StudentTracker 3.0 for Secondary Subscribers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - September 2021 Version 1.1
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StudentTracker® 3.0
for Secondary Subscribers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
September 2021
Version 1.1
1Table of Contents
Table of Contents...................................................................................................................................................... 2
Revision history ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 3
What is StudentTracker 3.0? ............................................................................................................................... 3
What are the biggest enhancements? ............................................................................................................. 3
What is the scheduled timeline for StudentTracker 3.0 for secondary subscribers? ............................ 4
StudentTracker Reports .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Are there any new reports? ................................................................................................................................ 4
Is there a description of the reports and any changes? ............................................................................... 5
Single Student Search .............................................................................................................................................. 7
What is a single student search? ....................................................................................................................... 7
The Matching Algorithm .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Are any enhancements being made to the matching algorithm? ............................................................. 7
What are the Visualizations? .................................................................................................................................. 7
Account Transparency ............................................................................................................................................. 9
What is Account transparency? ......................................................................................................................... 9
Student File submission .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Is a general description of these changes available? .................................................................................... 9
What are the new optional data elements that can be submitted? .......................................................... 9
What is an API? ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
Other Questions...................................................................................................................................................... 10
What is FERPA and why can’t StudentTracker tell me whether a student has placed a block on
their record?......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Is there a way around FERPA? .......................................................................................................................... 10
What is in store for the future? ........................................................................................................................ 10
2Revision history
September 2021: Revised the timeline to reflect the new schedule and provide more detail on the
functionality that will be available in the various phases of the project.
Introduction
This set of FAQs is intended for StudentTracker secondary subscribers, meaning those of you who
want to learn about postsecondary enrollment and completions for the students with whom you
work and provide services to during their secondary education years.
Enhancements to StudentTracker for Colleges & Universities is scheduled to begin in 2022.
Any questions or comments can be sent to StudentTracker3.0@StudentTracker.org
What is StudentTracker 3.0?
Simply put, the StudentTracker 3.0 project will bring all of the different StudentTracker services
onto one consolidated platform providing all subscribers with the same experience, as appropriate.
The goal is to maintain parity with the current StudentTracker services that return postsecondary
student data. Enhancements are being made based on subscriber feedback and changes in the
outcomes provided and method of request. The report PDF packets will no longer be generated in
their current format.
The entire project is scheduled to take up to 5 years.
What are the biggest enhancements?
• New technology
• A user-friendly interface with three key performance indicators immediately available on the
landing page: Enrollment, Persistence/Retention, Completions
• Current postsecondary data available for reporting (no more effective dates)
• A consistent matching algorithm for all, as applicable
• An Analysis-Ready report (ARR) with one row per student
• Account transparency that lets you see the high schools that are in your service agreement
along with their ACT codes, NCES codes and enrollment counts, as well as all users
• Single student search functionality that is available for all
3What is the scheduled timeline for StudentTracker 3.0 for secondary subscribers?
Below is the planned timeline as of September 15, 2021, which may change depending on the
progress of development and testing efforts.
Task Dates
Development for Phase 1A: Targeting April 2022
Data, reports and visualizations based on stored diploma
records will be available in the new service.
Dependent on internal testing, November 2021-March
2022
Student data files are still submitted via your FTP account Through summer 2022
So high school class of 2020-21 still submitted via FTP
Beta testing of the new service will be performed by some April-May 2022
current StudentTracker subscribers (will need a signed
amendment or a new agreement)
Bug fixes/revisions to user interface May-June 2022
Development for Phase 1B: January -June 2022
Visuals for trends, request files processing, file intake
process and user interface, choose the high school
Begin moving current StudentTracker subscribers onto the Begins June 2022
new service to access Phase 1A functionality (this will be
staggered approach)
File intake processes (new format, new data elements, API, Summer 2022
directly into the new service) beta testing and launch
StudentTracker Reports
Are there any new reports?
At this time, the only new report is the Analysis-Ready report (ARR), which condenses the student-
level detail report into one row per student.
The format/layout of how current data is returned will be changing.
4Is there a description of the reports and any changes?
Report Name Current Service: Current Service: Mission-
StudentTracker for High Driven StudentTracker
Schools (formerly known as Outreach)
Student-level detail report Existing layout will remain as is The layout will change as we
with new data elements added work toward having one
to the end of the rows: consistent layout for all
• CIP codes (major) secondary subscribers.
associated with enrollment
records The student-level detail report
• Class level (freshman, already contains values for CIP
sophomore, etc.) related to enrollment and class
• Degree mapping: level. This data will move to the
A consistent value to end of each row.
indicate the type of
degree(s) a student earned Specifics about the field sizes
will be provided approximately
Specifics about the field sizes January 2022.
will be provided approximately
January 2022.
Analysis Report This is new. The columns of This is new. The columns of
data are still being considered. data are still being considered.
The vision is to provide The vision is to provide
columns to indicate: columns to indicate:
1. Whether a student is 1. Whether a student is
currently enrolled based on currently enrolled based on
the date of the report and, the date of the report, and
if so, where? if so, where?
2. Did the student enroll in the 2. Did the student enroll in the
first fall after graduating first fall after graduating
high school (Y/N) high school (Y/N)
3. Did the student persist and, 3. Did the student persist and,
if so, where? if so, where?
