WISEdata

WISE

Annual Tasks Checklist for Data Reporting

Annual Tasks Checklist for Data Reporting

DPI has an annual data collection cycle:

July 1 is the start date for each school year.
March is when the WISEdata Conference takes place.
December and May are typical months for snapshots.
June 30 is the end date for each school year.

This page provides a chronological checklist for the multiple annual data collections supported by Partner Support.

The goal of this page is to make you aware of and help you prepare for these annual data collections by informing you of:

  • Who (which schools, public or private Choice) participates in a collection,
  • What data elements are a part of a collection,
  • When the data collection occurs and when the data will be used,
  • Which WISE application is used, and
  • How to complete required tasks.

The "why" for the data collections is the same, by and large: to satisfy state and federal school data reporting requirements. 

Click the links below to navigate to different sections of this page:

Back to School Season Tasks

December Student Data Snapshot

Training Opportunities

Notes for Choice Schools

Printable Companion Checklists

Mid-Winter Season Tasks

May Demographics Snapshot and School Year Close-Out Tasks

Training Opportunities

You can receive training in a number of ways: self-paced, in-person, and virtually through webinars. The best web resources for training information are linked below:

Return to top

Note for Private Choice Schools

Return to top

Back to School Season Tasks

To start off each school year, you'll need to complete important tasks to prepare for the year's collections. The tasks are listed alphabetically because they cover a variety of LEA roles.

Some tasks have prerequisite tasks that are annotated within each section (e.g., you need appropriate credentials to access WISEhome before you can access the DPI secure applications).

NOTE: The tasks listed in the accordions below are listed alphabetically. For a set of chronological steps, please use the printable companion checklists, hyperlinked just below. 

Printable Companion Checklists

We are pleased to present you with both a public school and Choice school version of the printable task checklist to help make sure you accomplish your data tasks for the beginning of a new school year. Please use it as a companion document along with this webpage. The checklist does not provide tutorial details but does contain hyperlinks to other DPI resource webpages. Download it to use digitally or print it off if you prefer!

 2026-27 Public: Printable Companion Checklist of Start of School year Annual Tasks

2026-27 Choice: Printable Companion Checklist of Start of School year Annual Tasks

Adding, Changing, Maintaining a SIS Vendor

Thinking of changing or adding a SIS vendor? Please submit a Help Ticket before you start. A Partner Support staff member will work with you to ensure a smooth transition and safeguard access to your data. July and August are the best months to do this task!

Student Information System (SIS) Maintenance

Select a Student Information System (SIS) Software/Vendor Tool: Check your SIS software versions and update for the latest release.
•    Please visit the WISEdata Vendor List website for a listing of vendors/organizations that offer SIS tools and other products capable of submitting data to WISEdata based on the Ed-Fi Alliance Standards.
•    SIS Vendor Certification Status
•    If you are considering changing SIS products, please review our SIS Conversion Guidance webpage.
•    Submit a WISE Help Ticket if you need support.

Alternative Household Income Form

Alternate Household Income form should be included in 'back to school' enrollment papers for Economically Disadvantaged Status and Food Service Eligibility Status.

'Back to School' Review for New/All Staff Involved with WISE Reporting

'Back to School' Review for New/All Staff Involved with WISE Reporting

*Civil Rights Data Collection

Fall of 2026 Pre-Collection Tools:

Use the tools to review list of data elements and prepare for the collection, located in the Resource Links section of the Civil Rights Data Collection webpage. This includes:

  • the school/LEA forms,
  • the flat file submission spreadsheet,
  • the survey tool guides,
  • the Excel templates and
  • the data elements.
Credentials to Login to WISEhome

Creating Credentials to Log In to WISEhome

Create credentials (username/password and an associated email address) to access DPI secure applications (i.e., WISEid, WISEdata) using WISEhome. Options include either an Enterprise level Google email for use with Google Single Sign-On (SSO), or the creation of a MyWisconsin ID account. 

NOTE: After September 30, 2026, WAMS will be retired and discontinued.

Choice Schools: Opt In or Opt Out

Choice school participation to either opt in or opt out of the All Students Report Card is due on the first weekday in August. Visit the Report Card Selection data element page for more information. 

