Compliance at a Glance

PowerSchool Special Programs Best Practices

Integration with Student Information Systems (SIS)

Import Layouts

Software menu path: Administration, Configuration, Integration, then Import Layouts

• Use Import Layouts to import data from the PowerSchool SIS into PowerSchool Special Programs.

• System administrators should routinely check the Last Imported date and ensure no errors are found.

• Select Continuous Integration Settings from the More menu to check if a layout is enabled.

Writeback Export Reports

Software menu path: Reporting, Standard Reports, PowerSchool Export, or eSPExport

• Export reports using the Reporting menu to send data to the SIS (PowerSchool SIS) from PowerSchool Special Programs.

• These reports collect the specific special education, which is then uploaded to the SIS.

• The administrator must enable each report in the application to export the data.

  • To see which reports are enabled, go to Administration, Configuration, Integration, then Export.

• System administrators should routinely check the Last Successful Export and Last Export Attempted Time Stamp dates are the same. If the dates differ, the export has failed, and the administrator must review the error log to correct the applicable data.

• For more information regarding what student data exports to PowerSchool SIS, see PowerSchool SIS Integration.

PowerSchool recommends system administrators routinely review the enabled export reports and import layouts for any errors. Special Programs can send an email to administrators with a compilation of all integration errors. To set this up:

1. Go to Administration, Configuration, Config Tasks, and choose or create a configuration task.

2. Go to Administration, then Configuration, then Integration.

3. From the More... menu, choose Continuous Integration Settings.

4. Click the pencil icon to edit the required integration instance.

5. Enter the Notification Email Address. To send notifications to multiple recipients, enter email addresses separated with a comma (,).

6. Click Accept.

7. Enter your password, and click OK.

If integration failures persist and are not followed by successful integration runs, contact the PowerSchool support team or log a support ticket.

End of School Year

The system administrator performs the end-of-school-year rollover process and includes school-year document folders, calendar settings, and progress reporting marking periods.

See End of Year Rollover for more information.

New to PowerSchool Special Programs

When the special education data migration to PowerSchool Special Programs is complete, PowerSchool recommends generating all required state reports.

• Run all reports regardless of when the reports are due to the State.

• Compare the reports to those from your previous special education system to ensure data is appropriately migrated.

• Proper data migration ensures reports from both systems match. It is best practice to run the reports as soon as possible during your implementation.

State reporting

PowerSchool recommends districts run the upcoming State reports monthly to ensure data accuracy.

Important timelines and information

State reporting typically has stages of submission:

• Collection Open

• Collection Closes date

• Correction Window

• Final submission

Additional Information:

• Data Conference Information

• See the presentations listed on the state website under Special Education Dashboard Part 1 and 2.

Back-up database for state reporting

The PowerSchool Special Programs application does not historically track some special education state-reportable data, such as disabilities. The administrator of PowerSchool Special Programs must make a snapshot (a copy) of the live database on or before the 12/1 and end-of-year reporting submissions.

See Creating/Managing the Reporting Snapshot Database for more information.

• After the snapshot is created and corrections for the reporting period need to be made, make all necessary changes in the snapshot database.

• The system will prompt the user if the changes need to be pushed to the live database.

State reports

All districts are required to run the following reports. The purpose of the Reporting Special Education Data in ISEE document is to provide local educational agency (LEA) staff with the guidance necessary to report high-quality educational data to the Idaho State Department of Education (SDE) and improve the educational and functional outcomes of students receiving special education and related services in Illinois.

• Demographics Early Childhood

• Demographics Enrollment

• Demographics Enrollment Diagnostic

• Early Childhood

• Early Childhood Diagnostic

• Early Childhood Outcomes
  Early Childhood Outcomes Diagnostic

• Exit Student Enrollment

• Exit Student Enrollment Diagnostic

• FACTS Diagnostic

• Pre-K Follow-Up

• Student 504 Data

Navigate to Reporting, then Standard Reports, then PowerSchool Export Reports.

PowerSchool Alert Export

State-mandated Special Education and Gifted Forms

The Special Education and Gifted forms in PowerSchool Special Programs should match the State-mandated forms. PowerSchool typically releases State form changes within 6-8 weeks from receipt of changes. Additional forms such as 504, English Learner, and Response to Instruction (RTI) are not State-mandated.

• Special Education Services and Supports

• Special Education Forms

• Gifted Forms

Global Settings

Software menu path: Administration, then Configuration, then Profile Types, then Globals

Settings to configure the IEP form and define school year and submission dates for State reports.

Navigate to Profile Types, then (GLOBALS), then the Main menu, then the Configurable Options section

• Default District Information, then Logo and District Personnel

• IEPProgress: Progress Reporting (Text) or Progress Monitoring (Graph)

• ADIntegration Enabled: Used for active directory districts

• Minutes Per Segment: Default minutes for calculations

• IEP IDT, then Progress IDT: Default minutes

Navigate to Profile Types, then (GLOBALS), then School/Calendar menu

• School Calendar: The dates specified in this area determine the data generated for State reporting.

• Model Configuration Options: Various options of the model.

Navigate to Profile Types, then (Globals), then Time Units/Conversions

• Instructional and related service calculation settings.

Navigate to Profile Types (Globals), then IEP Options

• Default IEP Meeting Minutes section

• Goal Style: Style 1 (Sentence) or Style 2 (Textbox)