California School Information Services Version 3 of Terms for California School Information...

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Copyright © 2009 FCMAT/California School Information Services FCMAT/California School Information Services Glossary of Terms for California School Information Services Version 3.0 July 17, 2009

Transcript of California School Information Services Version 3 of Terms for California School Information...

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Copyright © 2009 FCMAT/California School Information Services

FCMAT/California School Information Services

Glossary of Terms

for

California School Information Services

Version 3.0

July 17, 2009

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Table of Contents 1. Program Documents Hierarchy, Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions ...............4

1.1 Program Documents Hierarchy ................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Intended Audience and Suggested Readings............................................................................... 5

2. Introduction..............................................................................................................................5 2.1 Document Purpose....................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Document Conventions ............................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Document Organization............................................................................................................... 5 2.4 References ................................................................................................................................... 6

3. Listing of Commonly Used Acronyms ...................................................................................7 4. Glossary of Terms..................................................................................................................12

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Revision History

Name Date Reason For Changes Version

Nancy Sullivan 20090717 Updated to reflect the implementation of CALPADS

3.0

Steve Mills 20070921 Updated version of document with new terms and acronyms added from the Requirements Management SOP and Testing terms.

2.0

Kathryn O’Dell 20060720 Initial publication of document. 1.0

Review Cycle Review Cycle

Review Date Reviewer Status – Action Needed

Annual 20070921 Steve Mills Update.

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1. Program Documents Hierarchy, Intended Audience and Reading Suggestions

1.1 Program Documents Hierarchy California School Information Services (CSIS) Program documents are organized into successive ranks in which all documents at one level are subordinate to the one above. The documents hierarchy format is as following:

• A shaded box denotes the subject document,

• Italics represent the category or grouping of the subject document.

Program Charter for CSIS

Policy Documents Strategic Plan for CSIS

Plan and/or Procedure Document

State Reporting and Records Transfer System (SRRTS)

External SRRTS Documents

Communications & Projects

Standard Operating Procedures

Glossary of Terms

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1.2 Intended Audience and Suggested Readings The Glossary of Terms document is for internal CSIS staff, as well as LEA staff, student information system vendors, or state policy makers who read any of the CSIS documentation.

Suggested readings:

Program Charter for CSIS

2. Introduction

2.1 Document Purpose The purpose of this document is to define the unique terms used within documents for the CSIS Program. Also included are some standard data processing terms for the casual or non-technical reader.

2.2 Document Conventions The title page and header of this document should contain a version number in the form X.Y where:

X is the version number in sequence 1 through N

Y is the revision number in sequence .1 through .N

The first approved version of the document will be numbered 1.0.

Each new version represents substantial change to the document (for example, adding or deleting work products or processes) and will be serially numbered to the left of the decimal (for example 2.0, 3.0...) once it has been approved by CSIS management.

Minor revisions (that is, format or spelling) will retain the major version number and increment the revision number to the right of the decimal (for example 1.0, 1.1, 1.2…).

2.3 Document Organization This document includes four sections:

Section 1 includes the CSIS Document Hierarchy and describes the intended audience and reading suggestions.

Section 2 is an introduction to the document, describing the document purpose, conventions, organization, and references.

Section 3 defines commonly used acronyms.

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Section 4 includes a glossary of terms in alphabetic order.

2.4 References Located on the CSIS website, the reader is directed to the following documents as referenced, or for further reading about CSIS:

• CSIS Program Charter

• CSIS Program Strategic Plan

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3. Listing of Commonly Used Acronyms Note: This section includes references to data collections that were used prior to CALPADS deployment since some individuals may still use these terms. However, when a collection will be discontinued with CALPADS, the phrase “(pre-CALPADS)” is included below so that the reader will know that the term is a historic term, not a current one.

Term Definition

ACSA Association of California School Administrators

ADAR Anomaly Detection and Anomaly Resolution

AFT American Federation of Teachers

AM Annual SSID Maintenance (pre-CALPADS)

ANSI American National Standards Institute

ANSI X12 American National Standards Institute. X12 establishes a common, uniform language for computers to communicate.

ANSI X.509 American National Standards Institute. X.509 is a public key infrastructure protocol for electronic data interchange.

AP Advanced Placement

API Academic Performance Index

ART Academic Records Transfer

ASSIST Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer

AVR Aggregation Validation Rule(s)

AYP Adequate Yearly Progress

B2B Configuration of Business to Business Connections

BP Best Practice

CAG California School Information Services Advisory Group

CAHSEE California High School Exit Examination

CALPADS California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System

Cal-PASS California Partnership for Achieving Student Success

CALTIDES California Longitudinal Teacher Integrated Data Education System

CASEMIS California Special Education Management Information System

CBEDS California Basic Educational Data System (pre-CALPADS)

CBEDS DEA California Basic Educational Data System Data Entry Assistant (pre-CALPADS)

CCCCO California Community College Chancellor's Office

CCTC California Commission on Teaching Credentialing, (AKA CTC)

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Term Definition

CDE California Department of Education

CDIF County District Information Form (pre-CALPADS)

CDS County District School Number

CELDT California English Language Development Test

CETPA California Educational Technology Professionals Association

CFS CALPADS File Specifications

CFT California Federation of Teachers

CHAP Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol

COE County Office of Education

C&P Communications & Projects Department

CRP Change Review Process

CRF Customer Requirements Form

CS Client Services

CSIS California School Information Services

CSU California State University

CTA California Teachers Association

CTC Commission on Teaching Credentialing, (AKA CCTC)

DD Data Dictionary

DES Data Encryption Standard

DIF District Information Form (pre-CALPADS)

DLCI Data Link Connection Identifier

DMD Data Management Division

DMZ De-militarized Zone

DOF Department of Finance

DSL Digital Subscriber Line

DSR Data Submission Requirements

DSSR Data Submission Summary Report

EC Extended Client (pre-CALPADS)

EDI Electronic Data Interchange

ELC Eligibility in the Local Context

ESD Elementary School District

EU Enrollment Update

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Term Definition

FCMAT Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team

FCP File Creation Parameters

FS Fall Submission (pre-CALPADS)

FTF File Transmission Formats

GATE Gifted and Talented Education

GUI Graphical User Interface

HLR High Level Requirements

HSD High School District

IASA Improving America's Schools Act

IB International Baccalaureate

IEP Individualized Education Program

IPOC Independent Project Oversight Consultants

IPOR Independent Project Oversight Report

ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network

ISP Internet Service Providers

IVR Input Validation Rule(s)

J2EE Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition

KCSOS Kern County Superintendent of Schools

LAN Local Area Network

LCEN or R30 Language Census, also known as the R30 or R30-LC (pre-CALPADS)

LDAP Lightweight Directory Access Protocol

LEA Local Education Agency

LEP Limited-English Proficient

NCLB No Child Left Behind Act

ODS Operational Data Store

OM Online Maintenance (pre-CALPADS)

OOP Object-Oriented Programming

OPUS Online Update for Public Schools

PAIF Professional Assignment Information Form (pre-CALPADS)

PAVR Post-Aggregation Validation Rule(s)

PESC Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council

PGP Pretty Good Privacy

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Term Definition

PIP Project Implementation Plan

PKI Public Key Infrastructure

PM Project Manager

PMO Project Management Office

PRF Production Report Form

PS Postsecondary

PSAA Public Schools Accountability Act

PVC Permanent Virtual Circuit

PVCS Project Version Control System

R30 R30 or R30-LC, form number for the Language Census

RDBMS Relational Database Management System

RFB Request for Bid

RFI Request for Information

RFP Request for Proposal

ROC/P California Regional Occupational Center and Programs

ROM Rough Order of Magnitude

RT Records Transfer

RTM Requirements Traceable Matrix

SAD Standards and Assessment Division

SBE State Board of Education

SED Special Education Division

SEID Statewide Educator Identifier

SELPA Special Education Local Plan Area

SFS Student Friendly Services

SIF School Information Form (pre-CALPADS)

SIF or SIFA Schools Interoperability Framework (Association)

SIS Student Information System

SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

SNOR Student National Origin Report (pre-CALPADS)

SOP Standard Operating Procedure

SOW Scope of Work

SQL Structured English Query Language

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Term Definition

SR State Reporting

SRRTS State Reporting and Records Transfer System

SRS System Requirements Specification

SSID Statewide Student Identifier

TES Transcript Evaluation Service

TRF Test Report Form

UC University of California

USD Unified School District

VPN Virtual Private Network

VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol

WAN Wide Area Network

WWW World Wide Web

XML EXtensible Markup Language

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4. Glossary of Terms

Term Definition

Academic Performance Index (API)

The Academic Performance Index is a numeric index (or scale) that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The API is used is to measure the academic performance and growth of schools in California. A school's score on the API is an indicator of a school's performance level. The statewide API performance target for all schools is 800. A school's growth is measured by how well it is moving toward or past that goal. A school's API Base is subtracted from its API Growth to determine how much the school improved in a year.

Academic Records Transfer (ART)

Academic Records Transfer is a service provided by CSIS that makes it possible for LEAs to upload transcript data to the secure CSIS Transcript Center and send individual transcripts or groups of transcripts to other K-12 institutions or any postsecondary institution in the nation. LEAs can also use the CSIS Transcript Center to request transcripts from other LEAs. The CSIS Transcript Center server handles destination routing, record requests, record request fulfillment, transaction tracking and data mapping to specified destination format requirements.

Acceptance criteria Acceptance criteria are the expected results or performance characteristics that define whether the test case passed or failed.

Acceptance Testing Acceptance testing is a process in which a group of software end-users, or clients of the system, test the system’s new functionality to ensure that the modifications made to the system meet the documented requirements, as well as verifying that the rest of the system is not negatively impacted.

Acknowledgement (Electronic)

Electronic acknowledgement is a message transmitted between computer systems which transmit the status of the previous transmission.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Under the federal accountability provisions in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, all public schools and school districts, are evaluated for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Schools and school districts are required to meet AYP criteria on four measures: participation rate, percent proficient (also referred to as Annual Measurable Objectives or AMOs) in English-Language Arts and mathematics, API as an additional indicator for AYP, and graduation rate. Each of these four areas has specific requirements. See also No Child Left Behind.

Ad hoc Query Ad hoc query is a non-standardized and undetermined inquiry that is composed to answer a question when the need arises, also known as “on the fly.” See also Decision Support.

Ad hoc Testing Ad hoc Testing is testing carried out using no recognized test case design technique. It is also known as Exploratory Testing.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Advanced Placement is a program that offers high school students the opportunity to receive college credit for their work during high school. A College Board develops and maintains the list of approved courses that represent various subject areas that meet AP criteria. This College Board also supports: the selection of taught courses, colleges that define their policies related to AP grades, and the development and coordination of the administration of annual AP examinations.

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Term Definition

Aggregation Validation Rule(s) (AVR)

Aggregation Validation Rules are business rules for validating the Extract File data. For each field in the output extract file (record), the client defines validation rules that the data must pass and/or “reasonability” checks on the data. Specific error codes and descriptions may or may not be provided. Some validations are called “trend” which involve comparing previous year’s data to the current year’s data with expected results.

Alexsys Team Alexsys Team is a software application used by CSIS to record (log) defects, issues and change requests (CRs) that require changes or modifications to SRRTS elements, codes, element definitions, input/output processing documents, etc.

All Files Validation Report

The All Files Validation Report is a report generated by SRRTS that contains aggregation and referential integrity errors detected during server processing, as well as Import and Validation errors previously detected.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

The American Federation of Teachers is one of two education labor unions in the United States, representing 1.3 million teachers, school support staff, higher education faculty and staff, healthcare professionals and state and municipal employees in 2006.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Founded in 1918, the American National Standards Institute is a private, non-profit organization (501(c) 3) that administers and coordinates the United States of America voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The ANSI’s mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of United States businesses and quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.

Anomaly As used within the CSIS Program, an anomaly is a potential error in an SSID. There are three types of anomalies, 1) multiple identifier anomalies (also known as MID anomalies) that occur when a SSID appears to have been issued to more than one student, 2) concurrent enrollment anomalies (also known as CCE anomalies) when a single student appears to be enrolled in more than one local education agency, and 3) exit reason discrepancies (also known as ERD anomalies) that occur when there is a conflict between an exit reason and a subsequent enrollment record, such as a new enrollment for a student who was exited as a high school graduate.

