Screen will appear.



5. Click the check boxes to select the classes whose data will be exported. To select all classes, click the check box at the top of the column. To change choices, use the Back button to return to the Filter Selection Screen. If satisfied with the choices, click Next.



6. Click the check boxes to select the students whose data will be exported. To select all students, click the check box at the top of the column. To change choices, use the Back button to return to the Filter Selection Screen. If satisfied with the choices, click Next.



7. Use the pull-down menu to select an existing time period or enter a start date and an end date. To change choices, use the Back button to return to the Filter Selection Screen. If satisfied with the choices, click Next.



8. Click the boxes to select which Scholastic programs to export data from. The data points to be exported are displayed in parentheses next to the program. Click the “+” button next to the program name to drill down through the data points and select or deselect individual points. Note that some versions of Microsoft Excel are limited to 256 columns; if the number of data points exceeds this, some columns will not be displayed in that application, though all of the data will be contained in the CSV file. When all selections are made, click Export.

9. The Processing Request Screen opens and the export request will begin to process. Close the browser window to return to SAM.

A notification will appear in the Message Center on the Home Screen when the export file is ready. Exporting a large file may take some time.



Access the file by clicking the Show Me link in the Message Center. This opens a new browser window. From this window the file can be saved to a specific location or to portable media, such as a flash drive or CD-ROM.

Selected datapoints are available for both local and hosted installations, and may be selected individually. SAM Server (profile) data may be excluded when exporting application data, which may be useful if exporting to a target where students should be anonymous. However, this may also render product data unidentifiable, depending on the datapoints selected. Check with Scholastic Technical Support at 1-800-283-5974 with any questions or concerns.

For repetitive datapoints, such as tests or topics, de-selecting one will exclude it for each of the repeating sets. As noted in Step 8, a running total of the selected datapoints is displayed at the bottom of the screen, with a warning if the total exceeds 256.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Student Transfers • 20 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Student Transfers

If a student transfers from one school to another, the student’s data may be transferred out of one SAM installation and into another SAM installation.

The Student Transfer process removes all performance records (including READ 180 Success Zone and System 44® Success Strand fluency recordings) from the student’s current school and prepares a file that may be used to import that student’s data into another SAM database.

Students who are transferred are deleted from their existing SAM database. The Student Transfer export helps teachers or administrators who aggregate data across several SAM installations maintain clean databases for aggregation. Otherwise, the same student might exist in more than one SAM installation in the district.

To export data for transfer:

1. Perform a database backup before exporting any files.


3. Click the Export link from the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner of the screen to open the Export Wizard in a new browser window.

4. Click the Transfer Data button and click Next to open the Select Students Screen.



5. Use the pull-down menus to select the school, teacher, and class whose data is to be exported. Click Next to open the Filter Selection Screen.

6. Click the check boxes to select those students to transfer out of this SAM installation. Click Next to open the Confirm Selection Screen.



7. To change choices, use the Back button to return to the Filter Selection Screen. If satisfied with the choices, click Export to continue. A notification will appear in the Message Center on the SAM Home Screen when the export file is ready. Larger files will take more time. Access the file by clicking the Show Me link in the Message Center. This opens a new browser window. From this window the ZIP file may be saved to a specific location or to portable media, such as a flash drive. Use it to import student data into the new SAM installation. See the Roster Import section (page 4) for instructions on how to import the student transfer file into another SAM installation.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Student Lexile Transfers • 23 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Student Lexile Transfer

Many schools have separate SAM installations for SRI and other applications, such as READ 180 or iRead®, that use Lexile measures to determine student placement. This may require transferring a student’s SRI test score from one SAM installation to another. The Student Lexile Transfer process only transfers the most recent Lexile measure, not all of the student’s Lexile measures. The SRI Lexile Export function may transfer a Lexile measure into a SAM installation that does not have SRI installed.

NOTE: Unlike the Student Transfer process, the Student Lexile Transfer process does not remove student profile or performance data from the current SAM installation. It copies the student’s Lexile measure to another SAM installation.

To export SRI Lexile measures:


2. Click the Export link from the Advanced Settings menu to open the Export Wizard in a separate browser window.

3. Click the Export SRI Lexile Data button and click Next. The Select Students Screen will display.



4. Use the pull-down menus to select the school, teacher, and class that contain the student or group of students whose data is to be exported. Click Next to open the Filter Selection Screen.

