Versions Compared

Version Old Version 41 New Version Current
Changes made by

Former user

Starrla Bond

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

...

Welcome to Pathways Data Integration!

Pathways is a premier school administration software used to create custom graduation paths for each student. You have been designated by your district as the technical contact. As the technical contact, we will be working together to ensure that your district is set up for automatic data processing.

Table of Contents:

...

Expand
titleClick to Expand

Data Sets

When your data integration is complete, Pathways will receive a number of data sets from your SIS. The total number of data sets varies because each SIS structures its data differently.

In most cases, data is retrieved from your SIS by loading one or more import files which are designed to export data.

Then, that data is sent by one of two Transfer Methods.

Transfer Methods

API - makes a direct connection with your SIS. API relies on secrets, keys, custom endpoints, and/or standardized import files to securely send data to Pathways.

SFTP - a CSV data export to be configured within your SIS. These files are then sent to Pathways via Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). If your district is using this method, Pathways will provide you with credentials to your custom Pathways SFTP bucket.

Data Send Schedules

Please schedule your SIS to send data to Pathways nightly, Monday-Sunday, before 2 a.m. CST. We recommend sending data on weekends to ensure that Pathways is updated on Monday morning for your councilors.

...

titleClick to Expand

...

Welcome to Pathways Data Integration!

Follow this guide to send your SIS data to Pathways

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents
minLevel1
maxLevel2
outlinefalse
typelist
printablefalse

Introduction

Pathways is a premier school administration software for managing the graduation requirements, grades, and statuses for your high school students.

Data Sets

Each Student Information System (SIS) provides unique data sets for Pathways. Generally speaking, Pathways will collect the following student data:

  • Students - Contains general student information including: names, ids, etc.

  • Grades - historical and current-semester grades for your students. Some SISs will send data in two files.

  • GPA - the weighted and/or unweighted grade point averages for your students. Some SISs include this data within the students file.

  • IBC (TX Only) - additional details on student graduation paths and programs for Texas districts.

  • Course Crosswalk - an additional data set, required by some SISs, to align local course codes with sate-assigned course codes.

Method

Data exported from most SISs will be sent to Pathways via SFTP. If your district uses Aeries SIS, data will be transferred using API.

Data Send Schedules

All data sets should be sent nightly (including weekends) before 1am CST.

Data Transfer & Responsibilities

Pathways views your SIS as the Single Source of Truth for all data. Please review the steps below for how data is sent from your SIS to Pathways.

...

1 - Manage Data in SIS –Sending data to Pathways begins with adding, updating, and maintaining the accuracy of course request, student, and teacher data within your SIS.

2 - Export Data from SIS – Your district IT, with help from your Pathways Data Integrations Engineer, will configure SIS data exports that create the Pathways data files.

3 - Send

...

Files to EAI – Your SIS/District IT will send data files to Pathways on a regular basis (via SFTP or API, depending on your SIS).

4 - Maintain Servers – Pathways will create and maintain servers for the purpose of securely retrieving data from your SIS.

5 - ETL & Data Security – EAI will retrieve the data files from SFTP, encrypt, and store data using AWS. See EAI’s Data Privacy page for more information on how EAI secures your data.

6 - EAI Product -EAI will display your district data in Pathways.

...

Timeline & Checklist

Expand
titleClick to Expand

Your Pathways Data Integration will take approximately two weeks to complete.

Day 1: Tech KO (Optional):

Before your data integration begins, you will receive an email containing all of the information you need to begin exporting and sending data to Pathways.

However, if you need assistance, your data Integrations Engineer will be happy to meet with you for a short, 15-30min Tech KO to answer your questions.

Week 1: Setup Exports and Send First Files:

Set up SFTP (if applicable) within the 1st 48hrs of the Tech KO.

Setup Data Exports in your SIS (see Part 4, below, for details)

Complete Data Validation Worksheet that your Pathways Data Integrations Specialist will use to review your data within Pathways and approve your district for training.

Send First Data Sets to Pathways via API or SFTP

Email your Pathways Data Integrations Engineer your Users Data and Data Validation Worksheet.

Week 2: Validate Data and Automate Data Transfer

Data Validation will be performed by your Pathways Data Integration Engineer. They will then reach out to you with any recommended changes to the data export within your SIS.

Update Exports in SIS based on the recommendations of your Data Integrations Engineer.

Enable Automatic Sends of all data sets within your SIS. All data sets should be sent Monday-Sunday before 2 am CST.

