ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC): Rollover & ODS Instance Setup
Created: In Progress
Reviewed: In Progress
Revised: In Progress
Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, LEAs will send data through two ODS Instances:
- From ASCENDER to The Exchange (EODS)
- From ASCENDER to TSDS (IODS)
This process requires LEAs to have two ODS Instances set up in the ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC) tool; one for The Exchange and one for TSDS.
Setup Checklist
❏ Complete Annual Student Data Rollover or Finance End-of-Year (for business-only districts) processes.
❏ Identify LEA set-up requirements.
❏ Set up IODS Instance.
❏ (If applicable) Set up EODS Instance.
❏ (If applicable) Onboard to The Exchange.
❏ Begin Sending Data.
Terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Texas Student Data System (TSDS) | A suite of statewide applications and data warehouses used to streamline state reporting (such as PEIMS). Managed by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to handle public education data reporting, storage, and validation. |
| Individual Operational Data Store (IODS) | A secure data repository assigned to a local education agency (school districts and charters). Stores local and state-reporting data. |
| Ed-Fi Operational Data Store (EODS) | A centralized database used to collect, integrate, and manage real-time LEA data using the Ed-Fi Data Standard. Managed by the Ed-Fi Alliance to exchange and publish education data. |
Identify LEA Set-Up Requirements
Review the LEA's circumstances to determine the applicable set-up requirements.
- If the LEA will not send data from ASCENDER to the Exchange in the 2026-2027 school year, then only the IODS Setup is required.
- If the LEA sent data from ASCENDER to The Exchange last school year, then both the IODS Setup and EODS Verification is required.
- If the LEA did not send data from ASCENDER to The Exchange last school year, but will send data this year, then IODS Setup, Exchange Onboarding, and EODS Verification is required.
Set up IODS Instance
Before You Begin
❏ Confirm that applicable users have the appropriate security permissions for ASCENDER DataConnect.
- ACCESS Role - Allows users to access DataConnect
- ADMIN Role - Allows user to create or modify ODS Instances
❏ Confirm the completion of the following processes in ASCENDER Enterprise:
- Annual Student Data Rollover
- Business-only LEAs - Finance End-of-Year Process.
❏ Verify that the API URL, Key, and Secret are available in TSDS.
Create IODS Instance
Access the ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC) tool.
1. From the Dashboard, click the Admin drop-down and select ODS Instances.
2. Click Add ODS Instance. The ODS Instances page displays.
3. Enter IODS connection information:
- District
- School Year
- ODS ID - Recommended ODS ID: iods-2027
- Catalog - Determines what data is sent to the intended recipient (The Exchange (EODS)/TSDS (IODS)).
- If BIS is in the catalog name, only Business data is sent.
- If SIS is in the catalog name, only Student data is sent.
- If neither BIS or SIS is in the catalog name, then both Business and Student data is sent.
- Enter the LEA’s TSDS API URL, Key, and Secret.
Examples of 26-27 School Year IODS Instances:
- For ASCENDER clients sending Business (BIS)-only data, the catalog will be identified as iODS-BIS (2027).
- For ASCENDER clients sending Student (SIS)-only data, the catalog will be identified as iODS-SIS (2027).
- ASCENDER clients sending both BIS and SIS data, the catalog will be identified as iODS (2027).
4. Review the information to ensure accuracy.
5. Click Create ODS Instance to create and save the ODS Instance in ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC).
- A message displays indicating that the ODS was successfully created.
- The new IODS Instance displays in the list of configured Instances. The following Action buttons are available:
- Test - Click to verify that DataConnect can successfully connect to the ODS Instance using the connection information that was entered.
- It is good practice to test the connection after creating a new ODS Instance or after making changes to the connection information.
- Once the connection has been successfully tested, the IODS Instance setup is complete.
- Delete - Click to permanently delete the ODS Instance. This option should only be used if the ODS Instance is no longer needed or was created in error.
- Edit - Click to update the ODS Instance if information such as the API URL, Key, Secret, or other configuration settings need to be changed.
Set up EODS Instance
Before You Begin
❏ Confirm that applicable users have the appropriate security permissions for ASCENDER DataConnect.
- ACCESS Role - Allows users to access DataConnect
- ADMIN Role - Allows user to create or modify ODS Instances
❏ Confirm the completion of the following processes in ASCENDER Enterprise:
- Annual Student Data Rollover
- Business-only LEAs - Finance End-of-Year Process.
Create EODS Instance
Access the ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC) tool.