5. Click the check boxes to select those students whose Lexile measures are to be exported. Click Next to open the Confirm Selection Screen.



6. To change the choices, use the Back button to return to the Filter Selection Screen. Click Export to continue. The Processing Request Screen appears and the export request begins. Close the browser window to return to SAM.

A notification will appear in the Message Center when the export file is ready. This may take some time if exporting a large file.

Save this exported ZIP file to retrieve it for later use. Click the link in the Message Center to open the Show Me Screen. From here the file may be saved to a specific location on the hard drive or on portable media, such as a flash drive or CD-ROM.

See the Roster Import section (page 4) for instructions on how to import the student Lexile transfer file into another SAM installation.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Student Promotions • 26 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Student Promotions

The Manage Student Promotions Wizard is a convenient way to promote large groups of students from one grade to the next in preparation for a new school year.

This function allows administrators to perform one or more of the following tasks:

• Promote students: This option promotes students a single grade while leaving them in their current classes in the SmartBar.

• Remove students from all of their current classes: This option removes students from the SmartBar but leaves them in the SAM installation, accessible with the Manage Inactive Accounts function. This choice automatically creates a CSV file that makes it easy to edit the grade and class names in Excel or a similar spreadsheet program. Using the Automatic Account Creation process (described in the Roster Import section), SAM places the promoted students into new classes.

• Remove students from the SAM installation: This option removes students from the current SAM database and prepares a transfer file to move students to a different SAM installation. The wizard creates either one file for each student or a single file with all students being removed at a given time. Use these files to transfer students to another SAM installation.

As always, Scholastic recommends backing up the SAM database before using the Manage Student Promotions Wizard.

When using the wizard, click Next to save selections and display the next screen, click Back to review and change previous selections, and click Cancel to close the wizard browser window without saving any changes.

NOTE: Do not perform any student promotions while the SAM database is in use. Only run student promotions when no other users are logged into SAM.



To use the Manage Student Promotions Wizard:


8. Click the Manage Student Promotions link in the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner of the screen to open the Manage Student Promotions Wizard.

9. Click Next to begin promoting students. This opens the Select Students Screen.



10. Use the pull-down menu to choose a school, and then use the buttons to select By Class or By Grade. Use the check boxes to select the grade(s) or class(es) with students for promotion. After making the selections, click Next to open the Select Promotions Screen. This screen displays a list of all students available for promotion based on the previous selections.



11. Click column heads in the Select Promotions Screen to sort the data based on that category. Check the boxes to choose which students to promote, remove from classes, or remove from SAM. Then click Next. The available options are:

• Promoted: Students advance to the next grade but remain in their classes on the SmartBar. Combining this choice with the Remove From Classes option removes students from classes as well.

• Remove From Classes: Students no longer appear in the SmartBar associated with any classes and are unenrolled from Scholastic programs, freeing up licenses associated with the students. Student accounts may still be accessed using the Manage Inactive Accounts function, and a CSV file is automatically created to facilitate placement of those students in new schools and classes. Use the View Output Files link to access the CSV file.

• Remove From SAM: Students’ accounts are removed from the SAM database and included in a SAM transfer file (ZIP) so they may be imported into different SAM installations. Students removed from SAM are also removed from the SmartBar and unenrolled from Scholastic programs, freeing up licenses associated with those students.



12. Selecting a student for promotion who was promoted within the last six months prompts a warning screen. Click the boxes to deselect any students who should not be promoted again, then click Next to proceed.

13. Promoting students into a grade not in the existing SAM installation prompts a warning screen. Click the check boxes to deselect the students who are not being promoted out of the database; deselected students will be moved to Inactive Accounts, and students who remain selected will be removed from SAM. Click Next to proceed.



14. Confirm whether to remove students completely from this SAM installation. Students removed from SAM are included in a transfer file that may be used at a later date to import their records into an appropriate SAM installation. Click check boxes for any students not to be removed completely from the SAM installation. These deselected students are removed from the SmartBar and moved to Inactive Accounts. Click Next to advance to the next screen.



15. The Choose Output File Screen allows users to create either a collective transfer file for all students (for example, if students are going to the same school) or individual files for each student (if students may be going to different schools). Click the button to select which type of file to create. Click Next to open the Review and Confirm Selections Screen.



