Schools Interoperability Framework

“Share Data Between Programs Automagically”

or

“Does your software play well with others?”

Representing SIF Jill Hanson, Chancery Software Kate Clark, Principal, Ocoee

Middle School Laura Beusse, Ocoee Middle

School Jim Wortham, Orange County

Public Schools Pete Flyzik, Orange County

Public Schools

What is the Schools Interoperability Framework?

In the Beginning...

Software applications are isolated islands - locked in “data tombs”.

Redundant data entry is common. Disconnected applications

increase support costs. Data reporting is a costly and

inefficient process.

FoodFood Transport.Transport.

Student Student AdminAdmin LibraryLibrary

The Integration Problem

FoodFood Transport.Transport.

Student Student AdminAdmin LibraryLibrary

A Simpler Solution

What it is

An industry initiative A specification to ensure applications

work together

What it isn’t Not a product, but a technical

blueprint

What it will do Reduce redundancy of data entry Make data available for decision

making

Why SIF?

Framework Goals Market driven

Focus groups Constant schools/districts

feedback

Industry-wide Not restricted to one vendor or

technology Endorsed by educators

Leverage existing standards SPEEDE/ExPRESS IMS

More Goals Customizable

Give districts the ability to manage state code and local specifics

Multi-platform Open standards (XML, HTTP/S) Published open spec

Promote interoperability Enable diverse applications

to interact and share data

SIF MilestonesJan. ’99Jan. ’99 Formal working group structure

adopted

Feb. ’99Feb. ’99 Publicly announced framework at AASA; Working groups identified

June,June, ’99’99 Release “V0.9 of Specification” and start of work with proof of concept

sites

Nov.Nov. ’99’99 SIF moves to SIIA-released preliminary “Developers

Specificationv.1.0”

June,June, ’00’00 Released “SIF ImplementationSpecification v.1.0”

Oct.Oct. ’00’00 SIF “Showcase Sites” announced

Who should play?

Who Should Play?

School Districts

Individual Schools

Technology Departments

State Education Personnel

Software/Hardware Vendors

HOW DOES SIF WORK?

How does interoperability work? Application

A software program implemented within a school or district.

SIF Data ObjectData elements exchanged in SIF

messages, expressed in XML language SIF Agent

The extension of the application (vendor provided) that publishes messages in response to events and receives messages in response to queries from the other applications (via the ZIS)

How does interoperability work? Continued...

ZIS (Zone Integration Server)A software program that provides

integration services to all the agents registered with it so that they can provide data, subscribe to events, publish events, request data, and respond to requests. It is responsible for all access control and routing within the system.

DELL Computer - Servers

Open District Database (NT Server)

OD Database &Replication Manager

WANSupporting IP protocols

SQL Server

WEB Server (IIS)

AD

O

WEB Client WEB Client WEB Client

MS

MQ

TCP

High School1 or 2 Servers

Win SchoolServer

Open District ReplicatorTCP

Other Zone Integration Servers

ZIS XYZ ZIS 123

Zone IntegrationServer

Chancery'sSIF Agent

dataTeam'sCafeteria

Manager &SIF Agent

VersaTransSIF Agent

MS

MQ

Elementary School1 or 2 Servers

Win SchoolServer

Open District Replicator

TC

P

ALS SIFAgent

DELL Computer - Servers

Open District Database (NT Server)

OD Database &Replication Manager

WANSupporting IP protocols

SQL Server

WEB Server (IIS)

AD

O

WEB Client WEB Client WEB Client

MS

MQ

TCP

High School1 or 2 Servers

Win SchoolServer

Open District ReplicatorTCP

Other Zone Integration Servers

ZIS XYZ ZIS 123

Zone IntegrationServer

Chancery'sSIF Agent

dataTeam'sCafeteria

Manager &SIF Agent

VersaTransSIF Agent

MS

MQ

Elementary School1 or 2 Servers

Win SchoolServer

Open District Replicator

TC

P

ALS SIFAgent

Microsoft/Microsoft/Chancery ZIS at Chancery ZIS at

Ballston Spa Ballston Spa School District, School District,

NYNY

Microsoft/Chancery ZIS

•Manages District and/or Multiple Manages District and/or Multiple District ImplementationsDistrict Implementations