This is a required item specific to Choice schools the is included in student demographic data. 

Collect Student Demographic Information

NOTE: Data elements marked with an asterisk (*) symbol do not apply to private Choice schools.

During your registration process, collect the basic student demographic information that is needed for WISEdata at the beginning of the year:

Complete School Year Close Out Tasks from Previous School Year

(These annual tasks are also discussed in the “mid-winter” section of this page.)

Just because it’s the start of another school year, remember to complete your school year close out tasks. Many LEAs accomplish these tasks in July and August. DPI Partner Support suggests June 30 as the deal completion date so that all YE tasks are done when the DPI calendar resets. 

They are vital data pieces for the December Student Snapshot, so don’t let them go unfinished! 

August, September, October, and November is when Partner Support will reach out to LEAs during the Data Quality Outreach.

Check the WISE Events Calendar for Snapshot related training opportunities. The Slides and Videos webpage houses the most recently captured training slides and recorded video sessions.

Consider Assembling a Data Team

For all schools: DPI recommends creating a data team to share the responsibility of data review and correction. This could include members from other program areas, such as Special Education, Discipline, Career Education, and Food Service, to name a few, as these people know their data policy and student reporting best. This also allows these program areas to be involved in how the data is being reported prior to the Snapshot and allow review for accuracy before it impacts funding and program determinations

*For public schools and districts: WISExplore provides processes and resources supporting data-informed, decision-making for school and district leaders. The WISExplore data inquiry process is central to this work. Professional learning resources are provided to support data leadership, data literacy, and the inquiry process for educators statewide.

  • Log on to WISEdash for Districts to find dashboard information about:
    • Improvement Planning (all dashboards)
    • Early Warning (Absenteeism)
    • FAFSA
    • Snapshot Dashboard Data Quality Reviews
      • Pay special attention to Graduation Rate, Dropouts, Absenteeism, and Cohorts.
District Security Administrator (DSA) / Choice Administrator Tasks

Visit the WISEsecure Tasks for DSAs webpage for a complete list of tasks.

Two main tasks are to complete the DSA Form and to assign WISEsecure Roles to staff.

However, you will need to create credentials for WISEhome before you can complete either of these tasks. Visit the “WISEhome Credentials” accordion section on this page for further details.

DSAs: Complete the DSA Form

The district administrator is required to submit the District Security Administrator form to gain access to secure reporting applications. Please complete this as soon as possible. Access will be granted over the summer when the new school year rolls over for the WISE reporting applications.

Assign User Roles

The district administrator/DSA need to set up and assign user roles and/or application administrators who will assign user roles.

Ed-Fi Credential

Enable WISEdata Ed-Fi Credential API by making sure your URLs are current and your Key/Secret are correct.

  • Please visit the Ed-Fi User Guide for details on how to locate and use your key/secret.
*ELO Look Up Page

The ELO Look Up webpage allows you to look up staff and see if they have an Entity ID (called a File Number on the ELO results). Missing Entity IDs for staff means that this staff member has not yet initiated the license application process. As soon as someone applies for their license in the ELO system, an Entity ID is created, whether the license has been awarded or not.

Partner Support Begins Data Quality Outreach

Partner Support makes outreach calls to LEAs across the state, to both Choice and public schools, to touch base on data ‘trouble-spots’ to help LEAs get started on data repair and preparation for the December Student Snapshot.

These calls focus on helping LEAs complete accurate school year close out tasks.

August, September, October, and November is when Partner Support will reach out to LEAs during the Data Quality Outreach.

PI-1207 Form for Private Schools Opens in September

Private Schools must complete the PI-1207 Private School Report by October 15 of each school year.

School Directory Annual Updates

Complete the annual required School Directory Management Portal updates.

  • School Directory User Guides are available to help you make updates.
  • Input and verify:
    • Agency-level mandatory required contacts
    • Educational service (PK)
    • School-level mandatory required contacts
    • High grade/Low grade for each school are listed
    • Kindergarten schedules/locations
  • The start and end dates are collected via WISEdata Portal and pushed into School Directory. View the First Day of School/Last Day of School data element page for greater detail.

