Florida Public Education’s Implementation of Migrant Student Information Exchange

1. Florida Public Education’s Implementationof Migrant Student Information Exchange • Overview of the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) System • Florida’s Interface with MSIX • The Process • Data Transmission Issues • Summary

2. Overview of the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) System • Web-based access by Migrant Education Staff • Password protected • Encrypted (SSL - https) • Student search capability • Immediate availability of student information as students are being enrolled

3. Overview of the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) System • Central repository for up-to-date information • Periodic updates from schools to MSIX • Encrypted batch transmissions (secure FTP) • Responsibility is on schools to keep information current. • Keeping information current eliminates the need to contact the student’s previous school when they arrive at your district. • The most current information will already be in the MSIX database.

4. Florida’s Interface with MSIX • Florida public education has had an electronic transcript system since 1988. • The Florida Automated System for Transferring Educational Records (FASTER) • MSIX will simply be added as another institution with which to exchange information • “District” 99, “School” 0006

5. Florida’s Interface with MSIX • An exception: no request records will be exchanged. • MSIX will request no records. • Instead, schools will send records on currently enrolled migrant students at specified intervals. • Schools will not request transcripts from MSIX using FASTER. • Instead, Migrant Education staff will use the MSIX web-based system to request the transmission of a student’s transcript to their school.

6. Florida’s Interface with MSIX • FASTER will check the MSIX FASTER “mailbox” twice each day. • Any transcripts found will be translated from FASTER format to MSIX XML and sent on to MSIX. • FASTER will poll Florida’s directory on the MSIX secure FTP server twice daily. • Any transcripts found will be retrieved, translated from MSIX XML to FASTER format, and stored in schools’ FASTER mailboxes.

7. Florida’s Interface with MSIX • FASTER will send one type of record (student transcripts) to MSIX. • FASTER will retrieve 3 types of records from MSIX: • Student transcripts • MSIX ID number assignments for students new to the MSIX System • MSIX ID number updates (merge records to eliminate duplicates, or split records when two sets of student records were incorrectly merged)

8. The Process • A student arrives at a school and Migrant Education staff determine the student qualifies for the Migrant Education Program. • Staff collect identifying information from the student and use the MSIX web system to determine whether the student is already in the system. • If the student already is in the MSIX database, staff brings up a copy of the student’s information and requests the transmission of an electronic copy of this information to their school.

9. The Process • In either case, staff collect qualifying enrollment information on the student’s latest move. • All basic enrollment and/or MSIX information is then entered by staff into their local school district information system (historical information would be entered later when the student’s MSIX transcript arrives). • As soon as the student receives their class assignments, the school district sends the initial transmission of the student’s transcript to MSIX via FASTER.

10. The Process • If the student is new to the system, MSIX will respond to this initial transmission by sending the school the student’s new MSIX ID number. • Thereafter, at the end of every grade reporting period while the student is enrolled at the school, the school must send MSIX an updated transcript for the student: • either course-in-progress information, or • end-of-term grades.

11. The Process • While the student is enrolled at the school, the school district may receive ID number updates from MSIX via FASTER. • These changes will occur when either: • MSIX (in consultation with Migrant Education staff in multiple states) determines that a student has multiple records in its database that must be merged; or • MSIX (again, in consultation with state administrators) determines that portions of a single student record in its database belong to more than one student, and must be split into two records.

12. The Process • The school district will also receive a FASTER transmission from MSIX (a transcript) whenever Migrant Education staff request that a copy of existing migrant student information be sent to their school.

13. The Process • For additional security, Social Security Numbers are not included in the MSIX system (a federal contractual requirement). • Since many of our FASTER Primary Student Identifiers are formed from the student’s Social Security Number, we have had to replace these IDs with arbitrary numbers. • We make additional use of these numbers to match the MSIX ID transmissions back to the original FASTER transmission from the school district.

14. Data Transmission Issues • MSIX would like to receive transmissions within 48 hours of: • a student’s initial enrollment in their classes, • the updating of student information at the end of each grade reporting period, and • the entry of final grades at the end of any term. • The FASTER transcript has been updated to collect the additional information needed by the MSIX System.

15. Data Transmission Issues • New information (for FASTER, anyway): • MSIX Migrant Identification Number • Migrant Birth State (including Canadian or Mexican province codes) • MEP Enrollment Date • Qualifying Arrival Information

16. Data Transmission Issues • Qualifying Arrival Information • From City • From State • From Country • To City (the city where the student resides, which is not necessarily the city where the school is located) • To State

17. Data Transmission Issues • When a student’s transcript is requested from MSIX, multiple sets of Qualifying Arrival Information may be received by your district. • Your district is not required to store all this information. • The only Qualifying Arrival Information you must record is the information on the student’s latest move (as listed on the previous slide).

18. Data Transmission Issues • When sending a student’s transcript to MSIX, a school district is not required to send the entire student transcript (since MSIX already has the student’s historical information). • All MSIX really wants are updates. • However, in recognition of the fact that it may be easier for school districts to send the student’s entire transcript, MSIX has agreed to accept such transmissions. • To assist MSIX, the FASTER interface will strip off any course information not originating in Florida.

19. Summary • With all states playing their part, the MSIX System will become a comprehensive and streamlined repository for the collection of migrant student information. • Using data from local school district systems to update MSIX (via FASTER), it should be much easier to reconcile reports from the Public Schools Information Database with information in the federal system. • As time passes, the MSIX database will become an excellent tool with which to conduct longitudinal studies on the education of migrant students.

20. Summary • Last September’s deployment of FASTER laid the groundwork for Florida’s participation in the MSIX System. • FASTER has been approved by the MSIX contractor as being ready to transmit transcripts to MSIX. • MSIX, though, has been experiencing growing pains and has not yet gone into production. • We will keep you posted via the FASTER Listserv when we learn that MSIX is ready to receive student records.

21. MSIX ImplementationNEXT STEPS • Employ state-level MSIX Data Administrator • Complete Assignment of district-level User Passwords • State-wide live MSIX training environments • Signatures on Interconnectivity Agreements Between USDE/OME and FLDOE to permit the transfer of live student data • Assignment of MSIX Migrant Student Identification Numbers • Student records resolutions (merges/splits)

22. Summary • If, after you return to your districts, you have any questions concerning the FASTER Interface with MSIX, you can send them to Pete Tanzy at pete.tanzy@fldoe.org or 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, or call (850)245-9775, SUNCOM/205-9775.