Specialist in Educational Data (SED)

Established in 1998, the MSBO Voluntary Certification Program supports the ongoing professional development of school business officials. The program is a mark of distinction that reflects professional achievement and demonstrates a person’s dedication to his/her profession.

Benefits of Specialist in Educational Data Certification

The Specialist in Educational Data (SED) certification:
1. Provides access to information and training for the school data specialist that is specific to their function under Michigan laws and regulations;
2. Provides a basis for advancing the profession of Specialist in Educational Data in Michigan; and
3. Ensures proper training in pupil accounting procedures, rules and regulations.

The SED Program

MSBO certification courses provide a great deal of information in a short time. Most courses are “bulleted” information rather than in-depth training. They are intended to cover major points about their respective topics, offer an opportunity for questions and discussion, and provide resource information for future use.

The recommended beginning course for the Specialist in Educational Data certification is either Educational Data and Its Uses or CEPI Applications (Overview). These are offered in the fall and spring at the MPAAA conferences. Although anyone may benefit from these or other individual certification courses, the full program is generally intended for the Specialist in Educational Data in his/her first 1-5 years of employment. For those who have more than 5 years of experience in educational data, MSBO will evaluate his/her experience to determine how much additional training is required prior to granting certification. A grandparenting application is required. The Specialist in Educational Data is responsible for submitting data and analyzing data to benefit the district in data-driven decision making

Requirements

This program and the courses listed have been created and reviewed by the Professional Development Committee of MSBO and have been developed in conjunction with the Michigan Pupil Accounting and Attendance Association (MPAAA). An applicant for certification must be a member of MSBO and MPAAA.

In some circumstances courses from other sources may be counted toward MSBO certification. Please be aware that some courses and/or requirements may change. MSBO and the committees that created this program continue to evaluate and modify as appropriate to keep this certification current.

MSBO’s Certification Program Benefits:

Provides access to information needed to succeed in your job
Offers practical overviews of key areas of law, regulations and practices
Identifies resources for in-depth and additional information that may be utilized at a later time
Assures a quality curriculum is developed and monitored by the MSBO Professional Development Committee
Uses experienced practitioners to teach classes
Offers seminars at regular intervals and reasonable prices
Uses adult learning principles and provides a learning environment where colleagues can share experiences and information

Questions?

Contact Courtney Byam at 517.327.5937;
or Debbie Kopkau at 517.327.2587.

Specialist in Educational Data (SED) Course Descriptions

Data Mining (3 hours):

Review the educational data tools of the trade. Learn about how and when to use Excel, Access, XML to submit, retrieve and use the educational data available from your Student Information System, MI School Data, other data warehouses and directly from CEPI.

Data Quality I (3 hours):

A culture of data quality is the belief that good data is an integral part of teaching, learning, and operating your school. Data Quality I provides the initial foundational building blocks related to creating a culture of data quality. Identify the components of data quality, factors affecting data quality, collaboration opportunities, security and confidentiality, and the elements of a data audit.

Data Quality II (3 hours):

The second in the Data Quality series focuses on data entry — getting things right at the source. The quality of data will improve when all staff understands how the data will be used and how data become information. Get information about coordinating data quality at the district level, identifying data flow and cycles, common data entry issues, the importance of communication, and the roles of various district staff in this process. Pre-requisite: Data Quality I.

Educational Data and Its Uses (3 hours):

See first-hand how state reporting data is used from a variety of instructional and non-instructional perspectives. Included will be a review of the MI School Data website.

Effective Communications (3 hours):

Learn techniques and strategies to send clear messages, create credibility, and develop strategic communications programs that are effective for your school district.

Introduction to CEPI (3 hours):

The Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) or experts appointed by CEPI provide an in-depth overview of submissions impacting a variety of CEPI applications including the Michigan Student Data System (MSDS), the School Infrastructure Database (SID), Financial Information Database (FID), Educational Entity Master (EEM), Graduation and Dropout Application (GAD) and Registry for Personnel (REP). Information about P-20 longitudinal data systems may be included as needed.

Introduction to Pupil Accounting I (3 hours):

Pupil Accounting I introduces staff new to pupil accounting to the Pupil Accounting Manual (PAM) and requirements related to count days. Included is a review of timelines, enrollment requirements and information about the three student populations as defined by the PAM.

Michigan Student Data System in Depth (MSDS) (3 hours):

Understand the ins and outs of the Michigan Student Data System. MSDS aligns individual data collections with state and federal program requirements. Each component and characteristic of the system will be covered. Details on currently available resources from state and federal agencies will be covered.

Organizational Applications (3 hours):

Learn how student data points are collected and how they are used by both internal and external customers from a Technology Director’s perspective. Some of the topics the program will encompass are the various data points required (e.g., attendance, pupil accounting, discipline, tardy, scheduling, immunization, and Special Education, etc.) and internal and external data submission and reporting requirements. The presentation will also review the attributes required of a comprehensive student management information system including both a centralized and decentralized approach. Quality data and data warehousing will also be discussed.

Principles of Education (3 hours):

Understand the educational process, culture of schools, major learning theories, teaching methodologies, school improvement, design of inservice programs, and the structure and function of the principalship.

Pupil Accounting Legislative Primer (3 hours):

Understanding the processes and procedures of pupil accounting requires a basic understanding of school funding, including knowledge of the State School Aid Act, the School Code, and Administrative Rules and how these elements intertwine and provide the cornerstone that drives the content of the Pupil Accounting Manual and the Pupil Auditing manual.

Team Leadership (3 hours):

Learn how to match your leadership style with the culture of the organization. Matching leadership style to the cultural landscape will allow you to increase your productivity, decrease communication problems and strengthen your conflict management skills.

Technology Policies (3 hours):

Get an overview of the policies and procedures that should be in place, including Acceptable Use Policies (AUP), network policies, e-mails, filtering of network, listservs, laptops, copyright, licensing, and software selection policies. Understand asset management, Web publishing, and the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA.)

Topics in Pupil Accounting (3 hours):

Learn about Student Data Privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Understand how to make Student Record Maintenance (SRM) – a collection submissions in the Michigan Student Data System – successful. Connections between the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP) and Teacher Student Data Link (TSDL) will also be examined.

Certification Wrap-up (2 hours):

Celebrate completion of your certification program! Reflect on what you have learned and your role in the educational process and your school district. This class can be taken only if you are two classes or less from completing your certification (not counting the Certification Wrap-Up Session).

Elective (6 hours):

Any course taken outside of this certification track but required in another.

Total class time is 50 hours. Required continuing education includes 90 hours within a five calendar-year period. These hours can be earned through MSBO/MPAAA.