MB Compliance at a Glance
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 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 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 run from your previous special education system to ensure that the data migrated properly.
Proper data migration will ensure that reports from both systems match. PowerSchool is committed to ensuring your state reporting submissions are accurate, so it is good 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.
State Reporting Important Timelines & Links
State reporting typically has stages of submission, “Collection Open,” “Collection Closes date,” “Correction Window,” and “Final submission.”
(INCLUDE LINKS TO RELEVANT STATE WEBSITES HERE - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples)
Reporting Timelines | Generate in Live PowerSchool Special Programs | Create Snapshot Database | Run Reporting within Snapshot Database |
|---|---|---|---|
December 1 (12/1) | October 15 (10/15) | Approximately November 30 (11/30) | From the creation of the snapshot database to the final submission |
End of Year (EOY) | May 15 (5/15) | Approximately June 29 (6/29) | From the creation of the snapshot database to the final submission |
Quarterly | Table 8A | - | - |
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 of your database can exist as a snapshot.
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
(State Report Category Name - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples)
(All districts are required to run the ____ reports. Customers using eSchoolPlus will run the reports out of PowerSchool Special Programs as the reports are unavailable in eSchoolPlus.)
(PowerSchool SIS can run the ____ reports from PowerSchool SIS or PowerSchool Special Programs.)
Report | Due | Description |
|---|---|---|
NA | 12/1 | This report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year. This includes only students active in Special Education. |
NA | EOY | Includes any student that receives or received Special Education services within the school year. The same format as 12/1 but includes exit date/reason data. |
(State Report Category Name - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples)
(ENTER TEXT HERE THAT APPLIES TO THESE REPORTS - For example, All districts are required to run these reports.)
Report | Due | Description |
|---|---|---|
Student File | 12/1 and EOY | This report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year or active in Special Education within the year for EOY reporting. This includes only students active in Special Education. |
EOY | Active staff within the current school year (Global dates). Access the reports via the Reporting > Advanced Reports menu. | |
Table 4A | EOY | Lists students that exited the current school year (Global dates). |
Table 8A | Quarterly | Compliance report for initial evaluations indicating the timeline it took to complete the Special Education evaluation process (date parent consented to test to the evaluation meeting). 60 days to be compliant. |
Table 9A | EOY | Reports Special Education students active within the current school year (globals) that had discipline/suspensions during the time they were in Special Education only. |
Table 14 | EOY | Private school Special Education students. |
(State Report Category Name - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples)
(ENTER TEXT HERE THAT APPLIES TO THESE REPORTS - For example, All districts are required to run these reports.)
Report | Due | Description |
|---|---|---|
Assignments | 12/1 and EOY | The report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year or active in SE within the year for EOY. |
Compliance Dates | Quarterly | Initial and Re-evaluation students. |
Expulsions | EOY | Reports SE students active within the current school year (globals) that had discipline/suspensions during the time they were in Special Education only. |
Staff File | EOY | Active staff within the school year. |
Student Address | EOY | The report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year. This includes only students active in Special Education. |
Student File Leader Format | 12/1 and EOY | The report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year or active in SE within the year for EOY. |
Suspensions | EOY | Reports Special Education students active within the current school year (globals) that had discipline/suspensions during the time they were in Special Education only. |
Transition Assignments | EOY | Alternate format of the Assignment file. Same as Assignment file except for 5 additional Transition/Work Experience questions. The report counts students with an active IEP as of 12/1 of the current school year or active in SE within the year for EOY. |
Unilateral Removal | EOY | Reports SE students active within the current school year (globals) with discipline/suspensions that were “unilateral removals” during the time they were in Special Education only. |
State-Mandated Special Education and Gifted Forms
The Special Education and Gifted 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 504, English Learner, and Response to Instruction (RTI) are not state-mandated.
Special Education Forms: (STATE-SPECIFIC WEBSITE URL - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples)
Gifted Forms
Profiles
Software menu path: Search for a Student, click the Profile icon on the top right, and then use the dialog on the Profiles tab to view the fields in each section.
The following profiles and fields are important for state reporting:
Demographics (See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples & replace text in this table with your state's details)
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Secure ID | State-provided student ID number. |
Serving Location Override | Manually tracked field to report a different serving location than what integrates from SIS into the Serving Location. State reports will report the value in the Serving Location Override if it is populated, otherwise reports the value from Serving Location. |
Receives Letters | If selected, will display the names on forms as well as who can sign via DocuSign. The field is integrated from the SIS. |
Eligibility (See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples & replace text in this table with your state's details)
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Special Ed Start Date | The latest IEP start date, not the initial start date in special education. |
Location at time of SE Exit | Used to report the location where services were provided at the time the student exited. State reporting uses this field if populated to report the location of services. |
Exclude Student from State Reporting | Manually select the checkbox to exclude the student on state reporting. This field does not have form data flow. |
Referral Date | Entry Withdrawal Change or Initial Evaluation PWN Consent form. |
Evaluation Report Date | Flows data from the Evaluation report. |
IEP Implementation Date | Flows data from the IEP Implement Date field. |
Latest Reevaluation Date | Flows data from the Re-Evaluation form. |
Date Permission to Re-Evaluate Received | Flows data from Reeval PWN Consent or the Permission to Reevaluate forms. |
NOREP Date | Flows data from the NOREP form. |
Found Eligible | Evaluation Report and Reevaluation Report. |
Waived Re-Evaluation Date | IEP Meeting Waiver form. |
Team Information – Case Manager | Flows data from the IEP form, then Team area (excludes IEP revisions). |
Current GS – Receiving Gifted Services Through IEP | Checks if the student receives services indicated on the IEP form where the text is indicated in section D. of section VI on the IEP. This value is used to create a GS program record in eSchoolPlus. |
Previously GS – Received Gifted Services through IEP | Checks if the student’s finalized IEP does not indicate gifted services (section D. of section IV) and the Current GS value was previously selected on the profile. |
(STATE-SPECIFIC PROFILE NAME - See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples & replace text in this table with your state's details)
Field | Description |
|---|---|
Type of Support & Amount of Special ed Services |
|
Gifted: GX - Gifted but does not receive services |
|
Discipline | eSchoolPlus Integration import layout is available to import the data into PowerSchool Special Programs for ____ reporting. |
SP Enrollment | This profile is populated by a daily script labeled “Maintain SPEnrollment Records.” The data in this profile table is used to send data to PowerSchool SIS via PowerSchool Export reports. |
Student Contacts (See PA Compliance at a Glance for Examples & replace text in this table with your state's details)
Field | Description |
|---|---|
eSchoolPlus | Integrates eSP 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. |
Parent/Guardian information flows from the Demographic table to forms and reports.
Global Settings
Software menu path: Administration, then Configuration, then Profile Types, then Globals
Settings to configure the IEP form and define the school year and submission dates for state reports.
Profile Types, then (GLOBALS), then the Main menu, then the Configurable Options section
Goal Wizard Enabled: Displays additional fields on the goal page of the IEP if Yes is selected.
IEP Goal Subject Area: Displays a drop-down value on the IEP form if Yes is selected.
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.