For Choice Schools

Third Friday of September Count Date (for Enrollment)

The Third Friday of September enrollment count date is for Choice, independent charter schools, and public schools.

Update Agency Contacts in WISE Applications

Update Agency Contacts for each application. You will be prompted to do this upon your first time logging in for the new school year (i.e., post July 1). 

NOTE: The DSA need not be the primary contact for each application. In fact, the primary contact for each application should be the staff member who accesses that application the most on a daily/weekly basis. This might be the DSA, but it might be someone else as well. 

Review the Updating Agency Contacts in WISE Applications mini tutorial for the following:

  • WISEdata Portal: Primary Contact is the person performing WISEdata reporting.
  • WISEid: Primary Contact is the person performing WISEid reporting.
  • WISEstaff: Primary Contact is the person performing WISEstaff reporting.
  • WISEadmin Portal: Agency Contacts from other WISE applications will populate here.
  • School Directory: Please refer to the School Directory Management Portal User Guides for details on how to change agency level and building level required contacts.
    • Be sure to also complete the remaining annual required School Directory updates, including updating contact information.

For Choice Schools

Please note that if your school is participating in the Private School Choice Programs (Choice) or Special Needs Scholarship Program (SNSP), changes that affect those programs must be submitted using the update forms on the Choice or SNSP websites. For example, changing the main contact email address through the form for the Directory will only change it for emails related to the Directory. That will not change the email address that is used for Choice program or SNSP correspondence. Thank you for your work to ensure your school’s information is accurate.

Upload WISEids for Students

WISEids are a prerequisite for WISEdata records. You cannot submit data to WISEdata Portal for a student who does not have a WISEid.

DPI recommends you upload a full Active Student WISEid file to the WISEid application at the start of each new school year and once a week until you set up your 'SIS-to-WISEdata' transfers (assuming that you are using a SIS with the Student Identity Integration API to create new WISEids). Visit the WISEid User Guide –Quick Start Guide for detailed steps on how to complete your WISEid uploads. 

WISE Community - Join!

WISE Community is a Microsoft Teams-based communication group created for our local education agency partners – schools, districts, state agencies, CESAs – as a space to post questions, share solutions and ideas, learn about updates and outages, and generally stay closely connected to each other and to DPI’s Partner Support.

WISE Events Calendar

Check out the WISE Events Calendar to see when the Partner Support will host: 

  • Back to School Kickoff training
  • December Student Snapshot training (virtual and in-person) 
  • And other useful trainings to help support your data reporting needs
*WISEstaff Data Collection

The WISEstaff Data Collection opens, usually in late September or early October.

(Not for Choice schools)

Visit Back to School Training on Slides and Videos webpage

Return to top

December Student Snapshot Season

Mostly due to the December student data snapshot, and for a variety of other collections, this is a very busy time of the school year for data collection and data quality!

*Civil Rights Data Collection

December 09, 2024

CRDC system opens for SEA Starter File data load. Districts that opted into using the DPI Starter File should delay entering and modifying data in the CRDC submission system until Monday, 12/16/24.

December 16, 2024

Review and Submit Data: Collection open to submit the data via the file upload process or manual data entry.

(Not for Choice schools)

December Student Data Snapshot

The December Student Data Snapshot occurs annually in December. LEAs should spend these “snapshot season” months preparing data for the December student data snapshot. Check the WISE Events Calendar for snapshot training opportunities, such as the regional snapshot workshops. Partner Support is busy conducting data quality outreach.

OEA Inquiry Process for Accountability Report cards SAFE Release

The preliminary secure release of the school and district report cards opens the inquiry period, a window of time in which schools and districts can notify OEA of suspected data submission errors. 

Visit the Office of Educational Accountability (OEA) Inquiry Process webpage for more details. 

*October 1 Child Count

The October 1 Child Count is only for public LEAs. This collection includes data from student enrollment records from any students receiving special education services on this day. sSEPA record data and other special education data is also required.

(Not for Choice schools)

Partner Support Conducts a Second Round of Data Quality Outreach

DPI Partner Support makes outreach calls to LEAs across the state, Choice and public, to touch base on data ‘trouble spots’ to help LEAs get started on data repair and preparation for the December student data snapshot.