ANSI X12 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X12, also known as "ANSI X12" and "ASC X12," is a protocol for electronic data interchange (EDI). X12 establishes a common, uniform language for computers to communicate. Within this standard is Transaction Set 130, which defines the standard data format for schools to exchange student transcripts. An X12 transaction is comprised of a header and one or more tables. See also EDI and ANSI.

ANSI X.509 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X.509, also known as "ANSI X.509" and "ASC X.509," is a public key infrastructure (PKI) protocol for electronic data interchange (EDI). X.509 is a standard for digital Internet certificates for exchanging secure and intended to be private information with another computer system.

Annual SSID Maintenance Submission

Prior to CALPADS, the Annual SSID Maintenance submission was a required data submission in the fall of each year. It included two steps: 1) submission of a student-level record for all currently enrolled students and all exited students for whom an exit has not yet been submitted, and 2) certification of the accuracy of the data submitted. The purpose of the Annual SSID Maintenance submission was to maintain the accuracy of the Locator database. The Fall 2008 Annual SSID Maintenance was the last time enrollment, graduate and dropout data was collected via the Annual SSID Maintenance. Beginning in the Fall of 2009, these data will be collected in CALPADS. See also Statewide Student Identifier.

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Term Definition

Application Administration Account

An Application Administration Account is any account that is for the administration of an application (e.g., Oracle database administrator, ISSU administrator).

Application Server An application server is a component-based machine that resides in the middle-tier of a server centric architecture. The Application Server provides middleware communication services for running specific software applications for security and state maintenance, along with data access and persistence.

Appropriate Measures Appropriate Measures are steps CSIS has taken to minimize a security breach to the CSIS Program from an outside computer connection. This process restricts competitors or unauthorized personnel so that, in the event of an attempt to access CSIS information, the amount of information potentially accessed is minimized.

Approved Encryption Methods

Approved Encryption Methods include the use of Data Encryption Standard (DES) and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). DES encryption is available via many different public domain packages on all platforms. PGP use within CSIS is done via a license. Please contact the IS if you require a license.

Approved Transmission Methods

Approved Transmission Methods include supported File Transfer Protocol (FTP) clients and Web browsers.

Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer (ASSIST)

Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer is a computerized student-transfer information system accessed over the World Wide Web. ASSIST displays reports of how course credits earned at one California college or university can be applied when transferred to another. ASSIST is the official repository of articulation for California’s colleges and universities and therefore provides accurate and up-to-date information available about student transfers in California. ASSIST facilitates the transfer of California Community College students to California's public four-year universities by providing an electronic system for academic planning which delivers accurate, timely, and complete information and operates as the official repository of articulation information for the state of California.

Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)

The Association of California School Administrators is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the nation, serving more than 16,000 school leaders in 2006. ACSA advocates for California schools and facilitates the implementation of a comprehensive master plan and appropriate funding for public education. Nearly 90% of all school administrators belong to ACSA. For more information, visit http://www.acsa.org/

Authentication Authentication is the process by which a computer, computer program, or another user attempts to confirm that the computer, computer program, or user from whom the second party has received some communication is, or is not, the claimed first party. Passwords, digital certificates, smart cards, and biometrics can be used to prove the identity of the client to the network. Passwords and digital certificates can also be used to identify the network to the client. The latter is important in wireless networks to ensure that the desired network is being accessed.

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Term Definition

Authorize Authorize is the action taken by a computer system or organization to ensure that the computer user attempting to perform a specific function has been previously identified or registered within the system by a System Administrator and is authorized to perform the function that they are requesting to perform. See also Authentication.

Back-to-Back Testing Back-to-Back Testing is testing in which two or more variants of a component or system are executed with the same inputs, the outputs compared, and analyzed in cases of discrepancies.

Benchmark Testing Benchmark Testing is testing that uses representative sets of programs and data designed to evaluate the performance of computer hardware and software in a given configuration.

Best Practices Cohort (BP Cohort)

The BP Project is a project which provides funding to eligible local education agencies to help them improve local data management practices and prepare for the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). The end date for this project is December 31, 2009. For more information, visit http://www.csis.k12.ca.us/shared/bp-cohort_menu.asp.

Beta Testing / Field Testing

Once the alpha phase is complete, development enters the beta phase. Versions of the software, known as beta-versions, are released to a limited audience outside of the company to ensure that the product has few faults or bugs. Beta testing is generally constrained to black box techniques although a core of test engineers is likely to continue with white box testing in parallel to the beta tests.

Black Box Testing / Functional Testing

Black box testing, concrete box or functional testing is used to check that the outputs of a program, given certain inputs, conform to the functional specification of the program. It performs testing based on previously understood requirements (or understood functionality), without knowledge of how the code executes.

Boundary Value Analysis/ Testing

Boundary Value Analysis/ Testing is a test case design technique for a component in which test cases are designed which include representatives of boundary values. A testing technique using input values at, just below, and just above, the defined limits of an input domain; and with input values causing outputs to be at, just below, and just above, the defined limits of an output domain.

Cable Modem A cable modem is a device that connects a personal computer to the Internet via a local cable TV line.

California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS)

Prior to CALPADS and OPUS, the California Basic Educational Data System (CBEDS) was an annual data collection administered in October. The purpose of CBEDS was to collect information on student and staff demographics. There were three separate forms used to collect this data, the County/District Information Form, the School Information Form, and the Professional Assignment Information Form. The day during which the CBEDS information got counted was the first Wednesday in October, also known as “Census Day.” See also County/District Information Form, School Information Form, and Professional Assignment Information Form. CALPADS and OPUS replaced the CBEDS data collection.

CaliforniaColleges.edu

CaliforniaColleges.edu is the web site sponsored by California Education Roundtable that enables users to: 1) explore colleges and careers, 2) plan and pay for college, and 3) review college admissions requirements for California Community Colleges, California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), and California Independent Colleges.

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Term Definition

California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO)

The Chancellor’s Office is the administrative branch of the California Community College system. Located in Sacramento, this state agency provides leadership and technical assistance to the 109 community colleges and 72 community college districts in California. It is also responsible for allocating state funding to the colleges and districts. The California Community College (CCC) system a two-year public institution, composed of 109 colleges statewide organized into 72 districts, serving more than 2.5 million students and representing the largest system of higher education in the world. For more information about CCCCO, visit http://www.cccco.edu/.

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA)

California County Superintendents Educational Services Association is a statewide network representing the 58 County Superintendents. For more information, visit http://www.ccsesa.org/.

California Department of Education (CDE)

The California Department of Education provides leadership, assistance, oversight, and resources to the California school system so that every student has equal access to a standard’s based education. As described in more detail on the CDE website (http://www.cde.ca.gov) their guiding principles include: the belief that all students can learn; all students deserve an equitable opportunity to succeed; all students require a safe, and healthy environment for learning; all students need physical, emotional, and intellectual support from their schools, families, and communities to succeed.

California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA)

California Educational Technology Professionals Association, formerly called California Educational Data Processing Association (CEDPA), was established in 1960. CETPA’s goal is to increase information sharing and communication among K-12 technologist professionals on technology-related issues. CETPA’s quarterly trade journal is called DataBus. To access the DataBus on the web, as well as other information about CETPA, such as its annual conference go to http://www.cetpa-k12.org/.

California English Language Development Test (CELDT)

The California English Language Development Test, instituted by Assembly Bill 748, must be administered to all students whose home language is not reported as English. The CELDT has three purposes: (1) to identify new students who are English learners in kindergarten through grade twelve; (2) to determine their level of English proficiency; and (3) to annually assess their progress in acquiring listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English. See also Pre-Id STAR.

California Federation of Teachers (CFT)

The California Federation of Teachers is the California affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The CFT is composed of 135 local unions chartered by the AFT. In 2006, the CFT represented over 120,000 educational employees working at every level of the education system in California, from Head Start to the University of California. The CFT's governance structure divides the federation into five councils corresponding to the major divisions of education employees: Early Childhood/K-12, Adult Education, Community College, University, and Classified.

California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)

State law, enacted in 1999, authorized the development of the California High School Exit Examination, which students in California public schools are required to pass to earn a high school diploma. Effective for the 2005-06 School Year, every California public school student that is attempting to earn a high school diploma is required to pass the CAHSEE, as well as meet all other state and local requirements.

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Term Definition

California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)

California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System is a system that was authorized by SB 1453 in 2002. Per statute, the goals of the system are to provide: 1) school districts and the California Department of Education access to data necessary to comply with federal NCLB reporting requirements; 2) a better means of evaluating educational progress and investments over time; 3) LEAs information that can be used to improve pupil achievement; and 4) an efficient, flexible, and secure means of maintaining longitudinal statewide pupil level data.

California Partnership for Achieving Student Success (Cal-PASS)

California Partnership for Achieving Student Success is an initiative that collects, analyzes, and shares student data within various pre-designated regions in order to track performance and improve success of students from elementary school to the university. While Cal-PASS initially began in southern California through a grant from the California Community College Chancellor's Office, it continues to expand throughout the State. Cal-Pass is for use with the K-12 system, community colleges, and universities. http://www.cal-pass.org/.

California School Information Services (CSIS)

The California School Information Services (CSIS) is a statewide program charged with facilitating the exchange and reporting of student information by local education agencies (LEAs) to the California Department of Education (CDE), other LEAs, postsecondary institutions, and other State agencies if authorized by law. One of CSIS’ responsibilities is to assist local education agencies with the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS).The California Legislature authorized the CSIS Program in 1997 under AB 107, Chapter 282 of 1997, item 6110-101-0349 and placed it under the custodianship of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) administered by Kern County's Superintendent of Schools. . For more information about CSIS go to: www.csis.k12.ca.us/library/default.asp. See also CBEDS, CDE, CSIS Program Charter, FCMAT, and LEA.

California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS)

The California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS) is a student-level data collection for children receiving special education services.

California State University (CSU)

The California State University is a postsecondary institution system that in 2006 included 23 campuses, 400,000 students, and 42,000 faculty and staff. CSU offers a variety of higher education opportunities helping undergraduate and graduate students achieve their academic goals. For more information about CSU go to http://www.calstate.edu/

California Teachers Association (CTA)

The California Teachers Association is California's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 335,000 public school teachers, counselors, psychologists, librarians and other non-supervisory, certificated personnel in 2006. It is affiliated with the National Education Association. CTA has more than 1,100 chapters or local teachers associations are chartered as CTA affiliates. Two unique CTA chapters are "statewide" affiliates: The California Faculty Association is the bargaining agent for professors in the California State University system, and the Community College Association represents members in 42 bargaining chapters who work in 72 community college districts. For more information go to: http://www.cta.org/CTA.htm

Candidate Identifiers Candidate Identifiers is a list of unique Statewide Student Identifiers that is obtained from the CSIS SRRTS Locator search and returned to an authorized requesting LEA. There can be a full match or partial match based on the personal attributes submitted to the search program. See also LEA, Locator, and SRRTS.

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Term Definition

CBEDS Data Entry Assistant (DEA) Software

Prior to CALPADS, the California Basic Educational Data System Data Entry Assistant software is a tool developed by the CDE to assist district and school site personnel in collecting and reporting aggregate CBEDS information to the CDE. See also CBEDS.

Certificate Authentication

Certificate Authentication is a one-time password authentication that is accomplished by pre-authorized LEAs using a single password token to connect to the CSIS network over the Internet. See also LEA and SRRTS.

Certification The action taken by a local superintendent to “sign off” a data submission, once the data has been received and processed at CSIS. Additionally, SELPAs, COEs and CDE also have certification roles at higher levels in the K-12 hierarchy.

Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)

Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol is an authentication method that uses a one-way hashing function. See also Authentication, DLCI, and Hash.

Change Review Process (CRP)

The Change Review Process is a regularly established process in which CSIS meets with LEAs, vendors and the CDE to review and recommend actions on proposed changes to be implemented within the CSIS Program, SRRTS, and any of its functional components, including the DataGate Client, DataGate Server, DataGate Data Base, Data Dictionary, File Formats, Data Submission Requirements, Data Aggregation Rules, and Data Validation Rules. See also CSIS, DataGate, and SRRTS.

Client Services (CS) Client Services is a department group within the CSIS Program that provides training and support services to end-users, such as LEAs.