16. Verify the information on the Review and Confirm Selections Screen. Click the Back button to return to any screen and make changes. When satisfied, click Finish to complete the Student Promotion process.

If the records of promoted students need to be imported into another SAM installation, check the Message Center or the View Output Files to access the ZIP file containing these records.



Viewing Output Files

SAM saves all output files created during data activities such as exports, student promotions, or backups. To access these output files, use the View Output Files link in the Advanced Settings menu on the district’s Profile Screen.

Click this link to open a browser window listing the output files created by activities such as exports, student promotions, and backups.

For CSV types, select All Files in the Save As Type pull-down menu and change the file suffix to CSV; otherwise, the file will be saved as an HTML file. Then right-click the filename link of the desired file and select Save Link As from the menu to open a Save As dialog box to save the file to a specific location. For ZIP files, click the filename link to open a Save As dialog box.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Data Aggregation • 35 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Aggregation

Overview

Data Aggregation is the process of transferring and aggregating data from more than one SAM installation onto a separate SAM Server for district-wide reporting purposes.

Aggregation servers are usually set up at a district office and connected to each school-based SAM installation. Data is transferred at a set scheduled time. Setting up the data aggregation server is a one-time operation.

District User IDs

The District User ID is the key field for matching teacher and administrator accounts in an aggregation import. It is vital that two different users do not have the same District User ID on the same server when performing an aggregation. If there are two users with the same District User ID, the older account will be overwritten on the aggregation server.

Version Compatibility Requirements

To aggregate data, the same versions of SAM must be running on the application servers (which generate the aggregation file) and the aggregation server. To check version information, open the System Information Screen by clicking the Connected to [server name] link at the bottom of the SAM Home Screen.

Each database to be aggregated appears on the aggregation server as part of a single district. Because of this, do not aggregate data from more than one district at a time.

If the same school name exists on different SAM installations, SAM adds a number to the school name to distinguish the different sources. For example: Lincoln HS1, Lincoln HS2, etc. This change only takes place on the aggregation server; it has no effect on the source data. The same rule applies for students, classes, and groups.

SAM aggregates data based on student IDs. If there is a student who has data from the same Scholastic program on two separate databases, the data imported last onto the aggregation server is the data that will appear in the aggregation database.



The Aggregation Scheduler

The aggregation server may be set up to manage the entire aggregation process automatically. The aggregation server may be set to:

• Specify which source servers to include in an aggregation event

• Determine when the process should start

• Decide if the process should repeat at regular intervals

To schedule an aggregation event:


2. Click the Aggregation Scheduler link in the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner of the screen to open the Aggregation Scheduler in a separate browser window.

3. Add source servers to the source servers list, if necessary.

4. Schedule the time and frequency of the aggregation event on the Scheduler Screen.

5. Select the source servers to include in the aggregation event.

6. Select which programs to include in the aggregation event.

7. Select whether or not to purge data for the aggregation event.



Aggregation Scheduler Home Screen

If there are no aggregation events scheduled, this screen presents two options:

• Source Servers: Saves information for source servers to include in an aggregation event. Clicking this button opens the Source Servers Screen. Source servers are the SAM installations from which the data aggregation server draws its data.

• Scheduler: Sets up when and how often the aggregation event will occur. Clicking this button opens the Schedule Aggregation Event Screen.

Tasks available on the Home Screen vary according to past actions:

• Setting up an aggregation event for the first time requires setting up the source servers first.

• If the source servers are set up, access the source servers or the Scheduler from this screen.

• If an aggregation event is currently scheduled, clicking the Remove Event button cancels the scheduled aggregation event.

NOTE: Clicking the Remove Event button opens the Confirm Aggregation Event Screen, displaying instructions on how to confirm cancelling the scheduled event.



Source Servers Screen

The Source Servers Screen displays the servers that may be included in an aggregation event. Not all servers listed here will necessarily be included in an aggregation event. The screen also allows users to add, edit, or delete servers from this list:

• To add a new server, click the Add Source button. This opens the Add Source Server Screen.

• To edit an existing server, click the Edit button for that server to open the Edit Source Server Screen.

• To delete an existing server, click the Delete button for that server to open a confirmation window.

The Home and Scheduler buttons at the bottom of the screen move directly to the Home Screen or the Scheduler Screen.