This round focuses on communicating to LEAs that we will be starting snapshot DQ reviews, including information about the alert feature again. Partner Support also sends communications to District and Choice Admins about the snapshot.

PI-1207 Form for Private Schools Closes in October

Private Schools, time is almost up! The PI-1207 Private School Report closes on October 15! PI-1207 audit results conclude December 15.

*Preliminary WISEstaff Certification Opens

Carefully reference the Preliminary Certification section of the WISEstaff User Guide  at this time of year to meet the Preliminary Reporting deadline, which usually falls during early- to mid-November.

Preliminary Audit results are typically ready between December and January. Once they are available, LEAs should review preliminary staff audit results and begin making corrections for the final certification in March. 

(Not for Choice schools)

School Directory Closes in December

School Directory User Guides will help you make all required annual updates to the School Directory Management Portal. You can continue to make updates to School Directory until the application closes in December or January each year for annual maintenance.

When School Directory closes, you cannot make any more changes to data for the current school year, so please make all required annual updates by the close date. Visit the School Directory Management Portal: Annual Updates webpage for more information. 

*WISEstaff User Group Calls Begin in October

The WISEstaff data collection opens. This also indicates the return of the weekly WISEstaff User Group call.

(Not for Choice schools)

Visit December Snapshot Training on Slides and Videos webpage

Return to top

Mid-Winter Season

Data collection is slowest during these three months of the school year. DPI is busy processing the December snapshot data and preparing for accountability school report cards.

*Civil Rights Data Collection

March 07, 2025: Close Date

Finalize and Certify Data: Review the submitted data, resolve errors and warnings and certify. Document an action plan(s) as needed and continue reviewing the data.

Spring / Summer of 2025 Data Quality Post Collection:

Review the data for quality, using the data quality manuals.

(Not for Choice schools)

*Continue Reviewing WISEstaff Preliminary Data

Continue reviewing WISEstaff preliminary audit results and apply corrections for the final certification in March.  Final reporting deadline for WISEstaff is posted on the WISEstaff Data Collection webpage in the timeline. 

(Not for Choice schools)

Data Errata for Student Data December Snapshot

Once the December Student Snapshot occurs, data are considered certified and final. If you notice an error in your snapshot data, you can submit a Data Errata letter to acknowledge what was wrong in your snapshot data.

Parental Choice Applications Open

The Parental Choice application opens at different times depending on the Choice program, but this typically occurs sometime in January.

Public School Open Enrollment

Public School Open Enrollment usually opens in February.

Prepare Data for the May Demographics Snapshot 

The May Demographics Snapshot collects updated and refreshed demographics data that were collected in December. 

Review the Snapshot Preparation Guidance webpage to get ready for that snapshot. 

*Preliminary WISEstaff Certification Opens

Carefully reference the Preliminary Certification section of the WISEstaff User Guide at this time of year to meet the Preliminary Reporting deadline, which usually falls during early- to mid-November.

Preliminary Audit results are typically ready between December and January. Once they are available, LEAs should review preliminary staff audit results and begin making corrections for the final certification in March. 

(Not for Choice schools)

School Directory Re-Opens in January: Update Info for Next School Year

When School Directory closed in December, so did updates for the current school year.

With the re-opening of the School Directory Management Portal in January for updates, schools are still in the middle of the ‘current’ school year but can begin to make updates for the next school year.

School Directory User Guides are available to help you make updates.

Input and verify:

  • Agency-level mandatory required contacts
  • Educational service (PK)
  • School-level mandatory required contacts
  • High grade/Low grade for each school are listed
  • Kindergarten schedules/locations

DPI collects the start and end dates via WISEdata Portal and pushes these into School Directory. View the First Day of School/Last Day of School data element page for greater detail.

WISE Conference

The WISE Conference webpage usually starts filling up in January with agendas, the registration link, and slide decks. The WISE Conference takes place in March. Hope to see you there! 

Visit Mid-Winter Season Training on Slides and Videos webpage

Return to top

May Demographics Snapshot and School Year Close-Out Season

These final months get busy again for data.