Code Coverage Code Coverage is an analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the test case suite and which parts have not been executed and therefore may require additional attention.

Code Table A Code Table is a list of valid data element code values and the associated code definitions.

Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CTC)

The California Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CCTC), http://www.ctc.ca.gov/, works to ensure that those who educate the children of California are academically and professionally prepared. CTC carries out its mandate by: conducting regulatory and certification activities; developing preparation and performance standards in alignment with state adopted academic content standards; proposing policies in credential related areas; conducting research and assessment; monitoring fitness-related conduct and imposing credential discipline; and communicating its efforts and activities to the public.

Compatibility Testing Compatibility Testing is testing whether the system is compatible with other systems with which it should communicate.

Component Testing Component Testing is the testing of individual software components.

Computer Language Computer Language is used to generate software programs in order to satisfy the specific system requirements.

Concurrency Testing Concurrency Testing is multi-user testing geared towards determining the effects of accessing the same application code, module, or database records. Identifies and measures the level of locking, deadlocking, and use of single-threaded code and locking semaphores.

Confidence Test See Smoke Testing.

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Term Definition

Configurable Parameter

Data element definitions for data elements that are typically not collected, but created by CSIS Information Systems to facilitate processing. One spreadsheet in the Internal version of the Data Dictionary.

Configuration of Business to Business (B2B) Connections

Configuration of Business to Business (B2B) Connections is a pre-defined and implemented connection between two or more computer systems which allows agencies to see only what they should see. This process involves setting up both applications and network configurations allowing access to only what is necessary to perform the specified function.

Confirmation Testing See Re-testing.

Control Element(s) Data element definitions for data elements that are typically not collected, but created by Information Systems (IS) to facilitate processing. These are represented in one spreadsheet in the CSIS “Internal” version of the Data Dictionary.

Conversion Testing / Migration Testing

Conversion Testing / Migration Testing is testing of programs or procedures used to convert data from existing systems for use in replacement systems.

Coverage Testing Coverage testing is concerned with the degree to which test cases exercise or cover the logic (source code) of the software module or unit. It is also a measure of coverage of code lines, code branches, and code branch combinations.

Coverage Coverage is the degree, expressed as a percentage, to which a specified coverage item has been exercised by a test suite.

Coverage Analysis Coverage Analysis is measurement of achieved coverage to a specified coverage item during test execution referring to predetermined criteria to determine whether additional testing is required and if so, which test cases are needed.

Coverage Item A Coverage Item is an entity or property used as a basis for test coverage, e.g., equivalence partitions or code statements.

Coverage Tool A Coverage Tool is a tool that provides objective measures of what structural elements, e.g., statements, branches have been exercised by the test suite.

County / District Information Form (CDIF)

Prior to CALPADS and OPUS, the County / District Information Form was a CBEDS form used for collecting information from district and county offices on the number of classified staff, gifted and talented education, estimated number of teacher hires, high school graduation requirements, and student interdistrict transfers.

County / District / School (CDS) Number

County / District / School Number is a number assigned by the CDE that uniquely identifies each local education agency and school. Each ID is a 14-digit number. The format is as follows: the first 2 digits represent the county code, the next 5 digits represent the district code, and the last 7 digits represent the school code.

County Office of Education (COE)

A County Office of Education is an entity that is defined by its specific geographic service area within the state. Generally, the COE provides a variety of education and community services to school districts within the county’s geographic boundaries. The state of California has 58 COEs.

Credentials Within the CSIS Program, credentials are something that only the software end-user knows (e.g., a password or pass phrase) that identifies and authenticates the end-user (e.g., a user name, a fingerprint, voiceprint, retina print) to the computer and user certificate. See also Authentication and Digital Certificate.

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Term Definition

Cryptographic Privacy Cryptographic Privacy is the practice of protecting information by transforming it (encrypting it) into an unreadable format, called cipher text. Only those who possess a secret key can decipher (or decrypt) the message into plain text. Cryptography is used to protect such things as e-mail messages, credit card information, and corporate data. One of the most popular cryptography systems used on the Internet is Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) because it is effective and free. Cryptography systems can be broadly classified into symmetric-key systems that use a single key by both the sender and recipient, and public-key systems that use two keys, a public key known to everyone and a private key that only the recipient of information uses. See also Data Encryption Standard, Encryption, Internet, and Pretty Good Privacy.

CSIS Advisory Group (CAG)

The California School Information Services Advisory Group facilitated by CSIS is made up of local LEA representatives that meet regularly to discuss and review new or revised SRRTS reporting requirements.

CSIS Program Charter The CSIS Program Charter defines the genesis, goals and overall scope of the CSIS Program and describes the state legislation that created CSIS. See also California School Information Services.

Customer Requirements Form (CRF)

The Customer Requirements Form defines the gap between existing and requested functionality and the business rules needed to support that functionality. The Customer Requirements Form records a detailed description of the requirement, identifies the “gap” in the current system or application functionality, and describes any existing processes, if applicable. Identifies the current user interface panels, if any exist. Identifies any preconditions, dependencies, or assumptions if applicable. Records the supporting business rules in detail, and alternate paths or exceptions, if any. Lists any issues that need additional clarification before final analysis can be completed. Identifies new data elements or table structures created that would need to be created to support the requested functionality. Identifies any new files and or record definitions introduced by the requested functionality. Identifies the supporting documentation that will need to be created and or updated.

Data Data are unprocessed raw or elemental pieces of information, for example student demographic, information that is stored in the student’s attending school’s SIS. Data is normally stored in a database or a file. See also LEA and SIS.

Data Cube A data cube is an aggregate summary table of statistics created from predetermined common retrievals. Having the statistics available from a large database speeds up the retrieval process for the end user.

Data Dictionary (DD) The Data Dictionary is a foundation document that defines each data element and code set that is collected (or potentially collectible) via SRRTS. Documented in the DD are data element definitions and attributes, element code tables, and a summary of changes from the previous version of the DD. For each fiscal year, a new data dictionary is prepared and then reviewed and approved by the CDE, FCMAT, and State Board of Education. Once approved, the DD is published on the CSIS web site. See also CDE, CSIS, State Board of Education, and SRRTS.

Data Dictionary Code Tables

Data Dictionary Code Tables contain lists of valid data element code values and associated code definitions. See also Code Table, CSIS, Data Dictionary, and SRRTS.

Data-Driven Testing Data-Driven Testing is testing in which the action of a test case is parameterized by externally defined data values, maintained as a file or spreadsheet. A common technique in Automated Testing.

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Term Definition

Data Element A Data Element is a specific piece of data The CSIS Data Dictionary and the CALPADS File Specifications include the data elements used in SRRTS and CALPADS.

Data Encryption Standard (DES)

Data Encryption Standard is a mathematical algorithm for encrypting (enciphering) and decrypting (deciphering) binary coded information. Encrypting data converts it to an unintelligible form called cipher. Decrypting cipher converts the data back to its original form called plaintext. The algorithm described in this standard specifies both enciphering and deciphering operations which are based on a binary number called a key. DES encrypts and decrypts data in 64-bit blocks, using a 64-bit key (although the effective key strength is only 56 bits, as explained below). It takes a 64-bit block of plaintext as input and outputs a 64-bit block of ciphertext. Since it always operates on blocks of equal size and uses both permutations and substitutions in the algorithm, DES is both a block cipher and a product cipher. DES has 16 rounds, meaning the main algorithm is repeated 16 times to produce the ciphertext. It has been found that the number of rounds is exponentially proportional to the amount of time required to find a key using a brute-force attack. So as the number of rounds increases, the security of the algorithm increases exponentially.

Data Exchange Specifications

Data Exchange Specifications describe the format of data that are sent from CSIS to its clients and data received from its clients. Each file and record is described with its physical attributes, naming, batching, and schedule for exchanges.

Data Flow Testing Data Flow Testing is testing in which test cases are designed based on variable usage within the code.

DataGate DataGate is the CSIS proprietary client component computer software used to prepare data and submit data to CSIS servers. The client software has a complimentary piece to the server side of SRRTS. DataGate accomplishes the following functionality: 1) Web portal access to SRRTS; 2) Interacts with unique secure LEA user certificate to identify and authenticate the user; and 3) Downloads SRRTS Java applets for local LEA computer execution. See also Authentication, Authorize, Certificate Authentication, CSIS, and SRRTS.

Data Integrity and Database Integrity Testing

Data integrity and database integrity test techniques verify that data is being stored by the system in a manner where the data is not compromised by updating, restoration, or retrieval processing.

Data Link Connection Identifier (DLCI)

Data Link Connection Identifier is a unique number assigned to a Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) end point in a frame relay network. DLCI identifies a particular PVC endpoint within a User's access channel on a frame relay network, and has local significance only to that channel. See also Authentication, CHAP, Hashing and Permanent Virtual Circuit.

Data Mart Data Mart is a database consisting of pre-aggregated data summaries commonly requested by ad hoc query users. The CSIS Data Mart can be created from the student, staff and institution level data submitted by each LEA. See also Ad hoc Query, CSIS, DataGate, and SRRTS.

Data Submission Requirements (DSR)

The Data Submission Requirements are documents prepared by CSIS that assists LEA staff with understanding each data element and code that is to be populated for a specific data collection through CSIS, as well as the File Transmission records in which the data are to be included. See also CSIS and SRRTS.

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Term Definition

Data Submission Summary Report (DSSR)

The Client Data Submission Summary Report is a SRRTS report generated by SRRTS after the LEA’s CSIS data has been validated. It provides information about how the imported data “rolls up” prior to the SRRTS server aggregation process. This report is available on demand after all data files validate successfully. The client DSSR will have somewhat different results than the final data set depending on additional validation and aggregation rules done during SRRTS server processing. See also CSIS, DataGate, and SRRTS.

Debugger See Debugging Tool.

Debugging Debugging is the process of finding, analyzing and removing the causes of failures in software.

Debugging Tool A Debugging Tool is a tool used by programmers to reproduce failures, investigate the state of programs, and find the corresponding defect. Debuggers enable programmers to execute programs step by step, to halt a program at any program statement and to set and examine program variables.

Decision Support Decision Support is a type of computer system or database that contains sufficient data and ad hoc querying capability to assist with program or policy-making decisions. Typically, a Decision Support system contains data recorded about the same entity (e.g., students, staff, and institutions) in a consistent manner over time such that potential trends can be recognized. See also Ad hoc query.

Defect A Defect is an anomaly, or flaw, in a delivered work product. Examples include such things as omissions and imperfections found during early lifecycle phases and symptoms of faults contained in software sufficiently mature for test or operation. A defect can be any kind of issue you want tracked and resolved.

Deliverable A Deliverable is a specific work product or functionality that must be developed or implemented within the LEA in order for the LEA to receive CSIS funding.

De-militarized Zone (DMZ)

As used within the CSIS Program, De-militarized Zone is a network segment external to the CSIS production network. See also Production Network.

Department of Finance (DOF)

The California Department of Finance serves as the Governor’s chief fiscal policy advisor, works to promote a responsible funding resource allocation through the State’s annual financial plan, and is responsible for ensuring the financial integrity of the State. For more information about the California Department of Finance go to http://www.dof.ca.gov/DOF.asp

Dependency Testing Dependency Testing examines an application's requirements for pre-existing software, initial states, and configuration in order to maintain proper functionality.

Depth Testing

Depth Testing is a test that exercises a feature of a product in full detail.

Design-Based Testing Designing tests based on objectives derived from the architectural or detail design of the software (e.g., tests that execute specific invocation paths or probe the worst case behavior of algorithms).

Dial-in Modem A dial-in (or dial-up) modem is a peripheral device that connects at least two computers to one another for sending communications via analog telephone lines. The modem modulates the digital data from the computer into an analog signal, then demodulates back into digital signals to be read by the computer on the other end; thus the name "modem" for modulator/demodulator.

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Digital Certificate A digital certificate (X.509) is an Internet protocol for establishing and confirming an individual’s identification and automatically establishing secure, encrypted sessions between client computers and web servers. Authorization (granting privileges for specific functions to specific users) is handled by the SRRTS software and is completely based on the username attached to the X.509 certificate being used. CSIS digital certificates provide a way to identify the district and its authorized personnel from other districts and postsecondary institutions participating in the CSIS Program for state reporting and records transfer. There is no charge for the Digital Certificate. See also ANSI, ANSI X.509, and Authorization.

