Seattle Public Schools

Community Partnerships

Data Access for Partners

Overview of the Partnership Data Sharing Systems & Tools

Seattle Public Schools recognizes many of the vital services and support provided by community partners of all types are integral to meeting student needs across Seattle.

In an effort to support rigorous program design, progress monitoring, and evaluation to provide the best possible programs for students, SPS provides partners with an array of paths and tools for accessing and utilizing student data.

Available Data

Comprehensive identifiable data for students you have permission to see are:

  • Attendance
  • Discipline
  • Assessment
  • Demographic data

Steps for Accessing Student Data

Steps for Accessing Student Data via The Automated Data Report (ADR) or Student-at-a-Glance (STAAG):

  1. Automated Data Report (ADR): a set of 12 .csv or .xls reports with detailed student data
  2. Student-at-a-Glance: a web-based PowerBI dashboard where partners can view individual student data in user-friendly formats

There are many requirements necessary to gain access to SPS student data and they can be met/submitted simultaneously. Please follow the steps below:

  1. Sign contracts & create accounts
    1. Submit Standard Data Sharing Agreement (must be reviewed & approved by SPS)
    2. Submit Contractor Network Use Agreement to get an SPS Account created
    3. IS Only: Partners interested in IS status submit an IS application and DSA
  2. Establish consent:
    1. Gather FERPA consent forms for participating students. Upload or mail scanned FERPA to SPS and upload corresponding student list template (Excel file) to ShareFile
    2. IS Only: School principals or designees submit student lists, establish right-to-view for partners
  3. Access systems:
    1. Login to ShareFile for ADR reports
    2. Login to Student-at-a-Glance to view student dashboards

*There is an additional option for partners working in schools called an Institutional Service Partner designation. Steps are almost identical, however there is an application & review process to complete as well.

Questions?

Please contact communitypartnerships@xlqx.net or Jennifer Chamberlin at
jachamberli1@xlqx.net or 206-252-0518


Timelines

While there is variation based on each case, volume, and time of year, our goal is to follow the standard timelines below:

  1. Sign contracts & create accounts
    1. Standard or IS DSA – 2-3 weeks to sign once received by SPS
    2. Contractor Network Use Agreement – 1 week
    3. IS Application – 3-4 weeks
  2. Establish consent:
    1. Review consent forms and add students to ADR & Student-at-a-Glance – 1-2 weeks
  3. Access systems:
    1. Data should be available within 1 week of establishing consent

Student Privacy and Information Security

Engaging our community is vitally important to the success of our students. Partnerships can enhance academic outcomes by providing high quality programs and services before, after and during the school day.

The School and Community Partnerships Department is working closely with our families, community partners, internal SPS Departments (Legal, Dept. of Technology Services, Curriculum, Assessment, & Instruction), and schools to ensure that student data is protected and shared appropriately with partners. Many improvements have been made by improving processes and putting in place internal controls to ensure that we are protecting the confidentiality of student records .

Additionally, the Community Partnerships Department is working with external partners to provide training on data stewardship, student privacy laws, and appropriate use of student data.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

All CBOs must have an active data sharing agreement on file before we can process consent forms and grant access to Automated Data Reports or Student-at-a-Glance. However, CBOs may begin collecting forms as soon as they are published prior to each school year (typically May).

A district approved consent form for each student participant must be completed by their parent/guardian annually and turned in to the district for identifiable student data. 2024-25 school year consent forms:

Data Agreements and Consent forms for the 24-25 school year (including summer 25) are due no later than June 1, 2025.

* Please note the data shown in this video is sample data and not tied to any of our student records

How to Request Student Level Data

Community Based Organizations working directly with students in our schools during, before, or after the school day use student level data for monitoring student outcomes, continuous improvement, and decision making. In 2013 SPS created a data access framework for CBOs to request and access student level data.

For the 2024-2025 school year all CBOs accessing student level data through the Automated Data Report or through Student-at-a-Glance must have a data sharing agreement through our office. In addition one member of the organization must participate in a data stewardship training. The data sharing agreements, consent forms and training must be re-established annually.

Questions? Please email the School & Community Partnerships team (SCP) at communitypartnerships@xlqx.net or call 206-252-0518.