1. Starting the School Year with Datacation: Best Practices for New Visions Schools
Version: 1.0
Last Updated:
For Administrators, Data Specialists & NV Staff

2. PADS What is Datacation?
Datacation is a comprehensive web-based, student data management system comprised of 5 Portals with an array of tools enabling educators, parents and students to track student progress toward graduation and college readiness.
Summer 2011 System Changes
Skedula 2.0 & Pupil Path
New look and feel
Greater administrative controls
Standards based grading option
Pupil Path will support new features in Skedula 2.0
NCLB/Grad
Several new reports
Data visuals--graphs and charts-- for every report much like the NV Data Tools
PADS
The Teacher Portal
NCLB / GRADUATION
The Report Card Portal
The Accountability Portal
The Data Tools Portal
The Parent & Student Portal

3. Key Points on Infrastructure
To ensure accurate and up-to-date data schools must take ownership of the system to ensure it is properly set up and maintained.
Schools who take ownership:
Set protocols for data maintenance responsibilities of staff
Provide opportunities for key staff be trained on Datacation so there is a clear understanding of how the system needs to be maintained to support school work
Run DataExtractor according to NV protocols to ensure all data is up-to-date
Turn-key trainings by disseminating key information to relevant staff on a regular basis
Assist teachers in managing their online grade books in a way that is consistent with a school-wide grading policy
Ensure teachers have regular access to Datacation and other data platforms
Set goals for usage and track progress in meeting those goals

4. Key Points on Infrastructure (cont.)
To support Datacation, we recommend that at the beginning of the school year:
School leaders identify a Data Specialist who will be responsible for following NV protocols on system maintenance. This includes ensuring that the DataExtractor is run regularly .
School leaders identify a Skedula Specialist who will be responsible for providing direct support to teachers regarding gradebook management.
This is especially relevant for schools that mandate use of the Skedula gradebook, and/or where Datacation is used to support specific grading policy.
School leaders alongside the Data Specialist/s collectively outline a clear plan for how the system will be used in their school and conduct the setup process together.
This is especially relevant because the new system allows for greater administrative control, including the ability to set rules for how it is used by teachers and other staff.
Key staff including the Data/Skedula Specialist/s attend the start of the year training.
School leaders communicate their plan to school personnel and provide training if necessary.

5. Goals for this Presentation
To demonstrate how Datacation is set up at the beginning of the school year
To inform administrators of the multiple options they have in customizing Skedula 2.0 to support certain grading policies
To provide step-by-step instructions on how to perform key actions
To outline what schools must do to ensure that the data in Datacation remains accurate and up-to-date over the course of the school year
We will also outline the Technical Assistance & Support services available to New Visions schools.
Be advised:
Wherever you see icon that means there is a downloadable Quick Guide available with more information.
Wherever you see icon that means there is a downloadable Power Point Presentation available with more information.

6. System Set Up Checklist
Datacation cannot be set up without input from the Principal and school leadership.
This 10-step school set up process should be completed collectively by the school’s Data Specialist, Principal, APs and other school leaders. 1
Finalize Master Schedule in HSST including the Teacher Reference Table 2
Install the Data Extractor tool & Run a Full Force Sync 3
Verify user registration and set user rights 4
Verify and upload relevant school information 5
Assign course codes and edit courses (if necessary) 6
Understand your grading options 7
Set marking period dates, course category weights and valid grades 8
If using Standards Based Grading, upload school standards tree (and lock) 9
If using Standards Based Grading, assign standards to courses (and lock) 10
Provide resources and training for teachers (if necessary)

7. Installing the Data Extractor
Datacation connects directly to HSST & ATS databases via the Data Extractor. Every time you run the Data Extractor, Datacation pulls the most up-to-date HSST/ATS files into the system. Running the Extractor regularly over will keep the Datacation system working optimally over the course of the school year.
Important information regarding installation:
You must install the Data Extractor on a computer that uses an Admin Line (VLAN2).  If your computer can connect to HSST or ATS, it is on the proper line
Do not install on the HSST Client!
To install the Data Extractor:
and click “Launch” OR,
Log into Skedula and Click “Administration”  “Data Status”
If nothing happens, you need to install .NET Framework 3.5 and Windows Installer 3.1 on the computer
To do this you must login as the local administrator. 
If you need the password, speak to your school's IT Tech.
Otherwise, contact the Datacation team at or

8. Uploading Files through the Data Extractor
Once your Master Schedule and Teacher Reference Table are complete and your Data Extractor is installed, you are now ready to upload data into Datacation!
To do this: Click “Run Force Full Sync” from the Sync Wizard or File Upload Screen.
You will be prompted to enter your ATS and HSST (if the school uses HSST) passwords
A Full Force sync will pull the latest version of your HSST/ATS files.
Auto Sync will refresh any files that have been modified since the last Full Sync.
The File Upload Screen