Digital Identification The Digital Identification is a file that resides on an LEA’s local computer which verifies with CSIS the identity of the LEA’s district and the individuals authorized to access, communicate with, and transmit data to SRRTS. The LEA is issued a digital identification once a digital certificate is on file with CSIS. See also CSIS, Digital Certificate, LEA, and SRRTS.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

Digital Subscriber Line is a form of high-speed Internet access that is similar to cable modems. DSL transmits data over standard phone lines and supports data speeds of over 2 Mbps downstream (to the user) and slower speeds upstream (to the Internet). See also Mega-bytes Per Second.

Directory Services Directory Services is a subsystem within SRRTS that maintains the information needed for each LEA computer within the system to establish secure, trusted communications links between each system. Additional information such as Mapping and Translation also reside in the Directory Services database. See also LEA, Mapping, SRRTS, and Translation.

District Integration For the purposes of CSIS, District Integration is the availability of CSIS-required student, staff, and institution-level data for each school site within the District's SIS. See also SRRTS and SIS.

Documentation Testing

Documentation Testing is testing concerned with the accuracy of documentation.

Dual Homing Dual Homing is having concurrent connectivity to more than one network from a computer or network device. Examples of this include: 1) Being logged into the program network via a local Ethernet connection, and dialing into AOL or other ISP. 2) Being on a CSIS-provided Remote Access home network, and connecting to another network, such as a spouse's remote access. 3) Configuring an ISDN router to dial into CSIS and an ISP, depending on packet destination. See also CSIS, ISDN, and ISP.

EL Transmission Reason

EL Transmission Reason is the CSIS SRRTS Transmission Reason used for University of California Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) student records transfer. See also Eligibility in the Local Context.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

Electronic Data Interchange is a legacy industry data communication standard protocol and format for exchange of data between computer systems. More clearly, EDI is electronic communication of business transactions (such as orders, confirmations, and invoices) between organizations. Third parties provide EDI services that enable organizations with different equipment to connect. Although interactive access may be a part of it, EDI implies direct computer to computer transactions into vendor databases and ordering systems.

Elementary School District (ESD)

Elementary School District is the legal distinction used to indicate a school district that includes only primary (Kindergarten through grade five or six) schools.

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Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC)

Eligibility in the Local Context is one of the paths to freshman eligibility and entrance to the University of California. Under ELC, the top 4 % of students in each California high school class will be designated UC-eligible based on coursework taken at the high school. Records with transcript information of potentially eligible students can be passed electronically through CSIS to the University of California. For more information about ELC, go to: http://www.ucop.edu/sas/elc/

Encryption Encryption is the process of securing CSIS sensitive information in accordance with the Acceptable Encryption Policy (AEP). One can contact the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) Legal Services Division for further information and guidelines about export controls on cryptography.

End-to-End Testing End-to-End Testing is a test activity aimed at proving the correct implementation of a required function at a level where the entire hardware/software chain involved in the execution of the function is available.

Enrollment Update (EU)

Enrollment Update is the SRRTS transmission reason used for Periodic Enrollment Updates. Prior to CALPADS, Periodic Enrollment Updates were optional and were submitted to update demographic, enrollment and program participation data. After July 31, 2009, EUs are used to update enrollment and address data for Direct Certification and Address Validation.

Enterprise Architecture

Enterprise Architecture is a coherent collection of standards, policies, and principles that guide the selection, acquisition, implementation, integration, and management of IT hardware and software resources.

Extended Client (EC) Prior to CALPADS, Extended Client was a web-based interface developed by CSIS initially intended for non-automated State Reporting LEAs participating through CSIS that have not implemented a SIS district wide. This EC subsystem provided the functionality to support the data capture and maintenance of student data by school districts that do not have their own Student Information System, or that have limited technical and administrative capability to obtain and maintain Statewide Student Identifiers. EC was discontinued on July 31, 2009.

Extract File / Record Layout

Defines the clients’ requirements for data. The Extract Record layouts define the physical characteristics of the data that the client expects to get. Additionally, the layout is usually accompanied by a list of definitions for each of the elements in the layout. The document may also include validation criteria that the client expects the data to meet.

Failure Failure is the inability of a system or component to perform its required functions within specified performance requirements. A failure is characterized by the observable symptoms of one or more defects that have a root cause in one or more faults.

Fall Submission (FS) Prior to CALPADS and OPUS, the Fall Submission was the CSIS SRRTS Transmission Reason used for Fall State Reporting. The CSIS Fall Submission provided data for CDE State Reporting: CBEDS-PAIF, CBEDS-CDIF, CBEDS-SIF, and SNOR, and for the Annual SSID Maintenance. The Fall Submission was discontinued after the Fall 2008 submission and replaced by CALPADS and OPUS. See also PAIF, CDIF, SIF, SNOR, and Annual SSID Maintenance Submission.

Feeder School Feeder School is the K-12 school from which students graduate or matriculate to another school. When a student is promoted to a grade level higher than the highest grade in their currently attending school, the student is then transferred from their feeder school to a receiver school. See also Receiver School.

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File Creation Parameters (FCP)

The File Creation Parameters are CSIS transmission-specific documents that provide the rules that specify how CSIS data elements and codes are selected and converted to client data output requirements. The FCP defines how the converted elements and codes are then reported in non-aggregated formats or combined to form the reported aggregate data.

File Transmission Formats (FTF)

The CSIS Transmission File Formats define the physical characteristics and logical relationships of all data files that are input to SRRTS. See also SRRTS.

Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT)

Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team is an organization that performs many statewide fiscal and technology projects under the auspices of Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS). FCMAT helps California's LEAs fulfill their financial and management responsibilities by providing fiscal advice, management assistance, training and other related school business services. For more information, visit http://www.fcmat.org. See also COE and CSIS.

Flat File A flat file is a relatively simple database system in which each database is contained in a single table. By contrast, relational database systems can use multiple tables to store information, and each table can have a different record format. See also Relational Database.

Frame Relay Frame relay is a method of communication that incrementally can go from the speed of an ISDN to the speed of a T1 line. Frame Relay has a flat-rate billing charge instead of a per time usage. Frame Relay connects via the telephone company's network. See also ISDN.

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

The Gifted and Talented Education program, authorized by Education Code (EC) sections 52200-52212, provides funding for LEAs to develop unique education opportunities for pupils in California public elementary and secondary schools who have been identified as gifted and talented. For more information about GATE go to: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/gt/

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Abbreviated GUI, pronounced as “GOO-ee,” is a computer software program interface that takes advantage of the computer's graphics capabilities to make the program easier to use. In addition to their visual components, GUIs also make it easier to move data from one software application to another. A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. Because the formats are well-defined, different programs that run under a common GUI can share data. This makes it possible, for example, to copy a graph created by a spreadsheet program into a document created by a word processor.

GUI Testing GUI testing is the process of testing a graphical user interface to ensure it meets its written specifications.

Hardware Computer system hardware is any physical device used to capture, process, transmit, and / or store data. See also Data.

Hash Hash or the process of Hashing is an algorithmically generated number that identifies a datum or its location. See also Authentication, CHAP, and DLCI.

High Level Design Review

A High Level Design Review is the joint review of the use cases and report mockups by the Requirements analysts and the developer staff that will be implementing the new or changed functionality. Clarifications are made, design alternatives are discussed, data model changes and additions are noted by the developers. If necessary, the design documents are updated and re-reviewed in further joint sessions. This is a joint effort that absolutely requires both Requirements and Information Systems to be intimately involved.

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High Level Requirements (HLR)

High Level requirements describe at a summary level those programmatic or systemic functions that need to be changed or added. This document is used to describe what must be done to meet the new business requirements defined in the Change Request (CR). An itemized list of new or changed functionality, the known assumptions that the functionality is based upon, and any known issues at the time these high level requirements were defined.

High Level Use Cases High level use cases describe what the system must do and the most likely sequence of doing it to meet requirements. Used to record sequence of events, user interaction with the system and system responses.

High School District (HSD)

High School District is the legal distinction used to indicate a school district that includes only secondary (Junior High and High) schools.

Horizontally Scaled Horizontal or “scale-out” systems is an alternative to vertical scaling in that it works by networking racks or clusters of volume servers. Typically, scale-out systems are linked together via standard network interconnects. Resources are contained within "nodes" — small servers with only one to four CPUs. Each node has its own processor, memory, and operating system. Resources are added by putting more nodes on the rack, not by adding more resources within a node. Memory in a horizontal architecture is distributed, meaning it's typically accessed by each node's CPU and isn't shared across the system.

ID Transmission Reason

Prior to July 31, 2009, the ID Transmission Reason was the CSIS SRRTS Transmission Reason used for Identifier Locator for obtaining an SSID. CSIS stopped assigning SSIDs on July 31, 2009. See Identifier and SSID.

Identifier An Identifier is a unique string of digits that identifies a specific individual. The identifier for students is commonly called the Statewide Student Identifier. The Statewide Student Identifier is intended to be a unique number assigned once per student statewide and will be used to track a students’ progress over time along with grouping individual students’ records together over their entire academic career. Each student’s Statewide Student Identifier will follow the student’s records when they travel throughout the state. The unique identifier for certificated staff is called the Statewide Educator Identifier (SEID).

Implementation Checklist

An Implementation Checklist provides a “checklist” of each SRRTS component that needs to be changed for a given Change Request (CR). Each SRRTS component is identified along with database and other configuration objects that are used to implement SRRTS functionality. A short description of the changes needed to each component is listed.

Implementation Strategy Review and Signoff

The Implementation Strategy Review and Signoff is the final step before the software developers begin coding. During this step the Chief Operations Officer “signs off” on the design documentation. Signoffs signify a “freeze” to the scope of requirements and specifications for the Change Request (CR)/ Project. While documents may need clarification, any changes to the scope of requirements or specifications after this “sign off” will require a separate CR. For larger or more complex CRs, work can be phased allowing for a higher degree of granularity in the signoff process.

Import Report The Import Report is a SRRTS report that indicates errors detected during the import function. The report also identifies records and/or data elements that were filtered (ignored) because the values did not apply to the particular SRRTS data submission reason.

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Improving America's Schools Act (IASA)

Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 is federal legislation that required each State to establish challenging content and performance standards and to implement assessments that measure students' performance against the predefined standards. See also Adequate Yearly Progress.

Incremental Testing Incremental testing occurs where system components are integrated into the system one at a time until the entire system is integrated.

Independent Project Oversight Consultant (IPOC)

Independent Project Oversight Consultants are used to assess Information Technology (IT) projects in California as identified in the IT Project Oversight Framework. The IPOC is responsible for providing impartial oversight of the project office to ensure the state is effectively managing their technology investments. DOF sets the requirements for IPOCs in their IT Project Oversight Framework. The IPOC generally is hired by the Project Sponsor and reports directly to the Sponsor and DOF. The primary focus of IPOC is to: 1) provide independent perspective for reviews and meetings; 2) prepare status reports mandated by DOF; 3) monitor project activities; 4) evaluate project’s adherence to industry standard project management methodologies; 5) evaluate project risk management efforts; and 6) evaluate project progress towards completion. DOF created the IT Project Oversight Framework to establish another benchmark for quality by which projects are measured. See also DOF and Information Technology Project Oversight Framework.

Independent Project Oversight Report (IPOR)

An Independent Project Oversight Report is a review of a project which has had IPOC assigned to it, as described in the DOF IT Project Oversight Framework. See also DOF, Information Project Oversight Consultant, and Information Project Oversight Framework.

Individual Access Controls

Individual Access Controls are methods of electronically protecting files from being accessed by people other than those specifically designated by the owner.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

The Individualized Education Program is a quasi-contractual agreement to guide, orchestrate, and document specially designed instruction for each student with a disability based on his or her unique academic, social, and behavioral needs.

Information Systems (IS)

The Information Systems is a department group within the CSIS Program responsible for software development and testing system requirements.

Information Technology Project Oversight Framework

The Information Technology Project Oversight Framework was created by DOF that defines the quality evaluation process of the IT projects in California. It was intended by DOF for IPOC to follow the Information Technology Project Oversight Framework. See also DOF.

