MA Compliance at a Glance
PowerSchool Special Programs Best Practices
When a Software menu path appears in a section, you can navigate to the corresponding location in your model software, provided you have the proper login and security access.
Integration with Student Information Systems (SIS)
Import Layouts
Software menu path: Administration, then Configuration, then 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.
PowerSchool Special Programs Best Practices
Integration with Student Information Systems (SIS)
Import Layouts
Software menu path: Administration, then Configuration, then 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, then Standard Reports, then PowerSchool Export or eSPExport
Writeback Export Reports via the Reporting menu 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, then Configuration, then 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:
Go to Administration, then Configuration, then Config Tasks, and choose or create a configuration task.
Go to Administration, then Configuration, then Integration.
From the More... menu, choose Continuous Integration Settings.
Click the pencil icon to edit the required integration instance.
Enter the Notification Email Address. To send notifications to multiple recipients, enter email addresses separated with a comma (,).
Click Accept.
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 settings such as school-year document folders, calendar settings, and progress reporting marking periods.
Within Special Programs, navigate to Administration, then Configuration, then Profiles, and then Globals.
Update all Calendar options as applicable. These calendar dates are used for generating the SIMS state reports.
Click on Administration, then Configuration, then Settings.
Update the "Current School Year," "Next Scheduled EOY Rollover Date," "Marking Periods," "Data Storage Range," and "Allowable Years for New Documents."
See End of Year Rollover for more information.
New to PowerSchool Special Programs
When the special education data migration to PowerSchool Special Programs is completed, 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 migrated properly.
Proper data migration will ensure reports from both systems match. PowerSchool is committed to ensuring your state reporting submissions are accurate, so 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.
Student Information Management System (SIMS) State Reporting Important Timelines & Links
The administrator can generate the SIMS report from PowerSchool Special Programs via Reporting, then Standard Reports, then State Reporting, then SIMS. Districts can also configure the writeback integration to send the data to PowerSchool SIS daily. In this case, the reports should be generated from the SIS. There are 3 submission timelines per school year (October, March, and end-of-year). PowerSchool recommends running the reports at least one month before submission to ensure correct data.
SIMS State Documentation
SIMS Reporting Schedule
Reporting Timelines | Generate in Live PowerSchool Special Programs and/or PowerSchool SIS | Create Snapshot Database | Run Reporting within Snapshot Database |
|---|---|---|---|
October | Approximately September 15 | Approximately September 30 | From the creation of the snapshot database to the final submission. |
End of Year (EOY) | Approximately May 15 | Approximately June 29 | From the creation of the snapshot database to the final submission. |
March | Approximately February 1 | Approximately March 1 | From the creation of the snapshot database to the final submission. |
Snapshotting 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.
Only one copy/snapshot of the Special Programs database can exist at a given time.
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 as well.
State-Mandated Special Education and Gifted Forms
The Special Education forms in PowerSchool Special Programs will match the mandated state forms. PowerSchool typically releases state form changes within 6-8 weeks from receipt of changes. Additional forms such as Gifted, 504, English Learner, and Response to Intervention (RTI) are not state-mandated. Future requests and changes to these forms will be discussed on advisory calls.
Profiles
Software menu path: Search for a Student, click their Profile icon, and then use the flyout menu on the Profiles tab to see the fields in each section.
The following profiles and fields are important for state reporting:
Demographics
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Secure ID | State-provided student ID number. |
Servicing School | Integrates from PowerSchool SIS. |
Receives Letters | If selected, the names will be displayed on forms, and it will also indicate who can sign via DocuSign. The field will be integrated from the SIS |
Special Education Information
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Disability / Secondary Disability | Flows from the Special Ed Elig./Initial & Reeval Determination form. |
Eligibility | Flows from the Special Ed Elig./Initial & Reeval Determination form. |
Level of Need | The SIMS report and PowerSchool SIS Export report both display this value, and also compare the special education exit date to ensure accuracy. |
IEP Consent | Flows data from the IEP Additional Information section, Office Use Only area when not using DocuSign, or from the checkboxes in the Parent Options when using DocuSign. |
Evaluation Results | Flows data from the SpEd Elig / Initial & ReEvaluation Determination form. |
Educational Setting 3-5 | Flows data from the Placement Consent Form PL1 3-5. The user can enter 2 sets of date ranges to flow to the profile. The SIMS report will select the applicable value based on the Globals Count Date. |
Educational Setting 6-21 | Flows data from the Placement Consent Form PL1 6-21. The user can enter 2 sets of date ranges to flow to the profile. The SIMS report will select the applicable value based on the Globals Count Date. |
Special Ed Exit Date | Flows data from the Special Ed Elig./Initial & Reeval Determination form. |
Special Ed Exit Reason | Flows data from the Special Ed Elig./Initial & Reeval Determination form. |
Reporting
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Exclude Student from State Reporting | Select the checkbox to exclude the student from the SIS report via the Reporting, then State Reporting menu. This field can also be integrated from PowerSchool SIS via the "PowerSchool - AdditionalStudentInfo Import" layout. |
Student Contacts
Field | Description |
|---|---|
eSchoolPlus | Integrates eSchoolPlus contacts via eSchoolPLUS-StudentContacts Import (model). |
PowerSchool SIS | Integrates PowerSchool SIS unlimited contacts data via PowerSchool – StudentContact Import (model). |
Daily script labeled Copy_Student_Contacts_Into_Students | Takes the top four contacts from the Student Contacts profile and updates the four contacts in the Demographic table. |
When the Receives Letters checkbox is selected, all forms and reports that reference parent/guardian information display data from the Demographic table.
Global Settings
Software menu path: Administration, then Configuration, then Profile Types, and then Globals
Settings to configure the IEP form and define the school year and submission dates for state reports.
Navigate to Profile Types, then (GLOBALS), then the Main menu, then the Configurable Options section
District Contact/504 Contact: Contact name and phone number appear on forms. Add the contact names here.
Calendar Options: Count Date is used for the SIMS state report and the PowerSchool State Reporting Export.
Show Goal Standards (IEP): Select the checkbox to show the goal standards in the IEP goal section.
Goal Wizard Enabled: Displays additional fields on the goal page of the IEP when the checkbox is selected.
IEP Goal Subject Area: Displays a drop-down value on the IEP form if Yes is selected.
504 Plan Consent: Select the checkbox to display the consent area on the 504 Plan form
Generate Separate Letters: Selecting the checkbox will generate a separate Special Education and Gifted invitation letter to each person where the "Receives Letters" checkbox is selected, and the address differs.