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Executive Summary

In 2024, the Ed-Fi Alliance analyzed the usage of its Unifying Data Model (UDM, or core model) among state-wide implementations to understand its utilization and identify areas needing extensions. This analysis where Ed-Fi state partners extended the model. These analyses provided valuable insights into the adoption patterns and practical challenges, informing information future iterations of the Ed-Fi model. By fostering a collaborative environment and continuously improving the UDM, Moreover, it has presented opportunities for Ed-Fi aims to enhance educational data interoperability and outcomes.The analysis of the usage of the Ed-Fi Unifying Data Model (UDM) work with state educational agencies (SEA) to better aligned with the UDM. This alignment with the UDM and standardization of the use of Ed-Fi model among different SEAs has highest importance for Ed-Fi not only because it will strengthen its position as a standard body also represents a better position for vendor community to extend the implementation of Ed-Fi in new states and a cost reduction because of the economics of scale.

The analysis of the usage of the Ed-Fi UDM across various states reveals that each state has created extensions to address specific needs not covered by the core model. These extensions span a wide range of areas, including special education, student transportation, assessment administration, and career pathways. For example, Texas has introduced a substantial number of extensions, including 20 new entities and 491 attributes, covering areas like accountability data, special education, and finance. In contrast, states like South Carolina and Wisconsin have focused on more targeted extensions, such as assessment administration and immunization records.

Common themes across states include the need for detailed tracking of special education programs, student enrollment and attendance, and specific program participation data. States like Arizona, Delaware, and Georgia have created extensions to capture data related to school and section enrollments, discipline, and student program evaluations. Similarly, Indiana and Kansas have focused on areas like alternative education programs, curricular material assistance, and CTE instruction and certification. Minnesota and Nebraska have introduced extensions to address needs in course offerings, discipline, post-graduation activities, and crisis events.

To enhance alignment and interoperability, several recommendations have been made to Ed-Fi states. These include utilizing existing core attributes where possible, migrating to the newer versions of the Ed-Fi data model, and reviewing and updating definitions. These analyses have also given the Ed-Fi Alliance an opportunity to consider consolidating multiple entity extensions and collaborating across states to identify common extension attributes for potential inclusion in the core model. As a result, the Ed-Fi Alliance has implemented some updates in the Data Standard v5.1 and v5.2 by including student health, transportation, assessment registration and Section 504 programs. One other artifact of this analysis on the Ed-Fi Alliance side is the initiation of an overhaul of domain specific best practices and business rules guidance, which will be continued in 2025 (see for examples: Enrollment domain, Alternative and supplemental services, Assessment registration, Student Attendance).Absence of a standardization in the format of data specification documentation across , Teaching and Learning).

Based on these findings, Ed-Fi Alliance has been continuously working with SEAs to improve their alignment with the Ed-Fi states, extension of the scope of work during the process, and limited bandwidth data standard team had due to regular responsibilities were major limitations for the completion of these analyses. With the results obtained and lessons learned during this run, the Ed-Fi Alliance aims to eliminate these limitations in the next run of similar workUDM, update Ed-Fi UDM to better reflect on changing needs of Ed-Fi community and create better opportunities for vendor community members in reducing their cost of Ed-Fi implementation. For a higher achievement on these goal Ed-Fi will continue conducting similar analyses and communications with its community. One improvement opportunity we have seen for future iterations is working with Ed-Fi community members to form a uniformity for specification documentation they share with the Ed-Fi Alliance.