Infrastructure (Software)

With regard to computer software, infrastructure is the installation, implementation, or upgrade of a third party application integration utility such as transaction processing used to monitor the database management system. See also database.

Infrastructure Install / Upgrade

The initial installation or post installation upgrade of information technology (IT) infrastructure items such as network cabling, network equipment, data center facility hardware (UPS, Generator) or network operations monitoring equipment.

Initial Implementation Initial implementation is the first production roll-out of a specific software or hardware system that meets specific requirements. See also Hardware.

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Insecure Internet Links

Insecure Internet Links are network links that originate from a locale or travel over lines that are not totally under the control of the CSIS Program. See also CSIS.

Installation Testing Installation testing can simply be defined as any testing that occurs outside of the development environment. Such testing will frequently occur on the computer system the software product will eventually be installed on. While the ideal installation might simply appear to be to run a setup program, the generation of that setup program itself and its efficacy in a variety of machine and operating system environments can require extensive testing before it can be used with confidence.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)

Integrated Services Digital Network is comprised of digital telephony and data-transport services offered by regional telephone carriers. ISDN involves the digitization of the telephone network, which permits voice, data, text, graphics, music, video, and other source material to be transmitted over existing telephone wires. The emergence of ISDN represents an effort to standardize subscriber services, user/network interfaces, and network and inter-network capabilities. ISDN applications include high-speed image applications (such as Group IV facsimile), additional telephone lines in homes to serve the telecommuting industry, high-speed file transfer, and videoconferencing.

Integration Testing Integration testing is the phase of software testing in which individual software modules are combined and tested as a group. It follows unit testing and precedes system testing.

Interface Mockup For use cases that require new or changed user interfaces, an Interface Mockup (usually html prototype) is created. The mockup is then combined with the High Level Use Case to create detailed use cases in the permanent program specifications documents. The combination of the Interface Mockup and High Level Use Case makes up the complete program specification for new and revised functionality associated with GUI changes.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate is is a group of three educational programs and their respective examinations, as established by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) designed to offer students challenging coursework. For more information, visit http://www.ibo.org/

Internet The Internet is a massive network of networks and a networking infrastructure. The Internet is not synonymous with World Wide Web. See also Internet Service Provider, Protocol, and World Wide Web.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Internet Service Providers are companies that sell access to the Internet.

Input Validation Rule (IVR)

An Input Validation Rule describes each validation rule to be applied to each incoming data element for a specific submission. Lists each element that is to be included in each file and record for a given transmission reason. For each element, this document lists the validation rule to be applied, the sequence to apply it in and various other parameters as needed for the validation rule to operate properly. Includes validation rule filters for elements and/or rows.

IPSec Concentrator IPSec Concentrator is a device in which VPN connections are terminated. See also Virtual Private Network.

Issue An issue is "a point of debate, discussion, or dispute." The CSIS Program manages issues separately from risks. As defined in the Issues Policies and Procedures Plan. According to this Plan, CSIS maintains an Issues Log which is reviewed monthly.

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Term Definition

Invalid Testing Invalid Testing tests using input values that should be rejected by the component or system.

Java Java is a simple platform-independent object-oriented programming language used for writing Applets that are downloaded from the World Wide Web by a local computer user and run on their machine. Java was initially developed by James Gosling and colleagues of Sun Microsystems. The language, initially called Oak (named after the oak trees outside Gosling's office), was intended to replace C++, although the feature set better resembles that of Objective C. Java should not be confused with JavaScript, which shares only the name and a similar C-like syntax. Sun Microsystems currently maintains and updates Java regularly.

Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE)

Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition defines the standard for developing component-based multi-tier enterprise applications. J2EE simplifies building enterprise applications that are portable, scalable, and that integrate easily with legacy applications and data. J2EE is also a platform for building and using web services. It incorporates web services standards such as those in the WS-I Basic Profile. This means that web services in a J2EE-compliant environment can interoperate with web services in non-J2EE environments such as .net. The J2EE platform simplifies enterprise applications by basing them on standardized, modular components, by providing a complete set of services to those components, and by handling many details of application behavior automatically, without complex programming. Furthermore, the J2EE platform takes advantage of many features of the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE), such as "Write Once, Run Anywhere" portability, JDBC API for database access, CORBA technology for interaction with existing enterprise resources, and a security model that protects data even in internet applications. Building on this base, the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition adds full support for Enterprise JavaBeans components, Java Servlets API, JavaServer Pages and XML technology. The J2EE standard includes complete specifications and compliance tests to ensure portability of applications across the wide range of existing enterprise systems capable of supporting the J2EE platform. In addition, the J2EE specification ensures Web services interoperability through support for the WS-I Basic Profile.

K-12 K-12, pronounced "Kay through 12" or just "Kay 12," is the abbreviation for Kindergarten through 12th grade that is the American designation for primary and secondary education.

Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS)

Kern County Superintendent of Schools is a County Office of Education physically located in Bakersfield, California, that oversees FCMAT, the fiscal management office for the CSIS Program. The mission of KCSOS is to advocate for children, provide leadership, education, and support for their students, school districts and the community through programs, services, and fiscal accountability. For additional information about KCSOS go to: http://www.kern.org. See also CSIS and FCMAT.

Language Census (LCEN) (R30)

Prior to CALPADS, the Language Census, also known as the R30 or R30-LC, was a data collection conducted by the CDE annually during the spring. It included data collection from each LEA on students with non-English language backgrounds and data pertaining to English learner (EL) and fluent-English-proficient (FEP) students and other related information.

Layered Product A third-party software application utility used to control and/or support the use of a computing platform or software application (Backup software, monitoring utilities).

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol is a set of protocols for accessing information directories.

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Term Definition

Limited English Proficient (LEP)

Limited-English proficient (LEP) is an official term used in federal legislation for students whose proficiency has not yet developed to the point where they can fully participate in an English-only instructional environment. English language learner (ELL) is a term as being a more positive alternative to “LEP” or “language minority” student. ELL refers to students whose first language is not English and encompasses both students who are just beginning to learn English and those who have already developed considerable proficiency.

Load Testing Load testing is the act of testing a system under load. It generally refers to the practice of modeling the expected usage of a software program by simulating multiple users accessing the program's services concurrently. This testing is most relevant for multi-user systems; often one built using a client/server model, such as web servers.

Local Area Networks (LAN)

A local area network is a computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most LANs are confined to a single building or group of buildings. However, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves. Most LANs connect workstations and personal computers and allow sharing of data and devices such as printers.

Local Education Agency (LEA)

Local Education Agencies include (1) any local education agency as defined in Section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 USC 3381), (2) the owner of any nonpublic, nonprofit elementary or secondary school building, or (3) the governing authority of any school operated under the Defense Dependents’ Education System provided for under the U.S. Defense Department’s Education Act of 1978 (20 USC 921, et seq.). Typically, the term is used to refer to districts, county offices of education and independently-reporting charter schools.

Local Identifier The Local Identifier uniquely identifies students in a district- or school-level student information system and is created by this local system.

Locator Prior to July 31, 2009, the Locator was the subsystem within the CSIS Program that was used to store the Statewide Student Identifier, the Local Identifier and the demographic elements used to calculate the Statewide Student Identifier. After July 31, 2009, the Locator is used to store these data elements, but is no longer used in the assignment of SSIDs.

Logic Coverage Testing / Logic-Driven Testing / Structural Test Case Design

Test case selection that is based on an analysis of the internal structure of the component. See White-Box Testing.

Longitudinal Data The longitudinal data is a database that tracks data over time. There are two longitudinal databases at CSIS; aggregated data in the Data Mart and detail records in the student level database.

Maintenance Testing Testing the changes to an operational system or the impact of a changed environment to an operational system.

Mapping Mapping is the physical rearrangement of data from one format (such as a relational database) to another format (such as a flat file). See also Relational Database and Flat File.

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Master Codes Master codes provide a reference for all CSIS encoded data elements. Each valid code value for each data element is listed along with a description (definition) and, in many cases, business rules for how the code value is to be used. May include a Shortened (abbreviated) name or description for each code value for use in user interface and reporting. The codes are broken into various tables that are shared among the CSIS data elements as defined in the Data Dictionary.

Master Schedule The CSIS Master Schedule is the document that identifies all projects within a 6-12 month timeframe (or further out if needed) and provides a high level allocation of staffing resources over time.

Matriculating Class A matriculating class is the group of students being promoted from the highest grade level served in their currently attending school (the feeder school) moving to their new school. An example is the 8th grade class in a 7-8 middle school graduates or matriculates to the 9th grade receiver school. See also Feeder School and Receiver School.

Metadata Metadata is information about data. Metadata defines data, itemizes associated attributes, describes how electronic data relates to real world items, notes business rules and how they affect certain data items, tracks how, when and who collects and/or changes data values. Data that is used to describe other data. Data definitions are sometimes referred to as metadata. Examples of metadata include schema, table, index, view, and column definitions.

Mega-bytes Per Second (Mbps or Mbit/s)

A megabit per second is a unit of data transmission equal to 1,000 kilobits per second or 1,000,000 bits per second. Also, Mbps or Mbit/s which is 8 times a megabit per second: 1 megabyte/s = 8 megabit/s. The bandwidth of consumer broadband internet services is often rated in Mbit/s. Most video applications are measured in Mbit/s: 32 kbit/s – videophone quality (minimum necessary for a recognizable talking head); 2 Mbit/s – VHS quality; 8 Mbit/s – DVD quality; and 55 Mbit/s – HDTV quality.

Mitigation Mitigation is an action or actions taken to reduce the impact or severity of an unplanned incidence.

Module A module is a collection of computer language instructions grouped together either logically or physically. A module may also be called a package or a class, depending upon which computer language is used.

Name space Name space is a logical area of code in which the declared symbolic names are known and outside of which these names are not visible.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act

The No Child Left Behind Act is the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that occurred in 2001. The NCLB Act included increased accountability for States, school districts, and schools; greater choice for parents and students, particularly those attending low-performing schools; more flexibility for States and local educational agencies in the use of Federal education dollars; and a stronger emphasis on reading, especially for our youngest children. For a full copy of the NCLB Act go to: http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/107-110.pdf and for additional information about NCLB: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/nclbreference/index.html.

N+ Testing

A variation of Regression Testing. Testing conducted with multiple cycles in which errors found in test cycle N are resolved and the solution is retested in test cycle N+. The cycles are typically repeated until the solution reaches a steady state and there are no errors.

N-Tier An area at CSIS in which LEAs’ database(s) and files are in a work-in-process status. Data that comes from the LEAs are in the process of translation, validation, certification, approval, and loading into the longitudinal data store(s).

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Term Definition

Numara Footprints Numara Footprints is a software application used by CDE and CSIS to record (log) CALPADS defects, issues and change requests.

Object Oriented Programming (OOP)

Object-oriented programming is a computer programming paradigm. A computer program is composed of a collection of individual units, or objects, as opposed to a traditional view in which a program is a list of instructions to the computer. Each object is capable of receiving messages, processing data, and sending messages to other objects. Object-oriented programming is claimed to give more flexibility, easing changes to programs, and is widely popular in large scale software engineering.

Online Maintenance (OM)

Prior to July 31, 2009, Online maintenance, created by CSIS, was a function that within SRRTS that allowed LEAs to locate an already assigned unique Statewide Student Identifier and make any potential anomaly or locator corrections. OM was discontinued on July 31, 2009. See also CSIS, LEA, Locator, SRRTS, and Statewide Student Identifier Maintenance Project.

Operational Data Store (ODS)

An operational data store is a type of database often used as an interim area for a data warehouse. Unlike a data warehouse, which contains static data, the contents of the ODS are updated through the course of business operations. An ODS is designed to quickly perform relatively simple queries on small amounts of data (such as finding the status of a customer order), rather than the complex queries on large amounts of data typical of the data warehouse. An ODS is similar to a computer’s short term memory, in that it stores only very recent information; in comparison, the data warehouse is more like long term memory in that it stores relatively permanent information. See also Relational Database, Surrogate Identifier, and Structured English Query Language.

Online Public Update for Schools (OPUS)

OPUS is a Web-based application for LEAs to report aggregate data. OPUS includes the non-student data that was collected via CBEDS prior to CALPADS.

Pass/Fail Criteria Pass/Fail Criteria are the decision rules used to determine whether a test item (function) or feature has passed or failed a test. A test is deemed to pass if its actual result matches its expected result.

