Florida Automated System for Transferring Electronic Records (F.A.S.T.E.R)

1. Florida Automated System for Transferring Electronic Records(F.A.S.T.E.R)

2. FASTER/Bright Futures Presentation • Wednesday, June 15, 2011 • 11:00am – 12:00pm • Presenter: Jackie Johnson

3. W E L C O M E ! • Overview • FASTER History • FASTER Steering Committee • FASTER Update • Survey Results • Next FASTER Release • Questions

4. F.A.S.T.E.R History • FASTER is an Electronic Transcript System that creates virtual “mailboxes” in a central DB2 database for all institutions. Institutions build files of transcript requests, filling in as much demographic identification information as possible. • Institutions transmit transcript request files via NWRDC to the central database and run programs to load them into the addressees’ mailboxes. Addressees run programs to extract files of requests from their mailboxes and retrieve them via NWRDC. Addressees use the demographic information in the requests to match against their local system and build transcript files to respond to the requests.

5. F.A.S.T.E.R History…cont • The Electronic Transcript System covers all three levels of public education: School Districts, State Community Colleges, and Universities. • Historically, there has been three types of transcripts: - Interdistrict (called “student records” instead of transcripts, to distinguish from high school transcripts), - Secondary-to-Postsecondary (high school transcripts, similar to Interdistrict records), - Postsecondary. • There are various Aging Reports, Data Files, and Print Programs created to assist institutions in the transmission of transcripts, and resolution of problems. • FASTER is the conduit to transfer these transcripts from one institution to another. It is not a repository that contains historical data for all transcripts submitted.

6. FASTER Steering CommitteeMembers and Program Offices • Steve Pritz Chair, FASTER • Lynda Page State University System • Ruth Jones PK-12 (Database) • Carol Gagliano Migrant Education • Kimberly Davis K-12/Talented 20 • Helen Lancashire PK-12/Talented 20 • Julie Alexander Florida State Colleges • Heather Sherry Articulation Committee • Jerolyn Barnhart Bright Futures • Tara Goodman Technical Centers • Andrea Latham FACTS.org • David Lajeunesse Teacher Certification Additional information can be found on our Web site: fstr@fldoe.org

7. F.A.S.T.E.R Update • 2010-11 Implemented Changes: Graduation Requirements: - The HOPE/PE and ROTC waivers were implemented in May for Bright Futures and FACTS. The printed transcript were completed in May. End-of-Course Exams: - Once the End-of-Course specifications have been finalized, changes will be made for the 2011-2012 school year PERT Test: - The PERT test was added to the FASTER secondary formats as of April 12th, and to the postsecondary formats as of April 21st. Talented 20: - Talented 20 processing was originally scheduled for February 3 through March 10. The deadline was extended through the end of March and processing was completed on Friday, April 1, 2011.

8. F.A.S.T.E.R Update ..cont • Upcoming Changes 2011-12: Readiness for College: - At the FASTER Steering Committee meeting in January, changes were reported for the new English IV course. FASTER staff is working with the Division of Florida College to get the final specifications. Adult Fee Status: - The FASTER manual will be updated with additional verbiage, provided by the Technical Center Steering Committee members, for the Adult Fee Status element found on the IS01 demographic record.  During our November 2011 cutover, a new field dealing with residency for tuition purposes is planned to be added to the Technical Center printed transcript. The specifications still need to be finalized. There may be additional changes/enhancements during this year FASTER cutover based on the 2011-2012 Education Information and Accountability Service (EIAS) database manual to be published July, 2011.

9. FASTER Survey Results At the request of this Steering Committee in the January 12th meeting, FASTER staff conducted a survey of the FASTER customers. The survey was limited to Public school districts (including Technical Centers), and State Colleges. The Following items below were covered . 1. NCAA Eligibility Center requirement taking effect August 1, 2010, stipulating that courses taken through nontraditional means be identified as such on the high school transcript.  This applies only to potential Division 1 student athletes, but it would have to be an option available for any transcript since we do not know which students this may include.  Poll participants were asked if they had a need to “flag” non-traditional courses for the purpose of reporting to the NCAA Eligibility Center. The results of the survey were: Yes = 8; No = 31; Don’t Know - 5 . It was decided by the Committee that this is and should remain a local issue. FASTER Staff was instructed to close this issue until new information is presented which may point to a positive solution to this matter.

10. FASTER SURVEY RESULTS …cont 2. It has been requested that we remove the field “vocational termination code”.   Survey participants were asked if they used the vocational termination code field on either the FASTER format or the printed transcript, and the impact of removing the field. The results of the survey were: Yes (still used in some capacity) – 3; No (not used at all) – 40 . The three that use it responded that they use it for academic history, that they rely on it being on the cumulative summary of the printed transcript, and that they store it, but don’t use it . When asked what impact it would have if we removed it from the printed transcript they were unsure.

11. Cut-over Date for Next FASTER Release (tentative) • Cutover begins Friday, 12/2/2011. • No new postings after 6:00 AM • No new retrievals after 12:00 Noon • No Aging Reports after 6:00 PM (system shutdown) • New release in place by 8:00am, Sunday, 12/4/2011. • For these and other changes in FASTER, please keep an attentive eye on the updates sent out via the FASTER listserv. If you are not already on this listserv, please contact the FASTER support staff at fstr@fldoe.org or on the FASTER Web site at ww.fldoe.org/FASTER/

12. Questions??? Any additional questions, please send to: fstr@fldoe.org Support Staff: Laverne McKenzie Kim Cote Terry Cole Lynda Thomas Jane Cooper Lance Revell