Have your say on the Student Information Sharing Initiative

The Ministry’s SISI project was set up to examine solutions which would increase the interoperability of student management systems (SMS) in New Zealand, and better support teachers and students in their classroom and administrative environments. In its work, SISI seeks to support student achievement and engagement, ensure the security of data, and create a streamlined administrative environment.

Why is this important for teachers and school leaders?

Teachers and school leaders could benefit greatly from a unified vision for student data. A streamlined administrative environment will free up classroom time and allow teachers to become more student focused. A more joined-up approach to student record sharing will mean that transferring students are better supported from their first day in a new environment.

SISI has consulted widely with the sector on this work, with working groups, online discussion forums and school visits all playing a part in establishing how the future of student data might look. This report provides another chance for the teaching sector to have their say on the work that has been carried out to date.

What has been examined and proposed?

The project has explored a number of options for managing and sharing student data in a secure and efficient way. Three options were examined:

• Retaining the status quo, where there is some unregulated interoperability and multiple systems within the environment.
• Developing a single SMS for all schools.
• Creating a new set of standards and sharing system which allows existing SMS to better interact with each other.

The first option is the current model, and does not address the current difficulties of effectively sharing data across the sector.

Option two, building one SMS for use by all schools around the country, would take a long time to develop and might not meet the differing needs of large and small schools. It could also mean a significant change in practice for the whole sector.

The recommended option in the report, which is one of the items on which we are seeking feedback, is the third option. This option proposes that SMS providers integrate with a common set of data standards, known as the System Interoperability Framework (SIF), and that student information is stored securely in a central repository.

This model is currently used in Australia and the UK, and allows schools to continue to choose the SMS provider who offers a product that best meets their particular needs.

This proposed solution will give:

• Students access to the information they need throughout their education journey
• Schools and caregivers access to information they need to improve student achievement.

We want to hear what teachers and school leaders think about the work carried out to date, and the recommendations given in the report.

Sharing data from your Student Management Systems - Ministry of Education(external link)