3 Days before Training: Final Data Review

Your Pathways Team will review your SIS data within Pathways and approve your district for training. Please note that training may be postponed if the data does not match the information provided in the Data Validation Worksheet.

...

Locate your SIS, download the attachments, and follow the provided steps to configure your data exports for Pathways. If you have any questions, please contact your Pathways Data Integrations Engineer for assistance.

...

titleAscender

Introduction:

If your Ascender SIS is hosted/managed by…

Your Regional Center (ERC): Please contact the Ascender support personnel at your ERC and request the Pathways SQL data extract. These files were created by Carlton Burton at Region 7 and can be located on the Ascender Technical Forum.

Locally: Please locate the Pathways SQL data extract files on the Ascender Technical Forum and load them to your Ascender SIS.

Step 1: Build the flowing Data Exports in Ascender SIS:

The following data must be sent from your Ascender SIS to Pathways. All data must be sent as TXT files containing pipe-separated values.

...

A meeting with your Pathways DI Engineer to review the data requirements and/or configure exports in your SIS. This meeting can be up to 45 minutes.

Weeks 1: Send First Files:

By the end of the first week, SFTP will be configured and the first files (data sets) sent to Pathways.

Please configure all files to be sent nightly (including weekends) before 1am CST.

Week 2: Data Validation:

Your Pathways DI Engineer will review and validate the sent data, then follow up with you for any needed adjustments to the exports.

After: Data Management:

Once the data in Pathways is validated, you will continue to maintain data within your SIS you may be contacted by your staff if data abnormalities are discovered in Pathways.

Please reach out to your DI Engineer if you need assistance troubleshooting any of these data abnormalities.

Instructions for Exporting SIS Data:

Locate the templates and instructions for your SIS below.

Ascender SIS

Contact your Education Regional Center (ERC) support team to submit a request to send data to Pathways. Please include the information below and cc your DI Engineer as part of this request.

Data Requirements:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelsascender

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

Step 1: Your ERC will build the following export files:

All data files must be in CSV format and pipe-separated.

  • students.txt - First Name|Last Name|State Student Id|Ascender Student Id|Gender|Graduation Year|Birthdate|School Id|GPA|IBC PEIMS|Sum|Total Credits District|Sumt|Total Credits Transferred|Stem Endeavors|Public Service Endeavors|BUS Industry Endeavors|Multi Discipline Endeavors|Arts Humanities Endeavors|Distinguished Coursework|Foundation Coursework|College Career Instruction|DT CPR|DT Police Interact|DT Speech|FAFSA Status

  • current_grades.txt - Student ID|Course Name|Course ID|State Course ID|Potential Credits|Credits Earned|Grade/Score|Year Taken|Grading Period|Counts Toward GPA|Is AP Class|Earned Dual Credit|ONRAMPS|Final Grade

  • historic_grades.txt - Student ID|Course Name|Course ID|State Course ID|Potential Credits|Credits Earned|Grade/Score|Year Taken|Grading Period|Counts Toward GPA|Is AP Class|Earned Dual Credit|ONRAMPS

Additional File Requirements and Templates:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelsascender

Step 2: Configure SFTP and File Names:

Please configure SFTP to send all data sets Monday-Sunday before 2am CST. Please use the following, provided by your Data Integrations Engineer when configuring SFTP:

  • SFTP Credentials

  • Custom File Names for the three Data Mining Import Files (Grades, GPA, and IBC data sets).

Step 3: Send Data Sets

Send the first round of data sets to Pathways. Then, email your completed Data Validation worksheet to your Pathways Data Integrations Engineerso they can begin the data validation process.
Expand
titleeSchoolPLUS

Introduction:

Pathways relies on pre-built Cognos TXT files to export data from Pathways.

Step 1: Download Cognos files:

Download the files below:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelseschool

Step 2: Load the files to Cognos:

Load the template files to Cognos. Then run each report to confirm that the expected data was exported.

Note: The template files may need to be customized for your specific table structure. Your Pathways DI Engineer can assist you with this process.

Step 3: Schedule and Send Reports via SFTP:

Schedule all reports to run and send data to Pathways nightly, before 1am CST using the SFTP credentials provided by your Pathways DI Engineer.

Expand
titleHarmony SIS

Introduction:

Data from your Harmony SIS can be directly uploaded to Pathways. We recommend uploading new data at the end of each semester.

Pathways requires two sets of data from Harmony SIS:

  • NWEA Report

  • Student Transcripts

Update data in Pathways:

Follow these steps to update your data directly into Pathways.