Performance Testing Performance testing is testing that is performed to determine how fast some aspect of a system performs under a particular workload. Performance testing can serve different purposes. It can demonstrate that the system meets performance criteria. It can compare two systems to find which performs better. Or it can measure what parts of the system or workload cause the system to perform badly.

Periodic Enrollment Updates

Prior to July 31, 2009, Periodic Enrollment Updates were optional submissions completed throughout the year that were used to update demographic, enrollment and program participation data. After July 31, 2009, periodic enrollment updates are used to update enrollment and address data for Direct Certification purposes and address data for Address Validation purposes.

Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC)

A permanent virtual circuit is a software-defined logical connection in a network. Permanent virtual circuits are more efficient for connections between hosts that communicate frequently. Permanent virtual circuits play a central role in Frame Relay networks.

Physical Security Physical security is either having actual possession of a computer at all times, or locking the computer in an unusable state to an object that is immovable. Methods of accomplishing this include having a special key to unlock the computer so it can be used, thereby ensuring that the computer cannot be simply rebooted to get around the protection. To maintain proper physical security one should make arrangements to secure the device, or take it with you when you leave the physical space. In the office, for example, one should use a lockdown cable to physically secure the device.

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Term Definition

Post-Aggregation Validation Rule (PAVR)

A Post-Aggregation Validation Rule describes each aggregate validation rule to be applied for a given Transmission Reason. Lists the Aggregate to validate, the rule type/sub type, error code and trigger(s) for each rule.

Postsecondary (PS) Postsecondary is a formal instructional program whose curriculum is generally designed for students who have completed the requirements for a high school diploma or its equivalent. This includes programs whose purpose is academic, vocational, and continuing professional education, and excludes avocational and adult basic education programs.

Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC)

Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council was established in 1997 to lead the development and adoption of data exchange standards in education. PESC goals are to enable the improvement of institutional performance and foster collaboration across educational communities in order to lower costs, improve service, and attain system interoperability. PESC is currently facilitating the development of a national electronic standard for secondary to postsecondary records transfer. See also Postsecondary.

Precondition A Precondition is a dependency that is required for the test case to run.

Pre-ID Pre-Identification process assists LEAs with the administration of statewide student assessments, including but not necessarily limited to the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR), California English Language Development Test (CELDT) and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). In preparation for the statewide assessment process, LEAs extract the student information (creating a Pre-ID file) required on the test header sheets and send it to the test vendor. The vendor “pre-prints” the specific student demographic information to the test answer sheets or labels. The answer sheets are distributed to the school and classrooms where the student pre-named on the answer sheet uses the answer document to take the test and enter his/her answers. After testing, the answer sheets are returned to the test vendor for grading and processing.

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP)

Pretty Good Privacy is a computer program which provides cryptographic privacy and authentication. PGP uses both public-key cryptography and symmetric key cryptography, and includes a system which binds the public keys to user identities. The first version of this system is generally known as a web of trust and continues in use. Later versions of PGP have included something more akin to a PKI. PGP uses asymmetric key encryption algorithms. The recipient must have previously generated a linked key pair, a public key, and a private key. The sender uses the recipient's public key to encrypt a shared key (AKA a secret key or conventional key) for a symmetric cipher algorithm. That key is used, finally, to encrypt the plaintext of a message. Many PGP users' public keys are available to all from the many PGP key servers around the world which act as mirror sites for each other. The recipient of a PGP-protected message decrypts it using the session key for a symmetric algorithm. That session key was, of course, included in the message in encrypted form and was itself decrypted using the recipient's private key. Since PGP now permits the use of several algorithms, current PGP messages are not equally susceptible to any potential breakthroughs against the original algorithms. However, there has been some speculation that the first released PGP version (using the RSA and IDEA algorithms) might have been broken. See also Authentication, Cryptographic Privacy, Public-Key Cryptography and Public Key Infrastructure.

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Private Link A Private Link is an electronic communications path that CSIS has control over its entire distance. For example, all CSIS networks are connected via a private link. A computer with a modem connected via a standard analog telephone (land) line (not a cell phone) to another computer establishes a private link. In addition, an ISDN line to an employee's homes is a private link. CSIS also has established private links to other companies, so that all email correspondence can be sent in a more secure manner. See also CSIS and ISDN.

Production Production is the status of a software computer program when it is being used for a purpose other than when the software is being implemented or tested. Once the computer software program has been designed, developed, tested, and implemented into the intended network or system the program is then considered to be in production. See also Production Network.

Production Network The "production network" is a computer system network that is used for the daily business computer transaction operations.

Professional Assignment Information Form (PAIF)

Prior to CALPADS, the Professional Assignment Information Form was a CBEDS form used to collect data on certificated staff specific to district and county offices on their highest education level, racial ethnic designation, gender, birth year, educational service, course assignment, position, teaching credentials, and NCLB reporting requirements.

Program Specifications

Program Specifications are the complete specifications for programming code implementation in SRRTS applets. This document is the primary document containing the specifications for SRRTS. It contains detailed Use Cases, User Interface, Exception Processing, Report formats, logic diagrams, and logic narratives that describe in great detail how the system works.

Progressive Testing Progressive Testing is testing of new features after regression testing of previous features.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Privacy is the ensuring that individuals maintain the right to control what information is collected about them, how it is used, who has used it, who maintains it, and what purpose it is used for. Confidentiality is the ensuring that information is not accessed by unauthorized persons.

Production Report Form (PRF)

A Production Report Form is a form that is used when CSIS finds a defect in the SRRTS software in the production environment to capture information about the defect. See also CSIS, Production, SRRTS, and TRF.

Project Implementation Plan (PIP)

A Project Implementation Plan is a formal document to be review and approved for the implementation and commissioning, startup and completion phases of the project. It describes the complete course of action contemplated, including assumptions, organization, stakeholder communication, milestone schedule, quality and safety provisions, critical success indicators, etc. The project implementation plan establishes the project’s baseline by which project management will direct the project.

Project Manager (PM) The Project Manager is a team member that provides project management leadership and is assigned the responsibility for accomplishing a specific unit of work of a project or an entire project (depending on the overall scope of the project). The project manager is typically a non-technical role that is responsible for the planning, implementing, controlling, and reporting of status on a project. The Project Manager needs to ensure tasks are scheduled, allocated and completed in accordance with project schedules, budgets and quality requirements.

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Term Definition

Project Version Control System (PVCS)

Project Version Control System is version control software that maintains multiple revisions of source code files by storing changes in a write-protected file and minimizing the risk of overwriting changes made by another software developer.

Protocol Protocol is an agreed-upon transmission of data between two devices. The agreement determines the following: the type of error checking to be used; data compression method, if any; how the sending device will indicate that it has finished sending a message; and how the receiving device will indicate that it has received a message. There are a variety of standard protocols from which programmers can choose. Each has particular advantages and disadvantages; for example, some are simpler than others, some are more reliable, and some are faster. From a user's point of view, the only interesting aspect about protocols is that your computer or device must support the right ones if you want to communicate with other computers. The protocol can be implemented either in hardware or in software.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Public Key Infrastructure, also called trust hierarchy, is a system of digital certificates, certificate authorities, and other registration authorities that verify and authenticate the validity of each party involved in an internet transaction. PKIs are currently evolving and there is no single PKI, nor even a single agreed-upon standard for setting up a PKI.

Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA)

Public Schools Accountability Act is law that outlines a comprehensive process for measuring schools' academic performance and ranking schools based on their performance. When schools fall short of the expectations, the state may intervene. Such intervention might begin with general assistance and later perhaps with sanctions. Successful schools are expected to be recognized and rewarded.

R30 Prior to CALPADS, the R30 or R30-LC, also known as the Language Census, was a data collection conducted by the CDE annually during the spring. It included data collection from each LEA on students with non-English language backgrounds and data pertaining to English learner (EL) and fluent-English-proficient (FEP) students and other related information.

Receiver School A receiver school is a school in which new students are promoted and transferred to a grade level higher than the highest grade in their previously attended school. For example, students attending a K-6 elementary grade school completes grade 6 and the school that the new 7th grade students are promoted to is the receiver school. See also feeder school.

Record Layout See Extract File / Record Layout.

Records Transfer (RT) Records transfer is the process of transferring a record from one entity to another. CSIS Records Transfer functionality includes K-12 LEA-to-LEA records transfer and Secondary-to-Postsecondary records transfer, as well as Pre-ID data cleansing services.

Recovery Testing

Recovery Testing is testing that confirms the program recovers from expected or unexpected events without loss of data or functionality. Events can include shortage of disk space, unexpected loss of communication, or power out conditions.

Regional Occupational Center and Programs (ROC/P)

California Regional Occupational Center and Programs promote and support ROC/Ps in providing exemplary career education, career development, and workforce preparation that contribute to student academic and career success and to the economic development of California.

Regression Testing

Regression testing is any type of software testing which seeks to uncover bugs that occur whenever software functionality that previously worked as desired stops working or no longer works in the same way that was previously planned.

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Relational Database Relational database is an abbreviated version for relational database management system and is a type of database management system that stores data in the form of related tables via specific data elements that match one table to the next. Relational databases are powerful because they require few assumptions about how data is related or how it will be extracted from the database. As a result, the same database can be viewed in many different ways. An important feature of relational systems is that a single database can be spread across several tables yet the data in each of the tables is associated by at least one data element. This differs from flat-file databases, in which each database is self-contained in a single table. Almost all full-scale database systems are RDBMS's. See also Relational Database Management System.

Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)

Relational Database Management System is a type of database management system that stores data in the form of related tables. Almost all full-scale database systems are RDBMS's. A relational database is a database based on the relational model. See also Relational Database.

Reliability Testing Reliability Testing is testing to determine whether the system/software meets the specified reliability requirements.

Remote Access In the context of CSIS, remote access is the act of gaining access to the CSIS network through a device exterior to CSIS-controlled physical facilities.

Reporting Calendar A Reporting Calendar documents all From/Through and other consumer-driven date parameters for each data submission to SRRTS. Lists a series of specific dates associated with each Transmission Reason.

Reporting Entity A logical agency established to group specific CDS codes under one Reporting Entity. For example Reporting Entity allows CSIS to establish single school (CDS) access and reporting capability to support charter schools separately from their chartering districts (CD).

Report Mockups Report Mockups describe physical appearance of new/updated reports. Includes standard headings, titles. Includes realistic sample data including subtotals and totals. Includes business rules for calculations or cross reference (xref) to File Creation Parameters (FCP) to retrieve totals.

Request for Bid (RFB) Request for bid is a document in which an organization defines and invites potential respondents to address the specific requirements and program specifications with the intent to collect bids from potential vendors or interested project stakeholders for creating a product, service, or set of deliverables. See also Request for Information and Request for Proposal.

Request for Information (RFI)

Request for information is a document that an organization elicits information from potential vendors or interested project stakeholders with the intent to create a specific product or service. Once an RFI is created and responses are received, the organization may then create a RFP or RFB. See also Request for Bid and Request for Proposal.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Request for proposal is a document in which an organization defines and invites potential respondents to address the specific requirements and program specifications with the intent to collect proposals from potential vendors or interested project stakeholders for creating a specific product, service, or set of deliverables. See also Request for Bid and Request for Information.

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Requirement In terms of software engineering and development, a requirement is a description of what a system should do. The requirements phase may be broken down into requirements elicitation (gathering the requirements from stakeholders), analysis (checking for consistency and completeness), definition (writing down descriptive requirements for developers), and specification (creating an initial bridge between requirements and design). See also Requirements Analysis.

Requirements Analysis

In terms of software engineering and development, requirements analysis, is a process to describe the tasks that go into the instigation, scoping and definition of a new or modified system. Requirements analysis is an important part of the software engineering process; whereby business analysts or software developers identify the needs or requirements of a client; having identified these requirements they are then in a position to design a solution. Some additional terms that are somewhat synonymous with requirements analysis are requirements engineering, requirements gathering, requirements capture, operational concept documenting, systems analysis, and requirements specification.

Requirements Management (RM)

Requirements Management is a department group within the CSIS Program in which the team captures the changing and emerging data and system requirements. RM also develops strategies for the collection of specific data collections.

