Contents

Overview and Purpose

The Ed-Fi Student Information Systems API for Data Standard v4 verifies that a Student Information System (the source system, or "provider") can manage a core set of data on a target system (the "consumer") using a set of RESTful APIs defined by ED-FI RFC 16 - CORE STUDENT DATA API.

In this data exchange architecture, the provider — the Student Information System (SIS) — implements an API client which uses HTTPS requests and RESTful patterns to manage API resources on the consumer system, which implements the API definition itself (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Conceptual data exchange architecture

Please note that this certification DOES NOT validate the API implementation, but rather validates the API client (it is a provider certification).

Note that this certification covers exchange of current year data only from a SIS system to the indicated Ed-Fi API. It does not cover the synchronization or transfer of historical records beyond the current school year.

The test scenarios making up the certification are defined and prioritized by the community and described within the SIS API Use Case document.  The use case document describes the scope of the API and what is required for API integration.  

To receive this certification, a product must be able to use the described APIs (aligned with Data Standard v3.0) to create and manage a defined set of API resources. A table below shows the Ed-Fi API resources that the product is expected to exercise and the operations expected on each resource. 

Certification Requirements

The certification requirements originate out of needs from actual field implementation work in the Ed-Fi community. As such, they contain requirements beyond the ability to successfully exercise the API definitions, but go into areas like error handling, modes of operation (transactional and batch), and additional configuration options. The certification requirements capture demonstrated needs of the Ed-Fi community. 

See Student Information Systems API for Data Standard v4 Certification - Steps for a list of all requirements.

Re-certification Requirements

Certifications are valid for one year. See Student Information Systems API v4 Re-certification for details.