Synopsis

This document outlines a new usage of existing core Ed-Fi student data properties to capture student level digital access data. State Education Agencies (SEA) want to better understand, at scale, the digital equity that exists among students based on student address, race, gender, economic status and other demographics. The scale and quality of this data (dependent on data quality procedures/automation) can provide leverage for Local Education Agencies (LEA), SEAs and Educational Cooperatives when attempting to obtain funding to help close digital equity gaps. Additionally, taking this data and combining it with grades (marks), assessment results, high-school completion and dropout data could provide helpful correlations related to digital equity. 

General Discussion 

Digital inequity has been brought into the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic as many LEAs have had to quickly pivot to virtual online learning at scale.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, LEAs surveyed have been collecting digital equity data using a number of methods including phone calls, surveys, Google forms, etc. Some are planning to capture this data during online registration for the 20/21 school year. LEAs would like a common repository that makes it easy to collect this information and run reports off of. The SIS is the best candidate for this as it is the LEA ‘operating system’ that already collects student data points and is wired to send data to the Ed-Fi API.

Using the existing Ed-Fi version 3.x ODS /API, SEAs plan to utilize the /studentEducationOrganizationAssociation aggregate and specifically the data property array studentIndicators. Student Information Systems (SIS) will need to add the appropriate data fields within their systems (if currently not already in place) and then wire this to their Ed-Fi API connector.

The SEA group consciously decided to collect this data in a core Ed-Fi aggregate with a core data array (not an extension). The goal is to lessen the development impact for SIS vendors, LEAs and SEAs though there is some development and integration testing work, the goal was to minimize impact.

Use Cases

The initial data points targeted by Ed-Fi SEAs for collection include:

• If the student has reliable internet access in their residential environment
• If the student has access to a dedicated Desktop/laptop, tablet, Chromebook for their school assignments

(e.g. the student’s own device for usage during the school day and for homework versus having to share a device between siblings, parents, etc.) 

Student Digital Equity Data Submission via Ed-Fi API

Ed-Fi API Details

The existing data aggregate /studentEducationOrganizationAssociation and studentIndicators array will be used for this collection. 

studentEducationOrganizationAssociation Resource

Two of the primary properties within /studentEducationOrganizationAssociation capture the educationOrganizationReference and the studentReference. This allows for critical connections across the data model when executing analysis.

Figure 1: /studentEducationOrganizationAssociation education organization & student references

studentIndicators Array

The studentIndicators array was the consensus spot for the placement of the digital equity data. The studentCharacteristics array was ruled out after discussion as it is used for capturing boolean information and meant to collect traditional demographics tied to a student’s home situation.  The studentIndicators array is defined as indicators to influence more effective education or intervention. Therefore, the group felt that the digital equity collection aligned better to the studentIndicators definition.

Figure 2: /studentEducationOrganizationAssociation - studentIndicators Array

Additional API properties

Other data properties already collected in some LEA/SEA implementations can be leveraged for data mash-ups mentioned earlier in the document.

Figure 3: Examples of other data properties within SEOA that aid in digital equity analysis:

Required Data Elements (StudentIndicator Array)

• InternetAccessInResidence
• InternetAccessTypeInResidence
• InternetPerformance
• DigitalDevice
• DeviceAccess

Implementation Guidance

Example Application Logic for Student Information System 

The SEA community is recommending the SIS vendors control the data quality based on values selected in  ‘drop down’ user interface controls (no manual text data entry please) and business rule edits. The pseudo code provides an example of how a SIS might implement the business logic:

--INTERNET ACCESS AND PERFORMAN
If ‘InternetAccessInResidence’ not equal to ‘Yes – Internet Access In Residence’
                Exit from answering any other questions in the Digital Equity Collection
Else
                User required to answer
                      ‘InternetAccessTypeInResidence’  

                      ‘InternetPerformance’
End If 

--DIGITAL DEVICE 

If ‘DigitalDevice’ = ‘None’
      Exit – not required to answer ‘DeviceAccess’
Else
      User required to answer ‘DeviceAccess’
End If

SIS Vendor Use Cases for Student Digital Equity Capture 

The SIS Vendor solutions should be able to capture and save the digital equity student indicators using the following methods.

SIS/Parent Portal - Student Enrollment 

• LEA Data Administrator

• LEA Administrator registering the student in the SIS with the parent/guardian providing information verbally
• LEA Administrator is hand keying a registration into the SIS based on a paper document completed by a parent/guardian
• Parent / Guardian

• Parent is registering their student via an online SIS portal (if the SIS vendor currently provides a parent portal for registration)

SIS/Parent Portal - Student Data Update

• LEA Data Administrator

• LEA Administrator updates student digital equity data via the SIS based on information from the student, parent/guardian or teacher/counselor
• Parent / Guardian

• Parent updates information in parent portal (if the SIS vendor provides a parent portal today and update functionality is available today)

LEA/SEA Ed-Fi Integration

• New Enrollments
  • Student digital equity data should flow to the Ed-Fi ODS via the Ed-Fi API (/studentEducationOrganizationAssociation endpoint) at the time other enrollment data is pushed to the Ed-Fi API

• Student Data Updates

• Student digital equity data updates should flow to the Ed-Fi ODS via the Ed-Fi API (/studentEducationOrganizationAssociation endpoint) at the time other enrollment / student data updates are pushed to the Ed-Fi API

Agency level data validations 

Possible data quality checks an LEA or SEA could implement:  

1. No Digital Equity Record submitted for any student in the school
2. No Digital Equity Record submitted for student