•Includes S.A.L.T. (SIF Agent Link Includes S.A.L.T. (SIF Agent Link Technology) Developer Tool KitTechnology) Developer Tool Kit

•Features fully Web-based Features fully Web-based Administrative InterfaceAdministrative Interface

What is XML?(eXtensible Markup Language)

A W3C endorsed standard XML is to structured data as HTML

is to formatted text For SIF, used with HTTP/S to allow

data exchange in a secure, platform-neutral manner

SIF data model, both objects  and messages, are defined as an XML vocabulary

XML Example

Name Example

<Name Type="01">

<Prefix>Mr.</Prefix>

<LastName>Woodall</LastName>

<FirstName>Charles</FirstName>

<MiddleName>William</MiddleName>

<PreferredName>Chuck</PreferredName>

</Name>

Approved SIF Objects Infrastructure

SIF_ZoneStatus*

Library Automation LibraryPatronStatus

Transportation & Geographic Information BusEqupment BusInfo BusRouteDetail BusRouteInfo BusStopInfo StudentTransportInfo

Student Info Services RoomInfo RoomType SchoolInfo StaffPersonal* StudentContact* StudentPersonal*

StudentPicture* StudentSchoolEnrollment

Food Services StudentMeal

*Objects used by multiple categories on this page

9 SIF Working Groups

Data Analysis & Reporting

Food Services

Grade Book

Human Resources& Financial Management

Instructional Services(including special needs)

Infrastructure Library Automation Student Information

Services

Transportation & Geographic Information

Plus 3 support working groups (Compliance, Marketing, and Customer Involvement)

Next Steps...

Compliance testing for v.1.0 approved objects

Creation of additional objects and use case scenarios for v.2.0

Implementation showcases

SIF “Showcase Sites”

Anoka - Hennepin School District --

Ramsey Elementary (MN)

Peoria Unified School District (AZ)

Upper Dauphin Area School District

(PA)

Orange County School District --

Ocoee Middle School (FL)

Ocoee MS SIF Showcase Partners

Chancery Software

Open District/WinSchool

Zone Integration Server

Follett Software CompanyMedia Management (Library)

School-Link TechnologiesWinSNAP Lunchroom Accounting

MyCard @School (Student ID Cards)

Microsoft

WHAT ARE THE COST BENEFITS AND USES FOR K-

12 EDUCATORS?

Educator Benefits

Initial BenefitsStandard interfaces reduce support costsNo redundant data entry saves staff timeMore accurate data available system-

wideBetter use of existing applications

Assists comprehensive reportingData gathering made more efficientSmarter use of people’s timeGovernment funding and grants depend

on data suppliedData delivered over internet to desktop

Educator Benefits

Functionally rich solutionsSchools can mix applications using “best

of breed” approachWill enable more cost effective data

mining for predictive analysis and reports

Uses Internet and LAN connectivityLeverages infrastructure investmentPlanned to facilitate better data transfer

(e.g. inter- and intra-district, district-state)

What are the potential costs to schools?

Infrastructure upgrades

Purchase applications or upgrade currently

owned ones

Staff to implement and support

the initiative or contract for service

Zone Integration Server (hardware/software)

OCOEE MIDDLE SCHOOLFLORIDA’S STATE

DEMONSTRATION SCHOOL

Ocoee Middle School Orange County Public Schools -

Orlando, FL

14th Largest District

SMART School

Vision-----research------design

School of the future

Technology Plan

Integrated instruction

Teacher/Student accessibility

Home-School connection

Why SIF? Limited resources

Transfer of data

Timely, informed decisions

Implementation

Installation

Teamwork

Shared vision

Benefits

Financial impact

Student impact

Academic achievement

Future Ocoee Showcase Participants

Computer Power Solutions of IllinoisVisual Casel (Network Management)

Curriculum AdvantageClassworks (Integrated Learning Management)

SonitrolFacility Security Management

What about the vendors?

