Progress through the following chapters with your district to prepare an effective interoperable data solution that meets your districts’ distinct needs, capacity, and context.
If you completed the Readiness Diagnostic, your playbook will be individualized based on your district’s progress toward readiness to date and will offer specific chapter and activity recommendations. Reference the playbook’s Scope and Sequence before your district starts its first chapter to get started.
Playbook
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01
This chapter focuses on the Awareness stage of the Project Governance domain.
Project Governance
Awareness
In this first chapter, your district will develop awareness of your responsibility for data accuracy, integrity, and management through a set of project governance activities. This will include your district pledging their commitment to work towards data interoperability in order to provide secure access to student data, educate practitioners and families about student privacy, promote equity, and ensure fiscal responsibility for education technology purchases. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Identification and onboarding of district team members for project governance (including data stewards who are responsible for a given area of data, from collection through use)
- Initiation of cross-departmental discussions on data priorities, processes, and workflows
- Awareness and documentation of district data landscape and workflows
Chapter Activities
1. Committee Model, Roles, and Responsibilities
Use this committee model template to define and assign responsibilities to your district’s project governance team.
2. Team Onboarding
Onboard the project governance team using this presentation.
3. Project Unicorn Pledge
When you sign the Project Unicorn Pledge, you’re signaling to other school networks and your school community that you’re committed to helping your students grow with interoperabilIty.
4. Sample Email for Engaging Stakeholders
Use this sample email to recruit and organize stakeholders for internal meetings about district data usage and systems.
5. Sample Agenda for Cross-Departmental Meetings
Use this sample discussion guide for internal meetings about district data usage and systems.
6. Data Landscape and Data Flow Mapping
Use this guide, this data landscape template, and this data flow template to document district workflows.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Single-Agency Data Governance: Roles and Responsibilities in Practice
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Data Governance, Visualization, and Utilization: Case Studies from Four School Districts in Various Stages of Implementation
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SLDS Uses of CEDS: Implementing and Governing
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The Art of the Possible: Cross-Agency Data Governance Lessons Learned from Kentucky, Maryland and Washington
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Communications and Engagement Workbook
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Everyone On Board: How to Engage Reluctant Stakeholders and Stakeholders Experiencing Leadership Transitions
02
This chapter focuses on the Awareness stage of the Needs Assessment domain.
Needs Assessment
Awareness
In this chapter, your district will develop awareness of the challenges that are caused or exacerbated by inadequate data systems through a set of activities with district stakeholders. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Implementation of focus groups to explore classroom, school building, and district-level activities that rely on or refer to data
- Development of cross-departmental opportunities for input and feedback
Chapter Activities
1. Focus Group Protocol and Question Library
Draft a focus group protocol to use with key stakeholders using this template and question library.
2. Preparing for Focus Groups
Prepare for focus group facilitation by watching this video.
3. Setting Norms for Stakeholder Feedback
Establish norms around the quality of feedback you need from key stakeholders by reviewing this example.
4. Schedule and Implement Focus Groups
Schedule and implement focus groups with the following stakeholders: instructional staff, leadership, and technology officers.
5. Feedback and Engagement Timeline
Use this timeline template to plan for stakeholder feedback opportunities.
6. Establishing Feedback Opportunities
Use this email template to initiate ongoing cross-departmental feedback opportunities.
7. Interview and Focus Group Notecatcher
Use this template to capture feedback (e.g., via surveys or focus groups).
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Data Interoperability in K-12: A Teacher’s Perspective
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Stakeholder Communication: Tips from the States
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District Actions to Make Data Work for Students
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Data Interoperability Provides a Path Toward Equity—4 Lessons Learned
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Empowering Teaching and Learning with Interoperability
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Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit: Traversing ‘Stakeholder Land’
03
This chapter focuses on the Developing Evidence stage of the Needs Assessment domain.
Needs Assessment
Developing Evidence
In this chapter, your district will develop evidence of specific growth points that rely on or refer to data in your district that are a priority to solve. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Identification and analysis of specific growth points related to the use of data in classroom, school, and district activities by multiple departments and stakeholder groups
- Evaluation of growth points by need, solubility, and overall impact, and identification of clear requirements and specifications for the development of a solution concept
Chapter Activities
1. Affinity Mapping Template
Organize and analyze district stakeholder feedback using this template. Read this article in preparation, then become familiar with Jamboard to facilitate brainstorming using these instructions.