  1. Log into Pathways and click on Import Data under Utilities:

Image Removed

  1. Click on the link to select the Harmony SIS file you wish to import:

Image Removed

  1. Select Choose File and then Upload File to complete the update.

Image Removed

Expand
titlePowerSchool SIS

Introduction:

Pathways uses API to retrieve data from your PowerSchool SIS. The 3 steps for configuring your API are.

  1. Download the API’s ZIP file from your Pathways account

  2. Upload the API’s ZIP file to PowerSchool.

  3. Configure the API in Pathways using your PowerSchool hostname, API key, and API secret.

Step 1: Download API file from Pathways

  1. Log into your Pathways account.

  2. Go to Utilities in the green ribbon and select District Settings.

  3. Scroll down and click Student Information System (SIS) Settings and Import Policies under Student Information System (SIS) Settings.

  4. Download the API ZPI file by clicking the link:

Image Removed

Step 2: Install the API file in PowerSchool

  1. Open a new tab and log into PowerSchool. Go to Plugin Management Configuration.

  2. Install and Enable the API ZIP file. Do not unzip this file before installation.

  3. Find and open Standards for Success Plugin on the plugin list.

  4. Click Data Provider Configuration to view the your API Key and Secret.

Step 3: Configure API in Pathways

  1. Go back to your Pathways account to Student Information System (SIS) Settings and Import Policies

  2. Enter the following information under the PowerSchool API Access section:

Image Removed

  1. Click Test Connection to confirm the API is retrieving data.

  2. Then click Save at the bottom of the page.

Expand
titleSkyward Q

Introduction:

Pathways relies on State-specific import files to automatically create data exports in Skyward Q.

You do not need to manually create Pathways Export files (smile)

  • Status

  • current_grades.txt - Student ID|Course Name|Course ID|State Course ID|Potential Credits|Credits Earned|Grade/Score|Year Taken|Grading Period|Counts Toward GPA|Is AP Class|Earned Dual Credit|ONRAMPS|Final Grade

  • historic_grades.txt - Student ID|Course Name|Course ID|State Course ID|Potential Credits|Credits Earned|Grade/Score|Year Taken|Grading Period|Counts Toward GPA|Is AP Class|Earned Dual Credit|ONRAMPS

Step 2: Send test data exports to Pathways:

  • Notify your DI Engineer that your ERC has completed the data exports.

  • Send these files via SFTP using the SFTP creds provided by your DI Engineer.

  • Your DI Engineer will then validate the data and load it to Pathways.

Step 3: Request Nightly Sends from ERC:

Once the data has been validated by your DI Engineer, forward the SFTP details to your ERC so they can schedule the export.

...

eSchoolPLUS

Download the Cognos templates (below) and configure them using the instructions below. Please note, these templates may need to be modified to account for district-specific data.

Cognos Report Templates:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelseschool

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

Step 1: Download Cognos files:

Download the Cognos Report Template files, above.

Step 2: Load the files to Cognos:

  • Load each report template file to Cognos.

  • Then run each report to confirm that the expected data was exported.

Note: The template files may need to be customized for your specific table structure. Your Pathways DI Engineer can assist you with this process.

Step 3: Schedule and send CSV files via SFTP:

Schedule all reports to run and send data to Pathways nightly, before 1am CST using the SFTP credentials provided by your Pathways DI Engineer.

...

For eSchool districts who do not use Cognos, the following are the file specifications to assist in creating SQL statements or using other reporting tools:

Student Data

eSchool Student Roster Data Specifications

  • File Name: students.csv

  • File Format: .csv

  • Delimiter: Comma ","

  • Row 1 Headers: Listed below. Spelling is STRICTLY enforced. Capitalization, spaces, and special characters are not enforced. For example, "Student ID", "student_id", and "StudentId" are all acceptable forms for the "Student Id" field.

  • Column Order: Order of columns is not enforced

Campus ID, State Student ID, Student Id, First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, Student Grade, Student Gender, DOB, Email, Federal Race Code, Federal Race Name, Meal Status Code, Grad Year, Graduation type code, Diploma Type Name, Grad Requirement Group, Grad Requirement Group Name, Endorsement Type, Endorsement Name

 Course Cross Walk

eSchool Course Crosswalk Data Specifications

  • File Name: students.csv

  • File Format: .csv

  • Delimiter: Comma ","

  • Row 1 Headers: Listed below. Spelling is STRICTLY enforced. Capitalization, spaces, and special characters are not enforced. For example, "Student ID", "student_id", and "StudentId" are all acceptable forms for the "Student Id" field.