How can I tell if a company is involved in SIF? A list is available at

www.sifinfo.org. There are three possible levels

of involvement: SIF Endorser, SIF Participant, SIF-Compliant.

No SIF-Compliant software exists today.

MORE than 100 SIF Participants

Achieve, Inc. Administrative Assistants AASA Anoka-Hennepin School

Dist. Apple Apta Software, Inc ASD.com Blackboard, Inc. Branium.com Bromcom Computers CELT Corporation CSIU Centrinity

Century Consultants Chancery Software, Ltd. Cincom Systems, Inc. Classroom Connect, Inc. Cognitive Systems

Technologies, Inc. COMPanion Corp. Compass Learning Complete Business

Solutions-ESD CCC Computer Power

Solutions of Illinois

SIF PARTICIPANTS continued... Curriculum Associates,

Inc. dataTeam Systems, Inc. eChalk.com Eschoolmall.com EDVantage Software, Inc. Excelsior Software, Inc. Follet Software Company Hewlett-Packard High Touch, Inc. Homeroom.com Horizon Software

International

Horizon Software Systems IBM Ignite!, Inc. iMind InfoHandler.com J.D. Edwards JDL Technologies Jackson Software, Inc. Jay Klein Productions, Inc. JuneBox.com Knowledge Adventure,

Inc. Laidlaw

SIF PARTICIPANTS continued... The Learning Company The Learningstation.com Learning Tools

International Learning Pays.com MajicSoft Corporation McFall Associates Inc. Microsoft Corporation MindSurf Misty City Software, Inc. N2H2, Inc. National Center for

Education Statistics

NCS Pearson NetSchools Corporation Norris Education

Innovations Olympia Computing

Company/Schoolmaster Oracle Corporation Parlant Technology PCS Revenue Control

Systems, Inc. Pentamation Enterprises PhoneMaster Plano Independent School

District

SIF PARTICIPANTS continued... PowerSchool Project ACHIEVE, Inc. Prologic Technology

Systems Rediker Software, Inc. Renaissance Learning,

Inc. Riverdeep Interactive

Learning Sagebrush Corporation SAP, Public Sector and

Education, Inc. Scantron Corporation School-Link Network, Inc.

SchoolNet, Inc. SchoolPalm.com Scientific Learning SICORP, Inc. Simplexis.com Skyward, Inc. SNAP Systems, Inc. Software Technology,

Inc. South Washington

County Schools Sun Microsystems, Inc. TechERA

SIF PARTICIPANTS continued... Test University, Inc. TIES Tom Snyder Productions Total Office Solutions

Inc. Tremont Software/

DPConsultants, Inc. VersaTrans/Creighton

Manning, Inc. Vision Associates, Inc. Vivid Education

Corporation

Washington School Information Processing Cooperative

wwwrrr, Inc. Zangle, Inc.

How do I get involved?

How do I get Involved? Join SIF and sit on working groups,

influence and vote on specifications

Encourage SIF products to be considered in your RFPs and buying process (no SIF-compliant products are currently available; SIIA is writing language for RFPs)

Apply to be an SIF pilot site

The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) is the principal trade association for the software and digital content industry.

SIIA provides global services in government relations, business development, market research and intellectual property protection to more than 1,000 companies in the education, corporate, home and online markets.

For additional information visit:

www.sifinfo.orgwww.siia.net/sif

Contact Information

Chancery Software Ltd. – Jill Hanson

Jillh@chancery.com 800-999-9931 ext 266

Ocoee Middle School - Kate Clark, Principal

clarkk@ocps.k12.fl.us 407-877-5035 ext 222

Orange County Public Schools - Jim

Wortham worthaj@ocps.k12.fl.us 407-317-

3200 ext 2212

Questions