9. Verifying Your Data Upload Was Successful
Once the Data Upload is complete, the next step is to verify the upload was successful.
To do this: Log into Skedula 2.0  Click “Administration”  “Data Status”
The Data Status page populates a File Log. From this page you can view:
The name and description of each file
If there were any errors in uploading files during your last sync
(Marked by an X)
The date each file was last synced
How old each file is
Look through the logs to ensure all the files were uploaded successfully.
For the first two weeks of school, New Visions recommends you run a Full Force Sync once a day in order for Datacation to catch any programming or scheduling changes you make in HSST.
For Help: Contact Datacation tech support or

10. Verifying User Registration & Setting User Rights
Once your data is uploaded, the teacher reference table from HSST is automatically pulled into the system. You need to verify that this information is accurate and set user rights for your school population. There are default user rights set based on user Account Types (Teacher, Administrator Staff). You can change these default settings for an individual user or group.
To do this: Click “Administration”  “User Accounts”
A list of your User Accounts will appear
From this page you can add a new account or edit an account
To Edit an account click on the
Pencil Icon; from here you can:
Add an Alternative
Change Job Titles & Account Types
Delete User/s
Reset & User Passwords
Modify User Rights
See “Setting User Rights” Quick Guide for more information.

11. Verifying & Uploading School Information
The next step is to verify that your school information is correct. You also have an opportunity to upload a school logo. This information is linked to PADS and will be used in creating report cards. Optional: Create events on the school calendar and upload files that can be shared with the entire school.
Verifying School Info: Click “Administration”  “School Info”
Verify your school address and contact information is correct
Upload a school logo (that will be shown on report cards)
Managing the School Calendar: Click “Account”  “School Calendar”
Add events to the School Calendar
Categorize events by type (Announcement, School Closed, Meeting, School Staff Only)
Anything on the School Calendar is public to all users unless the event is categorized as “School Staff Only”
Uploading School Files: Click “Account”  “File Manager”
Click “Upload File”  “Browse for Files”
Upload to “School Shared Files”
Anything uploaded to the School Shared File folder is public to all users and downloadable (common rubrics, field trip forms, parent letters, etc.)

12. Assigning Course Codes & Editing Courses
Need to ask Peter about this.
To Include:
Course Codes
Course User Assignments
Course Names

13. Grading Controls in Skedula 2.0
In Skedula 2.0, administrators (if they so choose) have greater control over how teachers set up and manager their online gradebooks. It is important that school leaders know what controls they have so they can make smart decisions about what rules to set.
Specifically, administrators have the power to:
Lock Marking Period dates for a particular course, group of courses, or the whole school.
If Marking Period dates are not locked, teachers will have the ability to choose their own marking period dates for each of their courses.
Lock Course Category weights for a particular course, group of courses, or the whole school.
If Course Category weights are not locked, teachers will have the ability to choose their own weights for each of their courses.
3. Lock Valid Grades for a particular course, group of courses, or the whole school. If Valid Grades are not locked, teachers will have the ability to enter any grade in their gradebooks.

14. Controlling Marking Periods & Course Categories
To do this: Click “Course Settings”  “Course Categories”
Choose your Marking Period dates & check “Lock Marking Periods”
Fill in the table with your Course Categories and Weights & check “Lock Categories” and/or “Lock Weighted Categories”
Click “Save to…”
Save to one course, a group of courses, or entire school.
Choose dates.
TIP: You can also create a category that is not assigned a percentage of the overall grade. This is features is especially useful for things like baseline and formative assessments that you want to track over time but that are not graded.
This locks the assignment categories teachers can choose.
This locks marking period dates.
This locks the weighting percentages of each assignment category.

15. Two Types of Grading in Skedula 2.0
In addition to greater administrative controls, Datacation has also added a new grading option this year. There are now two types of grading in Datacation—Traditional (Single Assignment) Grading and Standards Based Grading. Schools may choose to use only one option or engage in a combination of both.
Traditional Single
Assignment Grading
Teachers provide single grade on each assignment.
Single grades on each assignment are averaged for each category (Homework, Classwork, Test, etc.) and the overall Course Grade is calculated using category weights.
Standards Based Grading
Teachers attach standards to each assignment and assess student performance along each standard
Student grades on each standard are calculated for each category using an Outcome Formula. The overall Standard Grade is calculated using category weights.
Both
Schools can lock teachers out of either grading option (See Quick Guides for more information).
IMPORTANT: If you are considering using Standards Based Grading please for additional support & training.

16. Controlling Valid Grades (Single Assignment Grading)
To do this: Click “Course Settings”  “Valid Grades”

17. Controlling Valid Grades (Standards Based Grading)
To do this: Click “Course Settings”  “Valid Standard Grades”

18. Outcome Formulas in Standards Based Grading

19. Uploading Standards to Your Tree

20. Assigning Standards to Courses

21. Key Teacher Actions To Include: Creating Assignments
Viewing Student Potfolios
Grading Assignments
Grading Icons
Taking Attendance

22. Maintaining Accurate & Up-To-Date Data

23. Support Materials & Technical Assistance

24. Frequently Asked Questions