SIS Integration Guide

Start a New SIS Integration

Use this sequence when a district is beginning an SIS integration for the first time or changing to a new SIS, hosting environment, or integration method.

1. Identify the client contacts. Provide one special education or SEDS contact who understands the required data and one SIS or technical contact who can configure the district system.
2. Contact SIRAS Support. Email [email protected] with:
   • district or SELPA name;
   • SIS vendor and hosting model;
   • technical and special education contacts;
   • the data the district wants to send to SIRAS;
   • the data the district wants to receive from SIRAS; and
   • the desired testing and production timeline.
3. Confirm the integration method. SIRAS will determine whether the implementation uses:
   • an SIS API;
   • secure SFTP files;
   • a SIRAS-to-SIS export; or
   • a combination of separate jobs moving data in both directions.
4. Obtain the secure connection information. For a file-based exchange, SIRAS will create or confirm the district-specific SFTP account and securely provide the required connection information. This normally includes the SFTP host, username, authentication information, and the folder or file-delivery expectations.
5. Test the connection manually. The district or SIS vendor should verify that it can connect and transfer a test file before configuring an automated scheduled job.
6. Review the applicable file specifications, fields, and ownership rules. Use the setup path later in this article for Aeries, demographics, contacts, or SIRAS-to-SIS exports.
7. Test the actual data exchange. Review representative students from multiple schools and include records with contacts, changes, transfers, and program information that exercise the configured mappings.
8. Approve production processing. Do not enable or materially change production automation until the district and SIRAS have reviewed the test results and agreed on the schedule and responsibilities.

Choose the Integration Model

Define Data Ownership

Before implementation, identify which system is authoritative for each shared field.

Choose the Setup Path

Ongoing Responsibilities

SIS and technical staff

• Maintain the source files, API access, credentials, URLs, schedules, firewall rules, and vendor configuration.
• Provide current SSID and enrollment information to the special education office on the locally agreed schedule.
• Review failed, missing, partial, or unexpectedly small jobs.
• Notify SIRAS before changing SIS products, hosting, URLs, keys, passwords, or technical contacts.

SEDS coordinators and special education administrators

• Review integration results with SIS staff rather than assuming a scheduled job was complete.
• Verify high-impact changes involving enrollment, participation, disability, services, and exits.
• Confirm that SIRAS values reflect the actual IEP or program event.
• Use the Due Dates page to coordinate local reporting deadlines with SIS staff.

Shared responsibility

• Document which system owns each shared field.
• Agree on the schedule and expected completion evidence for each job.
• Identify who reviews logs and who resolves source-data problems.
• Coordinate year-end pauses, academic-year transitions, and restart testing.

For exact or approximate SIRAS-run event timing, including annual integration pauses and restarts, use the System Event Calendar.

Test and Monitor the Integration

1. Test the connection or file delivery before relying on production automation.
2. Run the integration against the Training Server when implementation changes could affect existing records.
3. Review examples from several schools and include both simple and complex student records.
4. Verify identifiers, school, grade, enrollment, demographics, contacts, and applicable program indicators.
5. Review the correct log or completion report for each independent job.
6. Repeat testing after correcting mappings, permissions, credentials, or source data.
7. Obtain district approval before enabling or materially changing production processing.

Troubleshooting and Changes

Begin with SIRAS/SIS Integration Troubleshooting and FAQ when data is missing, unexpected, delayed, unmatched, or inconsistent.

Identify:

• the SIS or vendor;
• the data direction;
• the specific job or file;
• the expected schedule;
• whether the process ran;
• whether the student was present in the source data;
• the matching identifiers used;
• the applicable SIRAS log, SIS report, completion email, or error file; and
• whether credentials, URLs, mappings, schools, contacts, or hosting changed.

TOMS and Assessment Data

TOMS accommodations and test assignments are related technical exchanges, but they are not part of the district SIS integration. Use the assessment documentation instead:

• Testing and Accommodations in SIRAS — assessment and accommodations overview.
• SIRAS Admin: TOMS API for SIRAS — TOMS API setup and student-level use.
• Exporting TOMS SBAC/ELPAC from SIRAS — batch export procedure.
• Alternate Assessment in SIRAS — CAA and Alternate ELPAC handling.

Contact SIRAS Support

For a new integration, a change to an existing integration, or unresolved troubleshooting, email [email protected]. SIRAS will confirm the technical path and provide a secure method for exchanging credentials or protected configuration files.

Include:

• district or SELPA;
• SIS vendor;
• data direction and integration method;
• technical and special education contacts;
• the desired implementation or change;
• the date and time of the affected job;
• the applicable log or completion report; and
• whether the issue affects one student, one school, or the entire district.

Return to the top