2. Root Cause Analysis Template
Conduct a root cause analysis of perceived challenges using this template. Understand how to conduct a root cause analysis, using this activity first, and reference examples from other districts.
3. Research User Interview Template
Summarize growth points by the classroom level, school level, and district level using this template.
4. Prioritization Template
Use this template after completing a stack-ranking activity to set priorities for your district.
5. Use Case and Success Equation Template
Select your district’s use case and complete this success equation template with stakeholder data. Reference this resource before completing the template.
6. Reference Guide on Requirements and Specifications
Use this guide to understand how to craft strong use case requirements and specifications.
7. Requirements and Specifications Template
Draft requirements and specifications for your district’s use case using this model and template.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Providence Public Schools: A Getting Smart Data Interoperability Case Study
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Effective Assessment Data Management-Essential Question #29 Use Case
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Effective Assessment Data Management-Essential Question #58 Use Case
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Dashboard Work Group Use Cases
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How Houston ISD is Conquering the Mad, Mad World of Digital Content
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Early Wins
04
This chapter focuses on the Awareness stage of the Implementation Plan domain.
Implementation Plan
Awareness
In this chapter, your district will build awareness of interoperability solution providers and district resources. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Identification of various interoperability solutions and their purposes
- Definition of an implementation team based on various interoperable solutions
- Articulation of project parameters (e.g., ideal timeline, budget, etc.) for a potential district implementation
Chapter Activities
1. Interoperability Standards for Education
Review this 101 guide on interoperability solutions.
2. A Glossary of K-12 Interoperability Standards
Review Project Unicorn’s Glossary of Interoperability Standards.
3. Implementation Team Skills Matrix Template
Use this guidance to consider implementation team options (e.g., internal and external), and complete this matrix to assess your district’s skills et.
4. Architecture Solution Mapping
Use this activity to map technology options for your district and narrow solution options.
5. Sample Budgets & Project Plans
Review this guidance and commentary on a set of budgets and project plans from implemented interoperable projects.
6. Defining Project Parameters Meeting Sample Agenda
Use this sample agenda to discuss project parameters with your district’s leadership team.
7. Project Parameters Template
Record project parameters for your district using this template and guidance.
8. Solutions List
Create a list of solutions that align with your project parameters.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Leveraging Data for Academic Excellence
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Learn About IMS Standards
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IMS Global Standards and K12
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How Chicago Public Schools is Committing to IMS Standards
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A Solution to Student Records Exchange that is Secure, Efficient & Easy to Implement
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How Michigan Standardized Student Data Using the Power of Ed-Fi
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Boston Public Schools: Centralizing Systems With Ed-Fi
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Spring Branch ISD: How Ed-Fi Improves Vendor Accessibility
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A Practical Guide to Interoperability Use Cases
05
This chapter focuses on the Ready for Interoperability stage of the Needs Assessment domain.
Needs Assessment
Ready for Interoperability
In this chapter, your district will finalize and validate its use case. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Development of SMART goals for a tightly scoped challenge with clear data needs
- Creation of a solution concept that defines specifications and requirements to achieve interoperability success
- Validation of a challenge and solution concept by academic and technology stakeholders who generate, access, and use the data
Chapter Activities
1. SMART Goal Template
Develop SMART goals for your district’s work using this template.
2. Designing a Solution Concept
Design a solution concept that defines specifications and requirements for your district’s use case using this activity. Learn more about solution concepts by reading this article.
3. Final Use Case Template
Complete this template with detailed information about your district’s final use case.
4. Use Case and Solution Concept Engagement
Use this email template and activity to re-engage stakeholders from your district’s original research to confirm the priority and validity of your use case.
5. Use Case and Solution Concept Validation Presentation Template
Use this presentation template to validate the drafted challenge and solution concept with district stakeholders.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Building a Foundation for Teachers to Inform Instruction with Data
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Creating Data Cohesion for Students Across a County in a Challenge Collaborative
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Designing the Data Dashboard of their Dreams in a Challenge Collaborative
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Laying the Foundation for a Unified Look at Student Achievement in a Challenge Collaborative
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Digging into Data Interoperability with the League of Innovative Schools
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Data Visualization for Data Use
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State Desired Outcomes and Determine Purpose Statement: An In-Depth Look
06
This chapter focuses on the Developing Evidence stage of the Project Governance domain.