4. First, second and third 4. First, second and third
credential earned credential earned
5. Dual enrollment indicator 5. Dual enrollment indicator
6. Optional data elements 6. Optional data elements
provided provided
5Report Name Current Service: Current Service: Mission-
StudentTracker for High Driven StudentTracker
Schools (formerly known as Outreach)
Top 25 colleges first attended This will be revised. This will be new and contain
much more data/intel than the
The vision is to make the report first attended report currently
interactive. provides. Click the following
link to learn more about the
Specifics about the changes will current Top 25 report:
be available in spring 2022. https://studentclearinghouse.in
fo/help/knowledge-base/top-
25-institutions-first-attended-
report/
Specifics about the changes will
be available in spring 2022.
Enrollment report This report will contain the This report will contain the
supporting data counts that are supporting data counts that are
used to calculate the landing used to calculate the landing
page visualizations. page visualizations.
A .csv file with all of the counts A .csv file with all of the counts
at the account level and for at the account level and for
each high school and each high each high school and each high
school class year will be school class year will be
available. This is still under available. This is still under
analysis. analysis.
Retention/Persistence report This report will contain the This report will contain the
supporting data counts that are supporting data counts that are
used to calculate the landing used to calculate the landing
page visualizations. page visualizations.
A .csv file with all of the counts A .csv file with all of the counts
at the account level and for at the account level and for
each high school and each high each high school and for each
school class year will be high school class year will be
available. This is still under available. This is still under
analysis. analysis.
6Report Name Current Service: Current Service: Mission-
StudentTracker for High Driven StudentTracker
Schools (formerly known as Outreach)
Completers report This report will contain the This report will contain the
supporting data counts that are supporting data counts that are
used to calculate the landing used to calculate the landing
page visualizations. page visualizations.
A .csv file with all of the counts A .csv file with all of the counts
at the account level and for at the account level and for
each high school and each high each high school and each high
school class year will be school class year will be
available. This is still under available. This is still under
analysis. analysis.
Single Student Search
What is a single student search?
It is functionality that enables you to search for one student at a time when you do not have time to
submit a file or request a detail report. The student’s postsecondary enrollment and credentials are
returned.
In StudentTracker 3.0, all users will have the benefit of this functionality.
The Matching Algorithm
Are any enhancements being made to the matching algorithm?
Analysis is underway by a Clearinghouse data scientist and Research Center analysts, who are
reviewing the current matching algorithm to determine what enhancements, if any, can be made.
Testing and review will be ongoing from fall 2021 through spring 2022.
What are the Visualizations?
The visualizations are a quick and easy way for you to see how your students are doing in their
postsecondary progression. They save you the time of analyzing counts in an aggregate report or in
the student-level detail report.
7When you log onto the StudentTracker 3.0 application, you will see a landing page with three Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) for different high school classes:
o Enrollment
o Retention and Persistence
o Completions
The postsecondary data that feeds into these visualizations will be updated daily.
The following screen shot provides a general picture of what this landing page may look like. While
this is not the final version, we expect the final to be similar.
You will be able to click into each outcome and see more visuals and data and choose a specific
high school class and the optional demographic data elements (as long as you provide this data in
your file submissions). In Phase 1A, only the demographic data elements will be available for
filtering.
8Account Transparency
What is Account transparency?
In StudentTracker 3.0, you will be able to see important pieces of information about your
StudentTracker subscription, including:
• Subscription end date
• Name of the organization that is paying for your subscription
• All of the users on your account
• List of all of the high schools included in your service agreement
Student File submission
The file format and submission process will be changing. More specifics will be provided in
February/March 2022.
Is a general description of these changes available?
• Ability to submit file via API or directly into the new application (phase out FTP)
• More flexibility, less structured format allowing you to input the Clearinghouse defined
column name based on the data in that column
• More optional data elements
• User interface that displays file status and errors/warnings
What are the new optional data elements that can be submitted?
Because this is still under analysis your suggestions are welcome. Please email us at
StudentTracker3.0@StudentClearinghouse.org.
The following data elements (in no particular order) are currently under consideration. We
anticipate they will require a Y/N value.
FAFSA completion Advanced classes AVID participant CTE student
Honor student Mentored student College intending First in my family
Homeless student Foster youth Single parent Incarcerated
Part of a grant
What is an API?
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It allows two applications to talk to each other
(yours and the StudentTracker application). APIs are used in many everyday activities, although you
9may not be aware that you are using them. A prime example is when you log onto your social
media application to view and post messages, which is made possible by an API.
In StudentTracker 3.0, an API will be used to enable your application to “talk” directly to the
StudentTracker 3.0 application.
Other Questions
What is FERPA and why can’t StudentTracker tell me whether a student has placed a
block on their record?
FERPA stands for the Federal Education Right to Privacy Act. General information on FERPA is
available on our website at https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/high-
schools/studenttracker/ferpa-compliance.
When students place FERPA blocks on their postsecondary records at a particular institution,
StudentTracker cannot return any of this postsecondary data in the student-level detail report. Counts for
students who have placed FERPA blocks on their records are included in the aggregate reports.
StudentTracker cannot disclose which students have placed blocks on their records. The decision to
block their record is considered part of a student’s education record.
Is there a way around FERPA?
The StudentTracker product managers are working with our legal counsel to determine options,
which will most likely require a new agreement.
What is in store for the future?
The items below are on the StudentTracker roadmap, although we cannot commit to a timeline for
them at this time.
• Employment data
• Enlistment data
• Industry credentials
• FERPA exempt detail report
• Community groups
• Create your own reports
• Coordinate with SIS vendors
• Third-party access
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