Licensing the Ed-Fi ODS / API is free, and can be done online. Simply review the license agreement, and start the submission process using the online licensing form available on Ed-Fi.org.

Human-Readable License Terms Summary

This human-readable summary attempts to outline the points of greatest interest to Ed-Fi ODS / API licensees. It is no substitute for good legal advice, so make sure to have your attorney review the license agreement in full before accepting the terms. The license agreement shall form the entire legal relationship between the parties, and this summary has no legal force or effect.

Key Provisions

• The Ed-Fi Alliance retains ownership of original materials
• Licensees retain ownership of derivative works created from the original materials
• This license is non-exclusive, with the original materials remaining available to other licensees
• Materials are provided as-is, with no warranty
• The Ed-Fi Alliance has no liability associated with use of the materials
• The Ed-Fi Alliance should receive credit for work, per the terms of the license agreement 

Licensees May

• Modify, extend, and create derivative works based on the original materials, provided any modifications made to the Ed-Fi XML Data Standard are made in conformance with the referenced Ed-Fi Extension Framework Guidelines
• Redistribute the original materials for evaluation or review, provided the materials are distributed complete, including copyright notices

Licensees May Not

• Sub-license the work without prior written consent
• Claim ownership over any part of the original materials
• Violate other terms of the agreement, of course

Worth Noting

• In the license agreement for the Ed-Fi materials, the Ed-Fi Alliance requires pre-approval for the proposed derivative works created from the materials. This serves two purposes:
• So that the licensee can make a direct connection between the use of the original materials and some charitable purpose or public benefit; and 
• So that the license terms can be generous and acceptable for product development as long as the licensee uses the materials for their stated purpose

After Licensing

A license provides access to the GitHub repository where the Ed-Fi ODS / API source code and database files are hosted. Licensees also have access to the Ed-Fi Tracker, a JIRA-based project tracking system that provides visibility into upcoming features, the status of bug-fixes, and a way to provide feedback on dashboard technology. See the article How-To: Access Ed-Fi Source Code and Issue Tracking Systems to get started.