  • Column Order: Order of columns is not enforced

Building - Course, Active Status - Course, Receive Mark, Course Code - Course, Course Name - Course, Department - Course, Department Name - Course, Credit - Course, State Course School Year - Course, State Course Code - Course, Dual Credit Indicator - PEIMS CourseCat, Course Level - Course, Course Level Name - Course, Course Type - PEIMS CourseCat, Course Type Desc - PEIMS CourseCat, Non Campus Based Instruction Code - PEIMS CourseCat, Non Campus Based Instruction Desc - PEIMS CourseCat, ACT Indicator - PEIMS CourseCat, College Credit Hours - PEIMS CourseCat, Population Served - PEIMS CourseCat, Population Served Desc - PEIMS CourseCat, Sequence - PEIMS CourseCat, Sequence Desc - PEIMS CourseCat

Grades

This set of specifications is the same for both current_grades and historical_grades files.  You will be sending two files. 

The current grades file (current_grades.csv) will include data for only the current school year. 

Historical grades file (historical_grades.csv) needs to include all data for previous school years in which students took courses that earn high school credit. (Remember to exclude the current school year.)

eSchool Grade Data Specifications

  • File Name: current_grades.csv or historical_grades.csv

  • File Format: .csv

  • Delimiter: Comma ","

  • Row 1 Headers: Listed below. Spelling is STRICTLY enforced. Capitalization, spaces, and special characters are not enforced. For example, "Student ID", "student_id", and "StudentId" are all acceptable forms for the "Student Id" field.

  • Column Order: Order of columns is not enforced

State Student ID, Student Id, Student Grade, School Year, Building - Schedules, Course Code, Course Name - Schedules, Credit Attempted - RC, Earned Credit, RC Status - RC, Receive Mark - MS-RC, Student Course Marking Period - RC, Student Course Mark Type - RC, Grade Value

GPA

eSchool GPA Data Specifications

  • File Name: gpa.csv

  • File Format: .csv

  • Delimiter: Comma ","

  • Row 1 Headers: Listed below. Spelling is STRICTLY enforced. Capitalization, spaces, and special characters are not enforced. For example, "Student ID", "student_id", and "StudentId" are all acceptable forms for the "Student Id" field.

  • Column Order: Order of columns is not enforced

Student Id, Student Name Last-First-Middle, Cum Gpa, School Year, Grade, Gpa Type, Description

Harmony

Follow the instructions below to manually update data from Harmony SIS to Pathways. We recommend completing this update at the end of each grading period (quarter, semester, trimester, etc.).

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

  1. Log into Pathways and click on Import Data under Utilities:

Image Added

  1. Click on the link to select the Harmony SIS file you wish to import:

Image Added

  1. Select Choose File and then Upload File to complete the update.

Image Added

...

PowerSchool

Download the PowerSchool API directly within Pathways and configure it by following the instructions below.

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

Step 1: Download API file from Pathways

  1. Log into your Pathways account.

  2. Go to Utilities in the green ribbon and select District Settings.

  3. Click the link Student Information System (SIS) Settings and Import Policies under Student Information System (SIS) Settings.

  4. Download the Pathways PowerSchool Plugin API ZIP file by clicking the link:

Image Added

Step 2: Install the API file in PowerSchool

  1. Open a new tab and log into PowerSchool. Go to Plugin Management Configuration.

  2. Install and Enable the API ZIP file. Do not unzip this file before installation.

  3. Find and open Standards for Success Plugin on the plugin list.

  4. Click Data Provider Configuration to view the your API Key and Secret.

Step 3: Configure API in Pathways

  1. Go back to your Pathways account to Student Information System (SIS) Settings and Import Policies

  2. Enter the following information under the PowerSchool API Access section:

Image Added

  1. Click Test Connection to confirm the API is retrieving data.

  2. Then click Save at the bottom of the page.

Step 4: Notify your DI Engineer

Email your DI Engineer that the plugin has been configured. They will then validate data within Pathways and follow up with you on next steps, if needed.