1. From the Dashboard, click the Admin drop-down and select ODS Instances.
2. Review the list of configured ODS Instances.
- If the EODS Instance for the new school year is displayed, skip to Step 5.
- If it is not displayed, continue to Step 3.
3. Click Resync Instances.
4. Verify the EODS Instance for the new school year is displayed.
Note: Notice the Sync icon. This indicates that the EODS Instance was automatically created through the synchronization process.
5. Verify the correct EODS Catalog is selected.
- Catalog - Determines what data is sent to the intended recipient (The Exchange (EODS)/TSDS (IODS)).
- If BIS is in the catalog name, only Business data is sent.
- If SIS is in the catalog name, only Student data is sent.
- If neither BIS or SIS is in the catalog name, then both Business and Student data is sent.
Examples of 26-27 School Year EODS Instances:
- For ASCENDER clients sending Business (BIS)-only data, the catalog will be identified as eODS-BIS (2027).
- For ASCENDER clients sending Student (SIS)-only data, the catalog will be identified as eODS-SIS (2027).
- ASCENDER clients sending both BIS and SIS data, the catalog will be identified as eODS (2027).
Onboard to The Exchange
Before You Begin
❏ Confirm the user has access to the District Administration > Options > TSDS > Connection tab.
❏ Confirm the completion of the following processes in ASCENDER Enterprise:
- Annual Student Data Rollover
- Business-only LEAs - Finance End-of-Year Process.
❏ Complete the following agreements with The Exchange:
- Data Privacy Agreement
- Exchange License Agreement
Do not proceed until both agreements have been completed.
Complete Onboard to Exchange Process
Access ASCENDER Enterprise.
1. Navigate to the District Administration > Options > TSDS > Connection tab.
2. Click Onboard to The Exchange. The Onboard to The Exchange pop-up message displays.
- Click Yes to continue. After this step is completed, the Exchange Onboarding process is finished, and the LEA is ready to complete the EODS Verification process.
- Click No to cancel and close the pop-up.
Begin Sending Data
At the beginning of the school year, once the applicable set-up requirements for the LEA have been completed, it is recommended to begin creating runs one domain at a time in domain dependency order. Following this recommendation ensures Level 1 errors remain manageable.
Access the ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC) tool.
1. From the Dashboard, click Create New Run. The Create Run page opens.
❏ Complete the following fields for the New Data Sync Run:
- In the District ID field, click
to select the applicable county-district ID. - In the School Year field, click to select the applicable school year (2027).
- In the School Year Catalog field, click to select the applicable catalog.
- Under Domain Selection:
- Clear the Select All Domains checkbox.
- Following the domain dependency order, select one domain at a time.
❏ Click Submit.
2. Review the Level 1 errors and make any necessary corrections in ASCENDER Enterprise.
3. As Level 1 Errors become manageable, repeat steps 1 and 2, and continue adding domains in dependency order.
4. After all domains are sending successfully, repeat step 1, except now Under Domain Selection, mark the Select All Domains checkbox to include all domains in the run. Now, you can begin creating scheduled runs.
Create Scheduled Runs for the New School Year
With all domains sending successfully through ASCENDER DataConnect (ADC), you can begin scheduling runs for the new school year.
1. At the top of the Dashboard, click Schedules. The Schedules page opens.
2. Click + New.
3. Under Create schedule, select the District, ODS, and School Year.
4. Under Strategy, click the appropriate scheduling strategy:
- INTERVAL: Sends data at the specified interval, in minutes.
- TIMES OF_DAY: Sends data once each day at the specified time.
- In the Interval field, enter the interval in minutes or the time of day, depending on the selected strategy.
5. Click Save schedule. The scheduled run displays in the Defined schedules list.
TIP: Data published to the EODS is sent to the IODS every 30 minutes.
Review Prior School Year Runs
Beginning each school year, Scheduled Runs for the prior school year (2026) will automatically stop the second Friday of October.
- If an LEA needs to send additional prior year data after the Scheduled Runs have stopped, create a New Run and select the prior school year.
- It is important to remember that prior year data is sent using the connection that was configured for that school year.
- For example, if the connection for the prior school year was configured to be sent from ASCENDER to The Exchange and then to TSDS, a manual created run for that school year will continue to follow that same path. Remember that data published to the EODS continues to be sent to the IODS approximately every 30 minutes, even when a prior year run is manually created.
- As a best practice, do not delete prior year ODS Instances. It is recommended that you keep connections for at least two years in the event that data for a prior year Working Submission needs to be sent.