Requirements Traceability Matrix

A requirements traceability matrix is used to verify that all stated and derived requirements are allocated to system components and other deliverables such as Use Cases, FCP’s, Program Specifications, etc. Taking the time to cross-reference each requirement to a deliverable ensures that a deliverable is consistent with the system requirements. A requirement that cannot be mapped to a deliverable is an indication that something is missing from the deliverable. Likewise, a deliverable that cannot be traced back to a requirement may mean the system is delivering more than required. See also Traceability Matrix.

Requirements-Based Testing

Requirements-Based Testing involves designing tests based on objectives derived from requirements for the software component.

Re-testing Testing that runs test cases which failed when previously run, in order to verify the success of corrective actions.

Resource Utilization Testing

Resource Utilization Testing is the process of testing to determine the resource-utilization of a software product.

Risk A risk is an event that may or may not occur. CSIS documents all identified risks associated with the program. If necessary, a contingency plan is developed to ensure the mitigation strategy can be implemented should the risk occur.

Risk-Based Testing

Risk-Based Testing is the technique used to prioritize the development and execution of tests upon the impact and likelihood of failure of the functionality or aspect being tested.

Robustness Robustness is the degree to which a component or system can function correctly in the presence of invalid inputs or stressful environmental conditions. Related terms include error-tolerance, fault-tolerance.

Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM)

Rough Order of Magnitude is a rough estimate in workdays for each piece of work.

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Root Cause Root Cause is an underlying factor that caused a non-conformance and possibly should be permanently eliminated through process improvement.

Sanity Testing Sanity Testing is a brief test of major functional elements of a piece of software to determine if it is basically operational.

Scalability Testing Scalability Testing is performance testing focused on ensuring the application under test gracefully handles increases in work load.

Scenario Testing A scenario test is a test based on a hypothetical story used to help a person think through a complex problem or system. They can be as simple as a diagram for a testing environment or they could be a description written in prose.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)

Secure sockets layer 3.0, with 128-bit encryption employment, is the automatic enablement when establishing a connection with the SRRTS DataGate Server. Internet Explorer is compatible with this automatic encryption and secure channel setup process. The SRRTS DataGate Server has been issued a Class 3 X.509 Digital Certificate to ensure users that the destination of the data sent is a server at CSIS. The third component, user authentication via client X.509 certificates is also implemented in the SRRTS security architecture.

Server Server is a networked computer or computer device which maintains and provides information or services to computer users based on requests made to the network. For example, a request to a web page and the server provides the information response to the requesting user. Desktop machines and lab equipment are not relevant to the scope of a server.

School Information Form (SIF)

Prior to CALPADS and OPUS, the School Information Form was part of the CBEDS collection and was used to collect data specific to schools on the number of classified staff, school enrollment, high school graduates, enrollment in selected high school courses, career-technical education enrollment, dropouts, alternative education, technology, education calendars, and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) reporting requirements.

Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF)

The Schools Interoperability Framework is the US national kindergarten through 12th grade (K12) specification for modeling educational data and information in an XML format, and a specification for sharing that information between software applications in the educational space. For more information, visit http://www.sifinfo.org/.

Scope of Work (SOW)

Scope of work is the work involved in the definition, design, and production of the components of a project's deliverables. A good scope of work statement should be preceded by: a brief background of the project or component, and the general objective.

SharePoint SharePoint is a software application used by CSIS to organize, store, and retrieve electronically all documents produced by the program.

Smoke Testing

A sub-set of the black box test is the smoke test. A smoke test is a cursory examination of all of the basic components of a software system to ensure that they work. Typically, smoke testing is conducted immediately after a software build is made. The term comes from electrical engineering, where in order to test electronic equipment, power is applied and the tester ensures that the product does not spark or smoke.

Spam The term "spam" is Internet slang that refers to unsolicited commercial email (UCE) or unsolicited bulk email (UBE). See also Spim.

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Software Quality Assurance

Software testing is a process used to identify the correctness, completeness, and quality of developed computer software. Actually, testing can never establish the correctness of computer software, as this can only be done by formal verification (and only when there is no mistake in the formal verification process). It can only find defects, not prove that there are none.

Special Education Special Education is direct instructional activities or special learning experiences designed to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities. For more information, visit the United States Department of Education web site at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html.

Special Education Division (SED)

Special Education Division is a unit within the CDE that collects and provides resources for serving the unique needs of student’s with disabilities, so that each student will meet or exceed high standards of achievement in academic and nonacademic skills.

Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA)

A Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) is the service area covered by the local plan for providing special education services to individuals with disabilities in that area under the state and federal law (EC 56195.1). In California, SELPAs may be school districts or county offices of education within particular geographic areas. SELPAs include districts joined together so that they can provide services to students with special needs and that are located geographically nearby and individual districts with large student enrollment that act as their own SELPA. Each SELPA develops a local plan describing how it will provide special education services to its intended students.

Spim (spIM) Spim is spam over instant messaging (IM). Spim is perpetuated by bots that harvest IM screen names off of the Internet and simulate a human user by sending spam to the screen names via instant messaging. The spim typically contains a link to a Web site that the spimmer is trying to market. A spimmer is the individual or organization responsible for sending the spim. See also Spam.

Split-tunneling Split-tunneling is the simultaneous direct access to a non-CSIS network (such as the Internet, or a home network) from a remote device (PC, PDA, WAP phone, etc.) while connected into the CSIS network via a VPN tunnel. VPN Virtual Private Network is a method for accessing a remote network via "tunneling" through the Internet.

Spring Submission (SS)

Prior to CALPADS, Spring submission was a transmission reason used in SRRTS for the Spring submission of Language Census (R-30) and SNOR data. The Spring of 2009 was the last time the Spring Submission was completed through CSIS.

SRRTS Project Charter

The SRRTS Project Charter defines the specific goals, objectives, and scope of the SRRTS project.

Stability Testing Stability testing is an attempt to determine if an application will crash.

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Term Definition

Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR)

The Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program is a student testing program used in California for student and school accountability purposes. It contains five components: California Standards Tests (CSTs) California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey) California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) California Modified Assessment (CMA) Standards-based Tests in Spanish (STS) For more information, visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Standard operating procedure is used to describe a procedure or set of procedures to perform a given operation or evolutions or in reaction to a given event. SOPs are usually written and apply to a given unit or formation and are standardized across that unit or formation.

State Board of Education (SBE)

The State Board of Education is the governing and policy-making body of the CDE. The SBE sets K-12 education policy in the areas of standards, instructional materials, assessment, and accountability. The SBE adopts textbooks for grades K-8, adopts regulations to implement legislation, and has authority to grant waivers of the Education Code. The SBE has 11 members and is appointed by the State Governor.

State Reporting (SR) Prior to CALPADS, State reporting was the process of LEAs submitting their full CBEDS (County/District Information Form, School Information Form, and the Professional Assignment Information Form), Language Census (R-30), and Student National Origin Report (SNOR) data through CSIS. State reporting through CSIS moved LEAs from submitting hardcopy aggregate reports to the state to submitting individual-level data elements to CSIS that were later aggregated into required state reports.

State Reporting In CALPADS, state reporting refers to the portion of CALPADS functionality that involves: 1) Online maintenance of student, staff and course data, 2) Managing submissions including uploading files and viewing submission status, and 3) Managing certifications

State Reporting and Records Transfer System (SRRTS)

State Reporting and Records Transfer System is the web-based software application built and operated by CSIS which allows LEAs to securely submit and transfer data electronically across the internet to an intended server, i.e., called DataGate or TestGate. Prior to July 31, 2009, SRRTS was used for processing to CDE for assignment and maintenance of the SSIDs, state reporting, and records transfer. After July 31, 2009, SRRTS can be used for records transfer, direct certification, and address validation.

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State Reporting LEAs Prior to CALPADS, State Reporting local education agencies (LEAs) were those LEAs that reported their full CBEDS (County/District Information Form, School Information Form, and the Professional Assignment Information Form), Language Census (R-30), and Student National Origin Report (SNOR) data through CSIS. Following the implementation of CALPADS, all LEAs are to complete state reporting via CALPADS.

Statewide Educator Identifier (SEID)

The Statewide Educator Identifier is a unique identification number assigned to each certificated staff member. SEIDS are issues by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Statewide Student Identifier (SSID)

The Statewide Student Identifier is a unique student identifier assigned to each K-12 pupil enrolled in a public school program or in a charter school that will remain with the student throughout his or her academic 'career' in the California public school system.

Stress Testing Stress testing is a form of testing that is used to determine the stability of a given system or entity. It involves testing beyond normal operational capacity, often to a breaking point, in order to observe the results. Stress testing is a subset of load testing.

Structured English Query Language (SQL)

Structured English Query Language is an ANSI/ISO standard set-based, declarative language designed to manipulate and retrieve data stored in a database. See also Database.

Student Friendly Services (SFS)

Student Friendly Services, a California Post Secondary effort comprised of representatives to establish a common repository of college application and planning materials for 7-12th grade students. The web site for SFS is: www.californiacolleges.edu/. See also Postsecondary.

Student Information System (SIS)

Student Information System, commonly referred to in CSIS documentation as the Local SIS, describes the computerized systems used by each LEA to process student records for such things as attendance, grades, courses, discipline, etc.

Student National Origin Report (SNOR)

Prior to CALPADS, the Student National Origin Report was the form used by California Department of Education to collect the results of the annual count of eligible immigrant students.

Subsystem Architecture

Much like the System Architecture but at a much greater level of detail, the Subsystem Architecture describes each functional subsystem within SRRTS. See also SRRTS.

Surrogate Identifier A surrogate identifier is an identifier set up to be a hidden link between the operational data store and the longitudinal data store that provides an additional layer of extraordinary disassociation between the longitudinal database and the individual student. The surrogate identifier is often implemented to improve data privacy and confidentiality. See also Longitudinal Data and Operational Data Store.

Syntax Testing Syntax Testing is a test case design technique for a component or system in which test case design is based upon the syntax of the input.

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System Administrator System administrator (sometimes abbreviated as sysadmin) is a person who manages the computer systems within an organization. The responsibilities of a system administrator and network administrator often overlap; however, the system administrator is more geared to the computer hardware and less on the network, although in many cases, system and network administrator are one in the same, especially in smaller companies. A system administrator is involved with operating system and hardware installations and configurations and may be involved with application installations and upgrades. A system administrator may also perform systems programmer activities.

System Architecture System Architecture is a document that contains a high level description of the, e.g., SRRTS, system design. The documentation includes a description of the software components and describes the relationships between user organizations and the subsystems within the system, e.g., SRRTS, along with design guidelines.

System Requirements Specification (SRS)

System Requirements Specification is the CSIS document that contains all known SRRTS requirements. See also CSIS and SRRTS.

System Testing

System testing is testing conducted on a complete, integrated system to evaluate the system's compliance with its specified requirements. System testing falls within the scope of Black box testing.

Team See Alexsys Team.

Technical Requirements Testing

Technical Requirements Testing is testing of those requirements that do not relate to functionality, i.e., performance, usability, etc.

Testability

Testability is the degree to which a system or component facilitates the establishment of test criteria and the performance of tests to determine whether those criteria have been met.

Test Approach

Test Approach is the implementation of the test strategy for a specific project. It typically includes the decisions made that follow based on the (test) project's goal and the risk assessment carried out, starting points regarding the test process, the test design techniques to be applied, exit criteria and test types to be performed.

Test Automation

Test automation is the use of software to control the execution of tests, the comparison of actual outcomes to predicted outcomes, the setting up of test preconditions, and other test control and test reporting functions.

Test Bed Test Bed is an execution environment configured for testing. May consist of specific hardware, OS, network topology, configuration of the product under test, other application or system software, etc. Same as Test environment.

Test Case A test case is a set of conditions or variables under which a tester determines if a requirement upon a software application is partially or fully satisfied, according to the original requirement’s documentation. It may take many test cases to determine whether a requirement is fully satisfied. In order to fully test that all the requirements of an application are met, there must be at least one test case for each requirement unless a requirement has sub requirements. What characterizes a test case is that there is a known input and an expected output, which is worked out before the test. The known input should test a precondition and the expected output should test a post condition. Test cases are usually collected into Test Suites. A variation of test cases is commonly used during acceptance testing. See also Acceptance Testing.