The May Demographics Snapshot collects demographic data to associate with standardized test scores. To prepare, Partner Support will conduct minimal data quality outreach while LEAs review the Snapshot Preparation Guidance webpage. You can also check with your CESA to see if they are offering any training in your area. 

Once the May snapshot occurs, data are certified and final. If you notice an error in your snapshot data, submit a Data Errata letter to acknowledge what was wrong in your snapshot data.

School year close-out tasks for WISEdata are detailed below. The DPI school year ends on June 30 each year.

*Civil Rights Data Collection, Continued

Spring / Summer of 2025 Data Quality Post Collection:

Use the data quality manuals to review the data for quality.

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Support for Districts webpage

(Not for Choice schools)

Finalize Data for the May Demographics Snapshot

The May Demographics Snapshot collects demographic data to associate with standardized test scores. To prepare, the Partner Support will conduct minimal data quality outreach while LEAs review the Snapshot Preparation Guidance webpage. 

Once the May snapshot occurs, data are considered certified and final. If you notice an error in your snapshot data, you can submit a Data Errata letter to acknowledge what was wrong in your snapshot data.

School year close out tasks for WISEdata are detailed below.

The DPI school year ends on June 30 each year. 

School Year Close-Out Tasks: General Information

(These annual tasks are also discussed in the “back to school” section of this page.)

At the end of each school year, you will need to complete several important tasks to prepare year-end data for the Student Data December snapshot. 

Please consult your school’s SIS vendor for more specific instructions on how to accomplish these tasks.

When the Partner Support begins their data quality outreach calls in August, they help LEAs know how to prioritize and address data for all three years’ worth of data within WISEdata Portal. Even though it also contains three school years of data, WISEdata Portal will typically only display validation messages from the current and from the previous school year.

This means schools may see unresolved errors and warnings spanning multiple school years. We have guidance in the accordions below about which data from what school year what to focus on, and what is safe to ignore.

School Year Close-Out Tasks: Dropouts from Two School Years Ago

WISEdata Portal can only hold three-years’ worth of data: the current school year, and the two prior school years (e.g., 2026-27, 2025-26, 2024-25).

The only use for the 2nd prior year’s data (data from two years ago) in WISEdata Portal is to resolve any outstanding full-term dropouts from the WISEdash for Districts Year End Completion Snapshot Dashboard. 

Ignore all other errors and warnings for the 2nd prior school year that do not deal with dropout data. 

School Year Close-Out Tasks: Dropouts from the Last School Year

WISEdata Portal always has three-years’ worth of data: the current school year, the two prior school year (e.g., 2026-27, 2025-26, 2024-25).

The only use for the 2nd prior year’s data in WISEdata Portal is to resolve data validation errors and warnings with any outstanding full-term dropouts. 

Ignore all other errors and warnings for the 2nd prior school year that do not deal with dropout data.

School Year Close-Out Tasks: Demographics Data

DPI encourages LEAs to update their year-end data before the next school year begins (ideally, by June 30th, but by the end of August is also good). If you follow this guidance, the demographics data you'll be reviewing will be from the current year. If you don't follow this guidance, then you'll be reviewing the prior year's data.

This data will be very similar to/identical to your May Demographic Snapshot data. This should also be the same demographic data reported in December.

Please review the Year End accordion (further down) for details on specific program records and their required updates. 

Common changes or updates can include:

  • Student has a sSEPA record now that they didn’t previously have.
  • Student race changes after correcting a data entry error.
*School Year Close-Out Tasks: CTE and Roster Data

*CTE and Roster

Roster and CTE snapshot requirements represent multiple, specific data elements.

  • Every course needs an Attempt Status Descriptor = Sufficient
  • Pay special attention to the following specific roster course categories, as these courses are associated with Perkins grant funding:
    • Career Education/CTE data: Visit (and bookmark!) the CTE Data Resources webpage (link opens in a new tab). The top two resources listed on this page (CTE Snapshot Prep Guide and the CTE WISE Guide for Data Reporting) are the best resources available for LEA staff working on CTE data reporting.
    • World Language
    • Arts Participation

Please visit the Roster: Info, Help and FAQ webpage for very detailed information about what to submit for roster data.