Expand
titleParent Contact File Instructions

In PowerSchool:

  1. Navigate to Data and Reporting>Exports>Data Export Manager

  2. Make the following selections:

    1. Category - PowerSchool Data Sets

    2. Export From - Contacts

    3. CONTACTS.PERSON

      1. DCID

      2. Contact ID

      3. First Name

      4. Last Name

      5. Is Active

    4. CONTACTS.PCAS_ACCOUNT

      1. Is Access Account Enabled

      2. Access Account User Name

    5. CONTACTS.PCAS_EMAILCONTACT

      1. Access Account Email Address

    6. CONTACTS.STUDENTCONTACTASSOC

      1. Student Contact ID

      2. Student Number

      3. Student Last Name

      4. Student First Name

      5. Allow Data Access

    7. Select/Edit Records from Contacts

    8. Contact Status - Active

    9. Access Account - All

  3. Export Summary and Output Options

    1. Delimiter - Comma

    2. Include Column Headers

    3. CSV

    4. Surround “field values” in quotes

    5. File Name - Pathways_Contacts_Export

You will be sent a set of SFTP credentials from an EAI representative. Please SFTP the resulting report to us. We will verify receipt of the file, update the rostering of parents and students, and we will reach back out with a schedule to send us the file regularly.

...

Skyward Q

Download the Import files for your state (below) and then load/configure them in Skyward Q using the instructions below.

Indiana Import Files:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelssqin

Texas Import Files:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelssqtx

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

Step 1: Download Import Files

Download your State-specific Pathways import files, below. The data files are:

Image Removed

Import Files:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
labelsskywardq

The data files are:

Image Added

Step 2: Load Import Files to Skyward Q:

  1. Log into Skyward Q. Then select the green menu. Go to Reporting, then Report Manager.

  2. Select Upload Reports and chose all downloaded Pathways import files.

  3. Finally, click Run Process to create the reports.

Step 3: Schedule and Configure SFTP:

Complete the following for each Pathways Import file.

  1. In Skyward Q, go back to Report Manager.

  2. Search for “Education Advanced” and click the Details button.

  3. Click Scheduled Reports then Add Scheduled Report.

  4. Enter a Report Name of your choice. Then enter of Start Time before 1am CST.

  5. Click on Save & Add Export Location.

  6. Enter the Skyward @ Report Name from the chart in Step 1, above.

  7. Click Add FTP/SFTP Connection or search for your existing Pathways SFTP connection.

    1. Use the hostname and credentials provided by your Pathways DI Engineer to add a new SFTP connection in Skyward Q. Please click Test Connection before saving.

  8. Save and manually send the file. Then email your Pathways DI Engineer to notify them that the files have been sent.

See Skyward Q’s Technical Knowledge Base for more information on configuring data exports.

...

Expand
titleSkyward SMS

Introduction:

Pathways relies on State-specific import files to automatically create data exports in Skyward SMS’s Data Mining and SkyBuild export tools. You do not need to manually create Pathways Export files (smile)

Step 1: Download the Pathways Import Files

.

...

Skyward SMS

Download the Import

...

files for your state (below)

...

and then load/configure them in Skyward SMS

...

using the instructions below.

Indiana Import Files:

Attachments
uploadfalse
oldfalse
sortByname
labelsssmsin

...

Texas Import Files:

Attachments

...

uploadfalse
oldfalse
sortByname
labelsssmstx

Instructions:

Expand
titleClick to Open

Step 1: Download the Pathways Import Files

Download the Import Files (above) for your State.

When completed, each Import File will generate the following Reports in Skyward SMS:

Image Added

Step 2: Load Import Files to SkyBuild:

Follow these steps to load the Students and Course Crosswalk import files to SkyBuild.

  1. Log into Skyward SMS. Then go to the Administration tab and click Exports under SkyBuild.

  2. Select Export File Builder. Then click the Load Interfaces from File button.

  3. Select the Load Interface from File option. Then click Choose File.

  4. Locate the import file on your computer. Then click Import.

Include Headers?: Please Include headers for the Students export only. Do not include headers for the Course Crosswalk export.

Step 3: Load Import Files to Data Mining:

Follow these steps to load the Grades, GPA, and IBC (TX only) import files to Data Mining.

  1. Log into Skyward SMS. Then go to Data Mining.

  2. Click the Import Layout button.

  3. Enter the Pathways Report Name, as indicated on the chart above.

  4. Chose the matching import file from your computer and click Import.

Include Headers?: Please Include headers for all three Data Mining files: Grades, GPA and IBC (TX only)

Step 4: Configure SFTP and Send Files

Configure SFTP in Skyward and schedule the files to send nightly (including weekends) before 2am CST.

Data Retrieved by Report Name:

For your information, here are the data elements retrieved from your Skyward SMS.

Image Removed

...

Image Added