Steps for Setting Up a SIS Integration for the DESSA System
Table of Contents
Where do I send my district's data?
How do I send my district's data?
How do I automate my district's data?
Overview
If your district is a member of the Connecticut State Department of Education, please click here for guidance specific to you.
The best way to ensure that the DESSA System contains up-to-date rostering information from your district is to set up an integration with your Student Information System, or SIS.
For SIS-integrated customers, the DESSA System performs a comparison between the data coming from your SIS and the data already loaded to the DESSA System. It creates accounts for any new students or staff members and removes accounts for students or staff members who have left the district.
SIS integrations are available for customers with the Select or Pro Success Packages. Basic Success customers should follow the self-managed import instructions to roster student accounts.
To integrate your SIS with the DESSA System, follow these simple steps:
- Prepare your roster file
- Establish an SFTP connection
- Upload your roster file for validation
- Deliver your roster file regularly via SFTP
Please note: this article contains guidance for all customers who are not part of the Connecticut State Department of Education. If you need instructions to set up your SIS integration and are a school district tied to the Connecticut State Department of Education, please consult this article.
What data do I need to send?
At a high level, the DESSA System requires information about your district's schools, students, teachers, and classes before your district can begin rating students. This article outlines, in detail, each field that we require and what that information is used for in the DESSA System.
The DESSA System can integrate with many student information systems and can import files with .csv, .txt, .tsv, and .zip extensions. The table below outlines which information you will need to include in your roster file. (See Image 1) Additional information is located in the attachments located at the bottom of this article:
- DESSA_Import_Template.csv: A blank import template that you can download and populate with data from your district
- DESSA_File_Spec_All.xlsx: A file specification document, outlining required fields and containing a sample data file
Your district may be using the DESSA System for a portion of your student population. If your district is a new or returning DESSA customer, please refer to the email you received outlining which data should be included in your district's files.
For system-specific guidance, please see the section: How do I send my district's data? at the bottom of this article.
Image 1
| Field Name | Required | Validation |
| Site Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Staff Last Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Staff First Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Staff Email Address | Y | Email format, unique within the Org |
| Student ID | Y | At least one non-whitespace character, unique within the Program |
| Last Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| First Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Gender | Y | M, F, T, U, N, or X |
| DOB | Y | Date Format: mm/dd/yyyy |
| Grade Level | Y | K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Asian | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Black or African American | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Hispanic or Latinx | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | Y | Y, N, or U |
| White | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Other | Y | Y, N, or U |
| Class Name | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Class Code | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Class Period | Y | At least one non-whitespace character |
| Special Ed | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Section 504 | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| English Learner | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Reduced Price Meals | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Economically Disadvantaged | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| McKinney-Vento | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Migrant | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Gifted | N | Blank, Y, or N |
| Zip Code | N | Blank or ##### |
| Student State ID (SASID) | N | Blank or unique within the Program |
Where do I send my district's data?
We use SFTP (secure file transfer protocol) whenever transmitting PII (personally identifiable information). To send your district's roster to the DESSA System, you will need credentials to access your private directory on our SFTP server.
District technical contacts will receive their SFTP credentials via email from the DESSA Data Operations Team once the process of setting up the Integration has begun. SFTP credentials are delivered via a 1Password link that is unique to each user, authenticated by email verification, and valid for 30 days.
How do I send my district's data?
Once your roster file has been built, and you have established an SFTP connection, it's time to upload your roster file to our SFTP server.
Use your new SFTP credentials to deliver your data file to the Root folder of your private directory on our SFTP server. The DESSA Data Operations Team will review your data and communicate with you via a Zendesk ticket. This ticket will be used to let you know once the setup has been completed or if additional clarification is needed.
How do I automate my district's data?
Most student information systems have built-in features to manage recurring roster exports. For most SIS integrations, you will want to set up your recurring roster export to deliver data files daily or on business days. This will ensure that the DESSA System remains in sync with your student information system.
If you use one of the products listed below, please follow the link for guidance specific to your system.
(Please note, that this is not an exhaustive list of all the systems DESSA can integrate with, and we are continually working to add additional documentation to better serve you.)
If you have any further questions or concerns, please consult your district's Program Administrator or your DESSA Success Team Member.
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