Qmlativ is Ed-Fi Certified!

#Product Updates

Ali DeGeorge

by Ali DeGeorge

Ali DeGeorge Product Manager

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Skyward’s Qmlativ Education Management System is certified with the Ed-Fi API v4 Certification through the Ed-Fi Alliance! Let’s look at what this certification is and what it means for you.

What is Ed-Fi?

The Ed-Fi Data Standard, maintained by the Ed-Fi Alliance, creates a common language for data to be transferred between systems. These standards allow educational vendors to connect with one another, so everyone speaks the same language. At Skyward, we use Ed-Fi to help with product interoperability—the ability for our software to exchange data with other systems. For example, through Ed-Fi, Skyward can integrate with vendors such as the Texas Education Exchange, Instructure with Elevate, and Region10 with their CCMR Insights Tool. Some states also utilize Ed-Fi as their state reporting vehicle.

Check out this overview article for more information on what Ed-Fi is and how it helps districts gather, organize, protect, and analyze data.

Why should I be excited about this integration?

Skyward has tested and proven with the Ed-Fi alliance that Qmlativ follows the Ed-Fi Data Standards, which is a critical element in integrating with other vendors. This is exciting because as more organizations certify with Ed-Fi, we will continue to see more opportunities in interoperability, which creates the foundation districts need to be able to access meaningful data regardless of where that data was initially housed.

How can I take advantage of this new certification?

We offer a separate license for the certifiable aspects of Ed-Fi, so if you’re looking to take advantage of this functionality, reach out to your account representative and we will explore getting the license turned on in your state, if it isn’t already.

Do keep in mind that just because we are certified with the alliance, does not mean all use cases will be met within the existing standard. The Ed-Fi standard is fluid and will continue to grow and change based on feedback from the community. If you have a use case that falls outside the certifiable aspects, we are more than happy to explore that use case with you and discuss adding whatever data elements are needed to accomplish that use case.

How can I dive deeper into Ed-Fi?

If you’d like to explore Ed-Fi as a means of transferring data, be sure to check out the Ed-Fi alliance website and join their community (it’s free!). There are resources to help you find answers to your questions, as well as an Academy, where you can familiarize yourself with the language and learn about how districts can benefit from Ed-Fi.

We’re on a mission to make our software as user-friendly and interoperable as possible—stay tuned for what’s next!

Follow-up resource: Interoperability Update: OneRoster Certification

Learn about another of Skyward’s efforts to improve interoperability, the OneRoster 1.1 certification, which makes data exchanges possible between SISs and other systems.