What is the SIMS data collection?
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education defines SIMS as: “a student-level data collection system that allows the Department to collect and analyze more accurate and comprehensive information, to meet federal and state reporting requirements, and to inform policy and programmatic decisions." (http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/sims/).
The data is collected 3 times per year:
- October 1
- March 1
- End of Year
The process collects data from each district and processes it through a series of validations. The data is then validated against other districts' data. Once all validations are completed the data is signed off by the district; the student data is then final.
The Results of SIMS:
Accurately Reporting SIMS Data:
Enrolling Students – Please confirm all students are in PowerSchool and are enrolled
- Ensure the student's enrollment date is correct
- Enroll Students in Find Assigned
- Entry Dates must be updated when you bring a student in from Find Assigned
- Students who do not show will be indicated as a drop out at the school they last attended
- Residents of shelters are still considered Springfield residents and attend our schools
- Residents of facilities should not be transferred out. They are educated by our district
- Keep residents of facilities enrolled and mark POF in attendance. (hospitals, tutored, incarcerated etc.)
- Homebound students are educated by SPS teachers.
- Keep enrolled and mark POF in attendance
Transferring Students – We ask that you confirm each student’s transfer with documentation confirming that the student has enrolled in the new school.
- Confirm the student's Exit Date is Correct
- Exit Dates must reflect the last day a student was in class in your school
- A student's Exit Code and Comment should include the location of where the student is transferring
- Home Schooled students are educated by the Home School program. An application must be submitted and approved before the student can be transferred out.
- Virtual Schools are a public school with all classes on-line.
- Students must be transferred to that school. (Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School, TEC Connections Academy etc.)
- Drop Out – Student’s age 16 or over without attendance will be considered a drop out from the last school attended.
- Students who are under age 16 cannot be drop out (see SPS attendance and enrollment policies)
Attendance Data – Attendance is calculated from the Attendance Page in PowerTeacher/Schoology. This information can be viewed in PowerSchool and the Data Warehouse.
Additional Services/Programs – Please confirm that students who receive services are enrolled in PowerSchool and indicated for these services. (ELL, High School Completion, Special Education, Vocational etc)
Graduation Data – Graduates are reported in each submission. The state uses this data in the school’s accountability calculations. Be sure that your graduates are reported on the Grad Verification report found in the Data Warehouse. This report allows schools to verify the graduation data in PowerSchool prior to each submission.