Meeting the Need for Unique, Unduplicated WSNs
The Wisconsin Student Number Locator System (WSLS) and the Individual Student Enrollment System (ISES) require that each student be assigned a unique and unduplicated Wisconsin Student Number (WSN). The creation of aggregated statistics using data collected by these systems, and other local and state systems that include the WSN, assumes this will occur. When this does not occur then important information about students and student groups as they move through the K-12 education system will be lost or incorrect. Information is key to efficient identification of student needs, strategies to meet these needs, and the evaluations of the long-term effectiveness of these strategies. Use of WSNs also provide opportunities for the consolidation of data collections so that more information and public reports can be created with less data allowing educators to spend more time and money on serving students and less on data collection than would otherwise be required.
If your district has previously notified DPI of WSN issues and is ready to use ISES but is waiting for these WSN issues to be resolved, then submit a helpdesk ticket via the Helpdesk Expert Tool http://dpi.wi.gov/lbstat/helptool.html Include the words "Duplicate - Ready to Submit ISES Data" in the short description field. In these cases, we will give your district priority in resolving duplicates.
How can districts use WSLS to help ensure the assignment of a unique, unduplicated WSN to a student?
Tips for Locate/Assign File Upload:
- Use the student's legal name to identify the student. 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
- If the student is or was commonly known by another name, include that name as an alias. This is especially important if the student is coming from another district because both legal and alias names are used in the matching process and use of both increases the chances of finding matches or near matches. Districts may wish to request former names or nicknames at the time of registration.
- Carefully record birthdate and gender. If the birthdate or gender is recorded accurately in one district and inaccurately in another district, then WSLS will not find the student.
Tips for Individual Student Search:
- Begin your search in 'All Districts' with only the student's legal first and last name.
- Use the wildcard '*' in last and first name, if the full name does not return the expected result.
- Search for the student using another name by which the student is commonly known, if applicable. Do not include date of birth, race/ethnicity, or gender, unless the list of possible matches is large.
- Search using only month and year of the birth date, rather than the full birth date.
- If the possible match is suppressed due to the 'No Release Indicator', enter the birth month and year in your search. If the suppressed student is still returned from the search, select the student and request an exit. It is better to request an exit and be denied, than to assign a second WSN to the student.
Tips for Match Review:
- Always review the list of possible matches.
- If the only possible match is suppressed due to the 'No Release Indicator', select the student and request an exit. It is better to request an exit and be denied, than to assign a second WSN to the student.
What are some steps to follow if a student is found to have multiple WSNs?
When a student has been assigned multiple WSNs, the student's data must be consolidated into one WSN. The first WSN assigned or the WSN which contains history of transfer within the WSLS is most likely to be retained.
District and School staff can assist DPI with the correction process, but cannot remove a WSN from the WSLS.
- Review the student's WSLS enrollment history with the Individual Student Search function.
- Consolidate all student data, including alias and parent/guardian information, into the WSN record most likely to be retained.
- For the WSN record to be retained, verify that the enroll date and exit date, if applicable, match your local records.
- For the WSNs which you expect to be deleted, set the exit date equal to the enroll date in each relevant WSN record. If no transfer information is associated with the WSN to be deleted, you may change the enroll and exit dates to 06/30/2003, such that the record will not impact the current ISES collection.
- Notify the WSLS/ISES Helpdesk of the duplicates via the Helpdesk Expert Tool http://dpi.wi.gov/lbstat/helptool.html by filling out the WSN Duplicate Form and attaching the completed form(s) under the ‘Attachments’ section of the ticket. Include 'DUPLICATE' in the short description field. Report how you think the duplicate may have occurred in the ‘Comments’ section.
- You will receive email confirmation when the duplicates have been resolved.
What are some steps to follow if more than one student is found to have the same WSN?
If a single WSN has been assigned to multiple students, the enrollment history must be split into two separate WSNs.
- Review the student's WSLS enrollment history with the Individual Student Search function.
- Separate the enrollment history records and associate them with the students involved.
- Notify the WSLS/ISES Helpdesk of the issue via the Helpdesk Expert Tool http://dpi.wi.gov/lbstat/helptool.html by filling out the WSN Duplicate Form and attaching the completed form(s) under the ‘Attachments’ section of the ticket. Include 'DUPLICATE' in the short description field. Report how you think the WSN was assigned to more than one student in the ‘Comments’ section.
- You will be contacted by a DPI staff member.
Last updated on 9/3/2009 4:05:18 PM
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