SIMS Version 2.0 Data Standards Handbook for the Massachusetts Student Information Management System Reference Guide Version 3.3 October 1, 2004 Massachusetts Department of Education Page 1–2 SIMS Version 3.3 Student Data Standards October 1, 2004 SIMS Version 2.0 Data Standards Handbook for the Massachusetts Student Information Management System Reference Guide Version 3.3 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................ 1–3 STUDENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ..................................................................................1–3 SECTION 2 STATE STUDENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM............................................................................. 2–4 STATE STUDENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM...............................................................................................2–4 System Design....................................................................................................................................2–4 LOCALLY ASSIGNED STUDENT IDENTIFIER ............................................................................................2–5 District Responsibility .......................................................................................................................2–5 SECTION 3 LEGAL ADVISORY .......................................................................................................................... 3–6 I. PURPOSES AND GOALS OF THE STUDENT INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM..............................3–6 II. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED ............................................................3–6 III. RELEVANT STATUTORY PROVISIONS...............................................................................................3–8 The Department’s Authority to Establish Student IMS......................................................................3–8 Confidentiality of Student Records ....................................................................................................3–8 IV. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ...........................................................................................................3–10 The Department’s Legal Authority to Establish and Implement the System....................................3–10 Confidentiality of the Student Information Management System.....................................................3–10 The Student Identifier ......................................................................................................................3–12 Race and National Origin................................................................................................................3–13 Income Information .........................................................................................................................3–13 Data Correction...............................................................................................................................3–14 Additional Questions .......................................................................................................................3–15 SECTION 4 DATA STANDARDS ........................................................................................................................ 4–16 SELECTION PROCESS ............................................................................................................................4–16 REPORTING DISTRICTS .........................................................................................................................4–16 DATA STANDARDS DESCRIPTION .........................................................................................................4–18 LIST OF SIMS VERSION 2.0 DATA ELEMENTS ..................................................................................... 4-19 SECTION 5 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................... 5-77 APPENDIX A CODES FOR MASSACHUSETTS CITIES AND TOWNS .......................................................... 5-77 APPENDIX B LANGUAGE CODES .......................................................................................................... 5-80 APPENDIX C COUNTRY CODES............................................................................................................. 5-81 APPENDIX D PUBLIC SCHOOL AND COLLABORATIVE CODES............................................................... 5-83 APPENDIX E-PRIVATE SCHOOL CODES .............................................................................................. 5-109 APPENDIX E2-PRIVATE SCHOOL AND COLLABORATIVE CODES – ALPAHBETIZED BY NAME............. 5-119 APPENDIX F CHAPTER 74 PROGRAM CODES ...................................................................................... 5-129 APPENDIX G NON CHAPTER 74 PROGRAM CODES ............................................................................. 5-130 APPENDIX H ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSE CODES...................................................................... 5-131 APPENDIX J DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENT DATA STANDARDS ............................................................ 5-132 APPENDIX K ACCEPTABLE ASCII CHARACTERS ............................................................................... 5-136 APPENDIX L SPECIAL EDUCATION DEFINITIONS ................................................................................ 5-137 APPENDIX M - COMPETENCY ATTAINMENT ~ CERTIFICATES AND MILESTONES/ACHIEVEMENTS .........141 Massachusetts Department of Education Page 1–3 SIMS Version 3.3 Student Data Standards October 1, 2004 Section 1 Overview The Massachusetts Department of Education is developing a comprehensive, web-based system to replace the paper-based data collection and information exchange system between the Department and school districts. The new system is being designed, in part, to reduce the administrative burden of data collection and reporting for both the Department and districts while improving the timeliness and accuracy of information. The new system will consist of four strands - student, educator, school/district and internal Department of Education. The strands represent different parts of the education system in Massachusetts and each has particular requirements that will be addressed by the development of software applications. Student Information Management System The cornerstone of this project is the Student Information Management System (SIMS) that will support Education Reform requirements for student assessment and evaluation of school programs. The most significant of these requirements - the student assessment program - creates the need to collect information about individual students since assessment results will be used to certify each student's eligibility for a high school diploma. In addition, the Education Reform requirements that focus on accountability and evaluation of program effectiveness can be met only with information on each student and the program in which the student is involved. Consequently, the SIMS must be able to track individual students across the state over time in order to match students with tests scores accurately and must collect the information necessary to meet the requirements of Education Reform and mandated state and federal reporting. These requirements of the SIMS presented two major questions to address in the design and development process: ♦ How will each student's information be identified over time in order to match records accurately? ♦ What data elements should be collected for each student in Massachusetts Public Schools? The Department of Education has been working on the design and development of the SIMS since May 1996. The approval of the Category 1 Data Standards represents the first step in the implementation of SIMS in all districts in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Student Information Management System Data Standards Handbook is intended to provide public school districts in Massachusetts with the information needed to implement the SIMS Data Standards. Section 2 describes the design of the State Student Registration System that will be used to track students across the state over time. Section 3 presents a legal advisory that addresses legal issues involved in the development of the Student Information Management System, in particular, confidentiality and privacy. Section 4 provides a detailed description of the required data elements and the standards for collecting, maintaining and reporting them within the SIMS. Section 5 provides appendices that contain code values for data elements and additional information relevant to the SIMS. Massachusetts Department of Education Page 2–4 SIMS Version 3.3 Student Data Standards October 1, 2004 Section 2 State Student Registration System The Student Information Management System requires a “student identifier” in order to track students within and across districts over time. An identifier is “a set of characters used as a proxy for name to identify an individual uniquely.” Using an identifier: • Allows an individual’s record from one submission of data to be linked to the student’s record in other submissions. • Enables the data to be stored and searched efficiently. • Helps to maintain necessary confidentiality and security of student information. In order to meet the requirements of the Education Reform Act, the Student Information Management System must be designed