Project Governance
Developing Evidence
In this chapter, your district will engage in cross-departmental discussions about your selected use case. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Cross-departmental data governance body discussion of use case data priorities, processes, and workflows
- Identification of major use case data elements and expectations around their usage (e.g. data catalog)
- Assignment of data stewards to draft and manage use case data processes and workflows
Chapter Activities
1. Use Case Data Catalog Template
Use this set of instructions and this data catalog template to record and define the use of major use case data elements.
2. Data Catalog Discussion Presentation Template
Use this sample discussion guide for a series of internal meetings to complete your district’s data catalog.
3. Use Case Data Discussion Sample Email
Use this email template to establish ongoing discussions with diverse stakeholders about use case data elements.
4. Data Steward Identification and Training Guide
Learn more about data stewardship through using this resource. Then, use this guide to identify and train data stewards to support your district’s use case solution.
5. Creating and Implementing Data Policies and Processes
Understand the difference between data policies and data processes through using this resource. Then, use this template to draft data policies and processes relevant to your use case.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
07
This chapter focuses on the Developing Evidence stage of the Implementation Plan domain.
Implementation Plan
Developing Evidence
In this chapter, your district will use your selected use case and project parameters to identify relevant solution options. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Ongoing discussions across departments and stakeholder groups to validate the feasibility and viability of possible solutions.
- Range of interoperability solutions narrowed to one to two options (if necessary) based on feedback and project perimeters
- Implementation team further narrowed based on selected interoperable solutions
Chapter Activities
1. Solution Discussion Email Template
Use this email template to establish ongoing discussions with diverse stakeholders around your district’s use case solution.
2. Solution Discussion Meeting Agendas
Use these sample agendas for a series of internal meetings to review the feasibility and viability of possible solutions for your district’s use case.
3. Cost Calculator Template
Use this cost calculator to analyze the financial feasibility of possible solutions.
4. Solution Alignment Checklist
Use this guidance and checklist to confirm appropriate solution fit and alignment with your district’s technology architecture.
5. Selecting an Implementation Team
Use this protocol to define the final implementation team (internally staffed or third party) options for your district’s use case solution.
08
This chapter focuses on the Ready for Interoperability stage of the Project Governance domain.
Project Governance
Ready for Interoperability
In this chapter, your district will implement a cross-departmental data governance team to support your selected use case. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- Cross-departmental approval of use case data processes and workflows
- Defined governing strategy or protocol to support decision-making around emerging use case data needs, including security and access
- Adoption of data processes and workflows that support the implementation of the use case
Chapter Activities
1. Use Case Data Policies and Processes Approval Template
Use this sample guide to gather cross-departmental feedback and approval for your district’s proposed use case data policies and processes.
2. Emerging Use Case Data Needs Protocol
Use this template to define a protocol for emerging data needs to make your district’s use case sustainable over time.
3. Implementation Best Practices and Guidance
Confirm that your district’s use case can be implemented reasonably through this guidance.
09
This last chapter focuses on the Ready for Interoperability stage of the Implementation Plan domain.
Implementation Plan
Ready for Interoperability
In this chapter, your district will finalize and select a solution option for your use case. After completing this chapter, your district will have met the following indicators:
- One solution is clearly defined as the best fit for the challenge
- Selection of a solution team to implement the identified solution
- Creation of a general project plan for implementation, including appropriate detail on project milestones, financial and personnel requirements, and expected benefits, to present to leadership for approvals
Chapter Activities
1. Data Ready Playbook Draft Project Plan Template
Draft a project plan based on your district’s selected solution using this template.
2. Implementation Team Checklist
Select your district’s implementation team, and use this checklist to ensure the team meets relevant requirements and specifications.
3. Data Ready Playbook Project Plan Template
Finalize your district’s Data Ready project plan.
4. Data Ready Playbook Pitch Deck Template
Use this pitch deck template to present the business case of your district’s use case solution to leadership.
Chapter Use Cases & Resources
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Elevator Speeches
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Creating A Digital Curriculum Ecosystem
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Achieving a Seamless Plug and Play Ecosystem
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RFP Guidance on Interoperability Requirements
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SIF Implementation Planning Toolkit
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A4L Marketplace Directory
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Procurement Documents and Checklists
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Volusia County Schools’ OneRoster RFP Guidance and Checklist
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Newburgh Enlarged School District’s Request for Proposal Guidance Single Sign-On and Class Rosters
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Key Takeaways
Congratulations on finishing the Playbook. Here are the final takeaway resources.
