Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF)

SIF is a standard structure for organizing and communicating education data. Since 2013, DESE has been transitioning the department's data collection systems away from manual file upload and onto a real time data exchange via SIF. As of January 2019, 97% of Massachusetts school districts are submitting state reporting data via SIF.

More information on SIF can be found at: Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community, Wikipedia: Schools Interoperability Framework.

The School Interoperability Framework (SIF) creates connections between DESE's data collection tools and the student information systems (SIS) used in districts, enabling seamless transfer of student, teacher, and course information. SIF is being implemented and continuously improved to facilitate:

• Real-time data exchange that streamlines the editing process and reduces district data submission burdens
• Integration with existing reporting and analysis tools such as Edwin Analytics, which are used by school districts and DESE staff
• Consolidated submission requirements that make it easier for vendors to offer SIF-compliant student information systems to districts
• Effective data validations and standard submission requirements to ensure data accuracy and quality
• Long-term cost savings for DESE and school districts

For more information about the project:

If you have questions, please contact:

Danielle M. Norton
Integrated Digital Data Services Program Manager
Executive Office of Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-6839

Sujata B. Pun
SIF Project Manager
Executive Office of Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-6786

Last Updated: August 31, 2020