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Term Definition

Test Cycle

A formal test cycle consists of all tests performed. In software development, it can consist of, for example, the following tests: unit/component testing, integration testing, system testing, user acceptance testing, and the code inspection.

Test Data Test Data are the definition (usually formal) of a collection of test input values that are consumed during the execution of a test, and expected results referenced for comparative purposes.

Test-Driven Development

Test-driven development (TDD) is a Computer programming technique that involves writing tests first and then implementing the code to make them pass. The goal of test-driven development is to achieve rapid feedback and implements the "illustrate the main line" approach to constructing a program. This technique is heavily emphasized in Extreme Programming.

Test Environment The Test Environment is the hardware and software environment in which tests will be run, and any other software with which the software under test interacts when under test including stubs and test drivers.

Tester A Tester is a technically skilled professional who is involved in the testing of a component or system.

Test Harness In software testing, a test harness is a collection of software tools and test data configured to test a program unit by running it under varying conditions and monitor its behavior and outputs.

Testing The purpose of testing is to discover errors. Testing is the process of trying to discover every conceivable fault or weakness in a work product. The process includes operating a system or component under specified conditions, observing or recording the results, and making an evaluation of some aspect of the system or component. The process also includes analyzing a software item to detect the differences between existing and required conditions, (that is, bugs) and to evaluate the features of the software items.

Test Log A Test Log is the collection of raw output captured during a unique execution of one or more tests, usually representing the output resulting from the execution of a Test Suite for a single test cycle run.

Test Plan Test plan is a document that describes the scope, approach, resources, and schedule of the intended testing activities. The document identifies test items, the features to be tested, the testing tasks, who will do each task, and any risks requiring contingency planning. Using a test plan enables the tester(s) to effectively find errors and flaws in a system. In order to find relevant results, the plan typically contains experiments with a range of operations and values, including an understanding of what the eventual workflow will be.

Test Procedure The procedural aspect of a given test, usually a set of detailed instructions for the setup and step-by-step execution of one or more given test cases. The test procedure is captured in both test scenarios and test scripts.

Test Report A Test Report is a document that summarizes the outcome of testing in terms of items tested, summary of results, effectiveness of testing and lessons learned.

Test Report Form (TRF)

A Test Report Form is a form that is used to document a defect in the SRRTS software identified in the testing phase cycle. See also CSIS, Production, SRRTS and PRF.

Test Scenario A sequence of actions (execution conditions) that identifies behaviors of interest in the context of test execution.

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Test Script Test script are the step-by-step instructions in a software test program that defines the actions and pass/fail criteria. For example, if the action is "to enter a valid account number," the expected result is that the data are accepted. Entering an invalid number should yield a particular error message. Test scripts may take the form of either documented textual instructions that are executed manually or computer readable instructions that enable automated test execution.

Test Strategy A Test Strategy defines the strategic plan for how the test effort will be conducted against one or more aspects of the target system.

Test Suite A Test Suite is a package-like artifact used to group collections of test scripts, both to sequence the execution of the tests and to provide a useful and related set of Test Log information from which Test Results can be determined.

Test Tools Test Tools are computer programs used in the testing of a system, a component of the system, or its documentation.

Thin Client A thin client is a network computer without a hard disk drive powered by back-end centralized servers.

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Traceability Matrix Within software development, a traceability matrix is a table (see the below example) that correlates the high-level requirements and detailed requirements of the software product to the matching parts of high-level design, detailed design, test plan, and test cases. It can also be used between any two documents that require a many-to-many relationship to determine completeness. See also Requirements Traceability Matrix. Example of traceability matrix table.

Requirement Numbers

reqs tested

REQ1UC 1.1

REQ1UC 1.2

REQ1UC 1.3

REQ1UC 2.1

REQ1UC 2.2

REQ1UC

2.3.1

REQ1UC

2.3.2

REQ1UC 3.1

REQ1UC 3.2

REQ1TECH

1.1

etc.

REQ1TECH

1.3

Test Cases 21 3 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1

tested implicitly 0

1.1.1 1 x

1.1.2 2 x x

1.1.3 2 x X

1.1.4 1 x

1.1.5 2 x x

Etc…

5.6.2 1 x

Transaction Set number 130 (TS 130)

Transaction Set number 130, ANSI TS130, contains the format and establishes the data contents of a Student Educational Record (Transcript) Transaction Set for use within the context of the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. The student transcript is used by schools and school districts, and by post-secondary educational institutions to transmit current and historical records of educational accomplishment and other significant information for students enrolled at the sending schools and institutions. The transcript may be sent to other educational institutions, to other agencies, or to prospective or current employers. The student transcript contains personal history and identifying information about the student, the current academic status, dates of attendance, courses completed with grades earned, degrees and diplomas awarded, health information (Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 only), and testing information. See also ANSI X12.

Transaction Log Report

The Transaction Log Report is a SRRTS report that identifies the success or failure of each SRRTS processing step.

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Term Definition

Transcript Evaluation Service (TES)

The Transcript Evaluation Service (TES) is a statewide initiative of the California Student Aid Commission, EDFUND and the University of California to improve student academic achievement in college preparatory courses. TES serves all students in grades 9-12 by integrating academic preparation with financial preparedness and empowering students and families in their efforts to access all forms of postsecondary education. TES provides selected schools with evaluations of all student transcripts as well as training and support for schools to institute an action plan for college readiness for all students. TES makes available to schools a unique set of data that assists school personnel with curriculum planning and serves as a basis for academic counseling. A specialized curriculum and training program provides the means for schools to quickly and easily offer the appropriate information and interventions that prepare students for postsecondary education and to receive financial assistance to attend. In addition to helping the Student Aid Commission identify more students who can be GPA-eligible for Cal Grants and supporting students in preparing for Cal Grant eligibility, TES is designed to calculate a high school Cal Grant GPA for students who have started their senior year. For more information about TES go to: http://www.ucop.edu/sas/tes/ TE is the Transmission Reason used in SRRTS for Transcript Evaluation Service.

Translation Translation is the changing of data content from one set of code values to another. For example, changing the Gender data element from “Male” or “Female to a “1” or “2” code value. In SRRTS context this is a major action that occurs when moving data from the local SIS to CSIS. See also Data Dictionary Code Tables.

Transmission Reason Transmission Reason is the code value that defines each LEA’s data submission reason. There are many valid transmission reasons. The File Transmission Formats document defines specific transmission reasons and code values. Examples of these transmission reasons and code values are:

1. EU Periodic Enrollment Updates 2. EL Eligibility in Local context (UCOP) 3. RT Academic Records Transfer 4. TE Transcript Evaluation Service (UCOP) 5. AM Annual SSID maintenance (Discontinued on July 31, 2009) 6. BI Batch request for identifier assignment (Discontinued on July 31, 2009) 7. FS Fall submission (Discontinued on July 31, 2009) 8. SS Spring submission (Discontinued on July 31, 2009)

Unified School District (USD)

Unified School District is the legal distinction used to indicate a school district that includes both primary (Kindergarten thru Junior High School) and secondary (High School) schools.

Unit Testing A unit test is a procedure used to verify that a particular module of source code is working properly.

University of California (UC)

The University of California is a public university system within the State of California. In 2006, it had a combined student body of more than 191,000 students and over 1,340,000 living alumni and has an endowment of just over $5 billion (7th largest in the United States). All campuses enroll both undergraduate and graduate students with the exception of the San Francisco campus, which enrolls only graduate and professional students in the medical and health sciences, and Hastings College of the Law, which is the oldest law school in the UC system, and is also located in San Francisco.

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Usability Testing

Usability testing is a means for measuring how well people can use some human-made object (such as a web page, a computer interface, a document, or a device) for its intended purpose, i.e. usability testing measures the usability of the object. If usability testing uncovers difficulties, such as people having difficulty understanding instructions, manipulating parts, or interpreting feedback, then developers should improve the design and test it again.

Use Case A use case is the user scenario that describes the interaction between the user and the (SRRTS) system to accomplish some specific required task. The use case consists of a group of elements (for example, classes and interfaces) that can be used together in a way that will have an effect larger than the sum of the separate elements combined. The use case should contain all system activities that have significance to the users. A use case can be thought of as a collection of possible scenarios related to a particular goal, indeed, the use case and goal are sometimes considered to be synonymous.

Use Case Testing Use Case Testing is a black box test design technique in which test cases are designed to execute user scenarios.

User Authentication User Authentication is a method by which the user of a system, e.g., LEA, can be verified as a legitimate user independent of the computer or operating system being used.

Validation The word validation has several related meanings:* In general, validation is the process of checking if something satisfies a certain criterion. Examples would be: checking if a statement is true, if an appliance works as intended, if a computer system is secure, or if computer data is compliant with an open standard. This should not be confused with verification.

Validation Report The Validation Report is a SRRTS report that indicates errors detected during the data validation function.

Valid Master Codes Identifies subsets of master codes that are valid for a specific Transmission Reason. Not all master codes for each element are needed or valid for a given Transmission Reason. When only a subset of codes is needed, this list identifies the element, code values and transmission reason this subset is to be used for.

Verification In the context of hardware and software systems, formal verification is the act of proving or disproving the correctness of a system with respect to a certain formal specification or property using formal methods.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is a network that uses a public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or individual users with secure access to their organization's network. A virtual private network can be contrasted with an expensive system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one organization. The goal of a VPN is to provide the organization with the same capabilities, but at a much lower cost.

Voice over IP (VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocol (also called IP Telephony, Internet telephony, and Digital Phone) is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP-based network. The voice data flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network, instead of traditional dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines. In addition to IP, VoIP uses the real-time protocol (RTP) to help ensure that packets get delivered in a timely way. Using public networks, it is currently difficult to guarantee Quality of Service (QoS). Better service is possible with private networks managed by an enterprise or by an Internet telephony service provider (ITSP).

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Volume Testing

Volume Testing is testing which confirms that any values that may become large over time (such as accumulated counts, logs, and data files), can be accommodated by the program and will not cause the program to stop working or degrade its operation in any manner.

Walkthrough A Walkthrough is step-by-step presentation by the author of a document in order to gather information and to establish a common understanding of its content.

Web Server A web server serves web pages to clients across the Internet or an Intranet. The web server hosts the pages, scripts, programs, and multimedia files and serves them using HTTP, a protocol designed to send files to web browsers and other protocols. The most common web server is the Apache available though IIS (Internet Information Server on the Windows Platform) is a fast growing web server.

White Box Testing / Glass Box Testing

White box testing, glass box testing, or structural testing is used to check that the outputs of a program, given certain inputs, conform to the structural specification of the program. It uses information about the structure of the program to check that it performs correctly.

Wide Area Networks (WAN)

Wide Area Network is a computer network that can usually span a relatively large geographical area. Typically, a WAN consists of two or more local-area networks (LANs). Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. They can also be connected through leased lines or satellites. The largest WAN in existence is the Internet.

Workflow Testing Workflow Testing is scripted end-to-end testing which duplicates specific workflows which are expected to be utilized by the end-user.

World Wide Web (WWW)

The World Wide Web, or simply Web, is a way of accessing information over the medium of the Internet. It is an information-sharing model that is built on top of the Internet. The Web uses the HTTP protocol, only one of the languages spoken over the Internet, to transmit data. Web services, which use HTTP to allow applications to communicate in order to exchange business logic, use the Web to share information. The Web also utilizes browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape, to access Web documents called Web pages that are linked to each other via hyperlinks. Web documents also contain graphics, sounds, text, and video. Many may use the terms Internet and World Wide Web interchangeably, but in fact the two terms are not synonymous. The Internet and the Web are two separate but related things. See also Internet.

XML XML, also called EXtensible Markup Language, is an open standard for describing data from the W3C standard. XML is used for defining data elements on a Web page. XML tags provide a simple data format, but the intelligent defining of these tags to serve business needs properly and everyone's adherence to using the same tags determines the real value of XML. XML uses a similar tag structure as HyperText Markup Language (HTML); however, HTML defines how elements are displayed, XML defines what those elements contain. While HTML uses predefined tags, XML allows tags to be defined by the developer of the page. Thus, virtually any data items, such as "product," "sales rep," and "amount due," can be identified, allowing Web pages to function like database records. By providing a common method for identifying data, XML supports business-to-business transactions and has become "the" format for electronic data interchange and Web services. See also EDI and WWW.