The Source Servers Screen displays the IP address of the aggregation server beneath the list of source servers. The aggregation server stores this address to enhance the security of the aggregation server and source servers connection.

To prevent unauthorized access to a source server, use the Edit District Profile Screen in SAM. Enter the IP address of the aggregation server that is allowed to access that source server. Subsequently, any attempt to access the source server must come from that aggregation server or the source server will reject the connection.

To edit the aggregation server IP address, click the Edit button next to the existing aggregation server IP address.



Add Source Server Window

The Add Source Server Screen allows users to add the required data for a source server. To add a source server, enter the Name, IP/Server Name, and Port, then click the Test button. All three fields are required:

• Name: This nickname is unique to the aggregation scheduler process and has no relationship to any name on the source server itself. Use this name as a reference rather than the more cumbersome IP address.

• IP/Server Name: This is the IP address or server name of the source server. It must match the IP address or server name on the source server or the aggregation server will not make a connection.

• Port: This is the port on the source server that allows the connection from the aggregation server. This will default to 55880.

If the aggregation server makes a successful connection to the source server, the system displays “Test Successful.” If the aggregation server cannot make a successful connection to the source server, the system displays “Test Failed.” The source server information is saved regardless of whether or not the test is successful.

Click Save to save the data and return to the Source Servers Screen, or click Add Another to save the data and open a new Add Source Server Screen to enter information for another server. To import all source server data in one batch, click the Import button. To cancel the entered information, click Cancel to return to the Source Servers Screen and not save any data entered.

The required information may also be imported from a CSV file. Click Import to open the Select a File Screen to begin this process.



Importing Source Servers From a CSV File

To choose a file to import from the Select a File Screen:

1. Click the Browse button (or the Choose File button on a Macintosh) to open a window from which to select the file to import.

2. After selecting the file, click Next to have the data from the selected file written to the database.



The CSV File

The source server import file must be in the proper format. Each field in the file is required:

• NAME (the nickname)

• IP_ADDRESS

• PORT

The IP_ADDRESS may be either a numerical IP address or an alpha-numeric server name.

If the IP_ADDRESS in the import file matches an existing IP address in the database, the data in the import file will overwrite the data in the database for that IP address.

Below is an example of a valid CSV source server import file:

NAME,IP_ADDRESS,PORT

Bayerville High School,192.368.6.291,55880

Somerset High School,192.368.6.292,55880

Morrison Junior High School,192.368.6.293,55880

Eagleton Junior High School,192.368.6.294,55880



The Edit Source Server Screen

Clicking the Edit button on the Source Server Screen opens the Edit Source Server Screen. The existing server data is on the screen when it opens.

To edit the data, change any of the entries for Name, IP/Server Name, or Port, then click the Test button. All three fields are required:

• Name: This nickname is unique to the aggregation scheduler process and has no relationship to any name on the source server itself. Use this name as a reference rather than the more cumbersome IP address.

• IP/Server Name: This is the IP address or server name of the source server. It must match the IP address or server name on the source server or the aggregation server will not make a connection.

• Port: This is the port on the source server that allows the connection from the aggregation server. This defaults to 55880.

If the aggregation server makes a successful connection to the source server, the system displays the message “Test Successful.” If the aggregation server cannot make a successful connection to the source server, the system displays the message “Test Failed.”

Source server information is saved regardless of whether the test is successful.

Click the Save button to save the information entered and return to the Source Servers Screen, or click Cancel to return to the Source Servers Screen without saving the entered data.



The Schedule Aggregation Event Screen

Use the Schedule Aggregation Event Screen to choose the time, date, and frequency of the scheduled aggregation event.

• Time: Set the hour and minute and choose AM or PM from the pull-down menu to set the time of the aggregation event.

• Date: Enter the date in the text field or select the date from the calendar. The date must be in MM/DD/YYYY format.

• Frequency: Choose how frequently the event occurs: Now (as soon as choices are confirmed), One-time Only, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.



The Select Source Servers Screen

Choose which source servers to include in the current aggregation event from the Select Source Servers Screen. The list includes every server entered in the Source Servers Screen. Click the box next to the server to include that server in the aggregation event, or click the box in the column heading to select all servers. Click a column heading to sort the data.

NOTE: The aggregation process copies every student from the source servers, except for students deleted from Inactive Accounts.



