WSIPC Signs Project Unicorn Pledge!
Jul 16, 19
What is Interoperability, and Why is It Important?
Interoperability is the seamless, secure, and controlled exchange of data between applications. Solving the data interoperability challenges facing districts and schools is critical to giving teachers the information they need to do their jobs and to enabling innovation in classroom practices.
What is Project Unicorn?
Project Unicorn is an effort to improve data interoperability within K-12 education, by creating a community of innovators who make the broader case for secure interoperability by determining shared priorities, working in partnership with school systems and vendors to understand its importance and benefits, creating a demand side push for interoperability through partnerships, and educating buyers to consider the total cost of ownership through informed comparison of vendors.
WSIPC Has Signed the Project Unicorn Pledge!
Signing the Project Unicorn Pledge illustrates WSIPC’s commitment to championing the following principles for our software, and the software offered by our Procurement Partners.
Create and promote a clear definition of data interoperability. People in school districts who procure and support data tools, and the vendors who create and sell them, must have a common language to discuss requirements and solutions and objectively evaluate the capabilities of their tools. It is impossible to solve a problem if you can’t define the problem clearly.
- Support the adoption of standards for K-12 data exchange. To realize the vision of seamless and secure data transfer, all tools in the ecosystem need to speak a common language and exchange data in well-defined and predictable ways. Data standards provide the common language, and data exchange specifications (e.g. API resource specification or XSD definitions) provide predictable ways to transfer data.
- Empower districts and vendors to put in place strong data security and privacy safeguards. Without the right security and data privacy policy governance, seamless data transfer is irresponsible and unethical. Our resources and efforts support districts and vendors in understanding what best practice looks like and how to honestly evaluate their own practices. To learn about WSIPC’s Data Privacy and Security protocols, check out our website.
Cross-Vendor Interoperability - We’ve Already Started!
WSIPC is a member of A4L (the Access For Learning Community), which collaborates on a variety of technical standards known as SIF (Schools Interoperability Framework). WSIPC provides a SIF platform and implementation services at no cost to our members. Contact sif@wsipc.org to discuss how this proven framework can help your integration needs.
Our WSIPC partner Skyward (the company behind Qmlativ and SMS 2.0 - our education management software) is SIF Certified! Learn more.
A OneRoster API endpoint is now available in SMS 2.0. You can use this new API endpoint to share class rosters and related data with third party applications. Rest easy knowing you have a tested and reliable system that can connect with other products to meet your district’s unique needs. Learn more!
WSIPC is committed to championing the seamless, secure, and controlled exchange of data between all applications offered through our Cooperative
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Tell Me More About Project Unicorn
In April 2016, a group of over 25 educators from some of the most innovative public schools in the country gathered in Brooklyn for the first Data Whiz Summit. This group crafted unique projects that aimed to solve common “pain points” that furthered innovation and led to better student outcomes. Many of these projects and pain points had a common origin: an inability to use the information that schools had already collected. As the educators and school leaders in the room discussed these issues and possible solutions, it became clear that being able to securely compare and analyze data schools already collected would help improve existing systems. These conversations helped create Project Unicorn.
Tell Me More About WSIPC
WSIPC is a non-profit cooperative that provides technology solutions (including Qmlativ and SMS 2.0), services, and support to K-12 schools. WSIPC’s purpose is to help schools do more with every dollar and to empower them with the tools to work smarter. To learn how your district can become a part of the WSIPC Cooperative, contact us at info@wsipc.org or 425.349.6600.
WSIPC. Inspired by education. Empowered by technology.TM