For a complete listing of all CTE data elements:

  • Visit the data element landing page (opens in a new tab),
  • Set the Collection filter to 'Career Education,' and
  • Click "Apply" for a focused collection of data elements that only relate to career and technical education courses and programs.

For a complete listing of all Roster data elements:

  • Visit the data element landing page (opens in a new tab),
  • Set the Collection filter to "Roster," and
  • Click the "Apply'" for a listing of general ‘course master’ data elements.
*School Year Close-Out Tasks: Discipline Data

*Discipline

Discipline snapshot requirements represent a multitude of specific data elements. For additional information, including a list of data elements for each collection, please visit the:

For a complete listing of all discipline data elements:

  • Visit the data element landing page (opens in a new tab),
  • Set the Collection filter to "Discipline," and
  • Click "Apply" for a full listing of all possible data elements related to a suspension or an expulsion.
School Year Close-Out Tasks: Year End Attendance, Enrollment, Graduation, and Program Record Data

Year-end completion data is about closing enrollment records from the previous school year and annotating completers/graduates from the previous school year. Enrollment records include:

  • Enrollment records: Enrollment records contain a vast array of data elements. During year-end roll over, it is important to enter an exit type, a term completion indicator, and an end date for the enrollment record. When you are looking at a specific Student Detail screen in WISEdata Portal, you are viewing their enrollment record data.
  • Academic records
  • Graduation records
  • Program records: You will also need to provide end dates for various program records associated with an enrollment record, such as a special education SSEPA record.
  • Roster

Attendance

Attendance: Attendance is also a part of the enrollment record. Be sure to include actual days and possible days of attendance. 

Attendance is part of the student enrollment record. 

Required Attendance data elements: Needed for all Enrollment Records

  • Attendance
    • Possible Days of Attendance
    • Actual Days of Attendance

Enrollment, Required Data Elements:

Exit Types are a key factor in determining dropouts. Read the guidance carefully. You can attend the Weekly WISE User Group to ask questions or submit a Help Ticket to get help from Partner Support.

  • Enrollment and Exit Date
    • For students receiving Special Education services, NOTE: SSEPA Record end dates must exactly match the enrollment record end date! If these dates do not match, you will trigger validation Error 7161. Fix the error verify by extending the sSEPA End Date to match the Enrollment End Date.
  • Exit Types
    • Enter an Exit Type for all of your students into your SIS.
      • TC is the DPI-recommended default exit type code for batch jobs to exit students who are expected to continue schooling next year.
      • If your school holds eighth-grade graduation ceremonies, do NOT enter credential values, as the student has not received an official credential.
      • If you need help determining the appropriate exit type, refer to the Exit Type Decision Guides on the Exit Type data elements page, located below the table.
  • Term Completion Indicator
    • This is required in WISEdata, and in most cases will be set to ‘Yes’ so long as the student completes all the required courses and school requirements.
      • Even if a student leaves for a summer trip or graduates early (if the student has met all the requirements), mark that the student completed the school term.
      • If a 12th-grade student transfers to another school mid-year, at a point where he or she is expected to continue classroom work to finish course credits in the new school, the completed term should be set to ‘No’.
  • Credential Type (Diploma Type)

Academic Record in WISEdata Portal: Completers

This section refer to high school students who have completed high school and are graduating or completing their high school education. "Completer" in this use case is synonymous with a student who has diploma record. This is slightly different for students who reach maximum age. Students completing high school due to max age use the exit type MA and do not receive an academic record (i.e., no diploma).

Graduation Record:

Graduation records are a critical component of enrollment records for students who complete their final year of high school, regardless of how many years they took to complete high school.

Exit Program Records:

Food Service Program Exit Date

Homeless Program Association End Date*: Only for students experiencing homelessness

Indicator 11*: Only for students with initial special education evaluations

Other Program Records*:

sLIPA Record End Date*: Only for students receiving language services

sSEPA Record End Date*: Only for students receiving Special Education services

  • An individualized education plan (IEP) for a student attending public district or an individualized service plan (ISP) for a student attending a private school.
  • In WISEdata Portal this is the student special education program association or sSEPA record.

Return to top