The Select Programs Screen

Choose which programs to include in the aggregation event from the Select Programs Screen. The list includes every program installed on the aggregation server. Click the box next to the program to include it in the aggregation event, or click the box in the column heading to include all programs. Click a column heading to sort the program list.



The Select Data Purge Options Screen

To purge data on the aggregation server prior to an aggregation event, use the Select Data Purge Options Screen. The default setting is Purge data. Purging data does not delete the entire database; rather, it deletes only the data necessary to perform a new aggregation.

Scholastic recommends purging data, except in rare instances (such as if data from some source servers have been aggregated and now data from additional servers must be aggregated). It is important to purge data from the database before importing new data from source servers; otherwise the newly imported data will merge with existing data and render the aggregation server inaccurate.



The Confirm Aggregation Event Screen

The Confirm Aggregation Event Screen displays all the choices for the aggregation event:

• Source servers to be included

• Programs to be included

• Schedule and frequency

• Data purge option

Click Finish to schedule the aggregation event and return to the SAM Home Screen, or click Back to review and change previous selections.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Backing Up and Restoring The Database • 49 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Backing Up and Restoring the Database

Overview

Any database that contains regularly updated information should be regularly backed up, either at the district or school level. A SAM backup saves a record of the entire database at a given moment. These system backups should ideally be saved onto portable media and stored off-site.

NOTE: It is good practice to use third-party backup software to back up the entire SAM Server hard drive. Using third-party backup software requires stopping the ScholasticMySQL and ScholasticJBoss services for the duration of the backup.

Backing Up

Only a user with administrator permissions may back up the database. Use the backup utility in SAM to schedule when to perform the backup. As it is not possible to successfully back up the program while anyone is using SAM or any Scholastic program, schedule the backup for after-school hours.

When the district administrator logs in to SAM for the first time, SAM will remind the administrator to schedule a backup. The Schedule Backup Screen (page 50) may be accessed directly from this reminder screen.

To back up the database:


2. Click the Backup link in the Advanced Settings menu in the lower right corner of the screen to open the Backup Wizard in a separate browser window.



3. Use the Schedule Backup Screen to choose the time, date, and frequency of the scheduled aggregation event. Use the Time pull-down menus to set the hour and minute of the backup event. Use the Date field or the calendar to select the date (NOTE: The date must be in MM/DD/YYYY format.) Select a Frequency button to choose how frequently the event occurs: Now (as soon as choices are confirmed), One-time Only, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. Click Next to open a Confirmation Screen.



4. Click Back to change the schedule, or click Export to finish the scheduling.

A notification will appear in the Message Center on the SAM Home Screen when the backup is finished. Close the window to return to SAM; then access the backup ZIP file by clicking the Show Me link in the Message Center. By default, backups are saved to the following location:

ScholasticEE\SAM_Server\jboss\server\lycea\deploy\sam-download.war

Use the SAM Server Utility to choose a location to save a second copy of the backup file. The SAM Server Utility may also be used to perform a one-time database backup. See the SAM Server Utility User’s Guide at the Scholastic Education Product Support website for more information.

Restoring a Database

Restore the SAM database using the Enterprise Edition Database Restore Utility. See the SAM Server Utility User's Guide for more information.

WARNING: Restoring a database overwrites the current database. This function should only be performed by the School or District Technical Coordinator and only if the current database is lost or corrupted. Also, the database backup file may only be restored to a server running the same version of SAM; i.e., a SAM version 1.1 database cannot be restored to a SAM version 1.2 installation.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Data Migration • 52 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Migration

Data Migration is no longer available though SAM. To migrate data from a Scholastic Management System (SMS) or student information system (SIS) installation into SAM, contact Technical Support at 1-800-283-5974.


Scholastic Achievement Manager v2.3.1 Updated 07.07.14 Technical Support • 53 Data Management Manual PDF0655 (PDF) TM ® & © Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

Technical Support

For questions or other support needs, visit the Scholastic Education Product Support website at: http://www.scholastic.com/sam/productsupport.

At the site, users will find program documentation, manuals, and guides, as well as Frequently Asked Questions and live chat support.

For specific questions regarding the Scholastic program suite, contact customer service to speak to a representative for each Scholastic Education technology program at:

• 1-800-283-5974 (all Scholastic Education technology programs)

• 1-800-927-0189 (other versions)

For specific questions about using SAM with your Scholastic programs, click Help in the Quick Links along the top of any screen in SAM.

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