WSLS: Selected Data Elements

Links are provided below to data elements collected by the Wisconsin Student Number Locator System (WSLS). All are used to facilitate the matching of student records so students will be assigned a single WSN that will stay with them through their PK-12 educational experience.

Data quality and completeness are very important in WSLS. Student legal name, gender, birthdate, and (if available) local ID #1 are particularly important for automated matching process. Districts are strongly encouraged to provide BOTH required and (if available) optional data because the more data that are available for WSN assignment purposes, the more efficiently the process will operate for districts.

Click on a term to see its description and uses.

Student Name	Birthdate	Gender	District	Enroll Date
Parent/Guardian Name	Birthplace	Race/Ethnicity	School	Exit Date
Wisconsin Student Number	Local ID

Student Name (Legal and Aliases)

first, last, **middle, **suffix (e.g. Jr. or III)

This would be the student's formal legal name, normally the name that appears on the birth certificate. Districts may wish to request documentation, but this is not required by WSLS. Middle name or initial are optional. Former names, nicknames, and aliases are also collected in alias name fields but are optional.

USES: Student names (legal and aliases) are used in the WSLS matching process. The legal name is especially critical because this name is most likely to be submitted consistently over time and across districts for any given student, is used in finding single exact matches in WSLS, and is the name the appears most prominently on WSLS screens. Aliases are used in automatically finding possible matches and in the manual match review process. See "How can districts use WSLS to help ensure the assignment of a unique, unduplicated WSN to a student?" See also WSLS Automated Match Criteria

Parent/Guardian Name

first, last, and **middle

At least one parent/guardian name is required. Middle name or initial are optional. If no parent or guardian name is available or appropriate you can report the name of a long term significant other or emergency contact. WSLS displays this information only to help districts identify matches.

USES: This data element is used solely in the manual match review process.

Birthdate

Birthdate is the student's date of birth. MMDDYYYY

USES: This data element is used in the matching process. Birth month and birth year are critical because if no match is found, then a student might get assigned a new WSN when in fact the student already has a WSN. If the birthdate or gender is recorded accurately in one district and inaccurately in another district, then WSLS will not find the student. The student may be a continuing student but might instead be counted in ISES as a dropout.

Birthplace

county, city, state

Place of birth would normally be provided on the birth certificate.

State codes are two character postal codes. See WSLS interface specifications for a complete list. The State code 'ZZ' identifies a student as not born in the US. Birthplace is optional** for students born in any state. Leave the Birthplace data elements blank (don't use 'ZZ') if a student was born in the US but their State is unknown.

CHANGES: US territory codes will be added to the state codes beginning in fall 2007. Students born in US territories are "born in the US". State code 'ZZ' (Other) is required for students not born in the US beginning in fall 2008. Districts are encouraged to begin including the 'ZZ' code, as appropriate, in all current and new WSLS records as soon as possible. There is no need to wait until September 2008.

USES: This data element is used in the manual match review process. The State code 'ZZ' is also used as one factor in determining if a student qualifies as an immigrant under Title III, Section 3301 (6) of the NCLB. DPI does not require information on where a student was born outside the US; if the 'ZZ' code is used, the birth city may be provided or listed as UNKNOWN. DPI does not collect information on the legal basis for any student’s current residence in the US (e.g. citizenship status, permanent residency, visas, etc.). Federal funding is based in part on counts of students qualifying as immigrants based on the Title III criteria. Data about student status as an immigrant under Title III are also required by the U.S. Department of Education for some disaggregated reporting.

Local Student ID 1 and 2**

Local Student ID 1 must be unique by school and is useful for WSLS and local purposes. Local Student ID 2 is for local use only. 30 characters max.

USES: Local Student ID 1, if available, is used in batch processing of WSLS exit/update transactions. Both Local ID fields can help district match records when DPI returns the WSNs for students. Local Student ID 2 could be a special education student ID, any other ID used in local student data files, or other locally-used data. See also WSLS Automated Match Criteria

** indicates that the data element is optional.

24x7 DPI Online Helpdesk Application | PHONE SUPPORT: 800-507-5744 | EMAIL: *dpistats@dpi.wi.gov

For questions about this information, contact Shiela A. Pollock (608) 224-5395

Last updated on 2/28/2008 7:57:09 AM