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Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Upgrade Project

taa-texas-student-data-system-upgrade-project.pdf409.66 KB
Date:  July 18, 2024
Subject: Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Upgrade Project
Category: TSDS PEIMS and Core State Reporting
Next Steps: 

1) Share with superintendents and TSDS staff  

2) Ensure LEA Readiness

 

The Texas Student Data System (TSDS) is a statewide system that modernizes and improves the quality of data collection, management and reporting in Texas education. This communication is to inform school systems about the significant changes coming to the TSDS starting in the 2024-2025 school year. On September 30, 2021, the TEA announced the plan to upgrade the TSDS to improve system performance and better align with the national Ed-Fi data standard. On August 5, 2024, TSDS will officially transition from manual Extensible Markup Language (XML) data loading to Application Programming Interface (API) transactions loaded directly from source system vendors.

Overview

TSDS was first deployed to all school systems in the 2016-2017 school year. This data system was created to replace the legacy EDIT+ application for submitting Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) data and was built upon the first version of the national Ed-Fi data standard and technology.  

Since that initial implementation, TSDS has expanded to include eight additional data collections and is becoming the one common data collection platform for student-related data at TEA.  

With the advancement and modernization of the Ed-Fi data standard and technology, TEA has embarked on a multi-year initiative to upgrade the Operational Data Store (ODS) and the Texas Education Data Standards (TEDS) to a current version of Ed-Fi.  

Impacts to Data Reporting

School systems will no longer extract and submit their TSDS data in the XML format. Student Information, Human Resource, Finance and Early Childhood Data System vendors will be required to provide TSDS data through API transactions based upon the latest TEDS publication.

School systems will continue to promote, validate and verify their TSDS data submissions in the same manner they do now. Those processes, applications and reports are not expected to be impacted. Additionally, school systems will continue to utilize the following:  

  • TEAL for access and authentication to TSDS 
  • Unique ID for management and assignment of student and staff ID 
  • TSDS Web-Enabled Data Standards (TWEDS) for data standards documentation and guidance 
  • Existing PEIMS and TSDS Core applications for data promotion  
  • Existing TSDS validation process 
  • Existing TSDS reports for verification 

Timeline

2022-2023 School Year: TEA conducted a Pilot Program with nine participating source system vendors and thirty-four school systems to conduct initial testing. The pilot concluded in August 2023 with successful system integrations across all participating vendors.

2023-2024 School Year: TEA conducted a comprehensive testing opportunity with over 300 participating school systems, consisting of data for more than 2.8 million students, to compare their XML data submissions against the API transactions provided by their vendors. This parallel submission will conclude in August 2024.

2024-2025 School Year: The TSDS Upgrade Project will go live. All school systems will be required to submit API transactions for their TSDS data submissions. XML data files will not be supported or accepted by TEA.

Steps for LEAs to Ensure Readiness

  1. Coordinate with your source system vendors to configure API transactions (NEW).  
  2. Receive training from your supporting education service center (ESC).  
  3. Ensure TSDS staff have obtained the appropriate TEAL access. 
  4. Verify data is loading as expected to TEA’s Data Management Center (DMC) through the Load Summary and Search Data functions (NEW).  
  5. Establish effective support channels with your supporting ESC and vendors to resolve issues.  
  6. Complete TSDS data submissions by the published TEA deadlines.

Technical Resources

  • TSDS Upgrade Project:  Webpage for general project information, data collection documentation, and resources for school systems and vendors.  
  • TWEDS: Online resource for changes to the TSDS PEIMS and Core collection specifications. 
  • TSDS Incident Management System (TIMS): Online support system for school systems to support questions and seek technical assistance from their ESC or TEA.  

Contact Information

If you have questions, please contact your supporting ESC, source system vendor, or TEA at: TSDSDeployment@tea.texas.gov.