- 1EdTech and the Ed-Fi Alliance are aligning their data standards to simplify secure data exchange, reduce duplication, and improve interoperability across educational technology systems. This is a major step forward in simplifying rostering and reducing complexity for states and vendors.
- A proposed integration strategy enabling OneRoster to access data aligned to the Ed-Fi Data Standard is moving into field testing, with stakeholder feedback actively being collected to shape the first release of the integrated solution.
The excitement was palpable at both the 2025 Ed-Fi Alliance Tech Congress and Learning Impact Conference as 1EdTech® Consortium (1EdTech) and the Ed-Fi Alliance updated attendees on the organizations’ joint effort to simplify and streamline how data is securely accessed, exchanged, and used across educational technology solutions, providing educators with insights needed for data-driven decision-making.
At each conference, our Rostering Steering Committee met to review proposed technical models to align our two data standards, identify pilot opportunities to implement the alignment, and consider use cases to streamline use. During these discussions and out in the hallways, we heard a consistent message: “We’re ready to get started!”
What’s Happening?
We’ve heard your message loud and clear: the field is ready for easier, smarter ways to roster students—and we’re working to deliver just that.
The Ed-Fi Alliance and 1EdTech are not creating something entirely new—we’re aligning our existing data standards to work better together. This collaboration focuses on enabling 1EdTech’s OneRoster® standard to access validated data from systems built on the Ed-Fi Technology Suite. That means EdTech tools can use the familiar OneRoster format to pull richer, more complete enrollment and course data, all structured using the Ed-Fi Data Standard.
This integration strategy is now moving into field testing. The work is guided by a joint Rostering Steering Committee, which has reviewed proposed technical models, identified pilot opportunities, and defined initial use cases, all grounded in real-world state and district needs and drawing from:
- Direct state demand, especially from statewide data hubs and early adopters
- Concrete implementation opportunities with vendors already in the field
- Shared momentum between our communities to solve this long-standing challenge together
We’re focused on getting it right, and that means we need your continued input to shape the solution that’s scalable, sustainable, and simple to use.
Why It Matters
This collaboration is already showing impact. Member-led efforts—like those from Michigan Data Hub and ClassLink—demonstrate how combining these standards can:
- Lower the workload for IT and administrative teams
- Improve data accuracy by simplifying the translation and transfers between tools
- Enable faster onboarding of technology through common interoperability standards
- Give teachers more time to focus on students instead of troubleshooting technology
- Support better learning outcomes with actionable data
Where We Are Now
Thanks to the efforts of our joint Rostering Steering Committee, we’ve developed a proposed integration strategy that illustrates how the OneRoster standard can facilitate the exchange of data from an environment built on the Ed-Fi Technology Suite. This approach builds on OneRoster’s strength in supporting simple, use case–driven integrations for rostering, while allowing EdTech applications to tap into the richer data available through the Ed-Fi Data Standard.
The proposal outlines how data stored in an Ed-Fi ODS/API can be surfaced through OneRoster APIs, allowing existing rostering tools to access richer, validated enrollment and course data. It represents one potential path for aligning the two standards and was shared at the 2025 Tech Congress and Learning Impact.
Imagine the first day of school, students arrive, receive their devices and are already rostered to all of their classes, with access to all the resources they need through the OneRoster standard. Through the proposed solution, the definitions and identifiers are already compatible with the Ed-Fi Data Standard, and therefore can be stored and analyzed as students do their work. The results can then be shared with the teacher, giving them actionable insights into their students' performance.
That is the goal, and we’ve seen it work in individual case studies; now we need it to scale.
Key data providers and state partners are reviewing the proposal, and we are moving into field testing and implementation planning. We’re currently collecting feedback to help finalize technical specs for a minimal viable product of our coordinated solution.
Get Involved
There are a few simple things any stakeholder can do right now to move the work forward:
- Education technology providers and rostering platforms can use OneRoster to streamline rostering in states already using the Ed-Fi Data Standard
- State Education Agencies should provide a rostering endpoint with the data you already have to benefit districts
- Educational Service Agencies and data hubs should become an integration hub for your districts, allowing data in and out.
- Managed Service Providers can commit to certify to OneRoster and deliver a managed, coordinated solution at a reduced cost.
- Local Education Agencies should begin advocating for the coordinated approach through RFPs and their procurement processes.
We plan to produce the first version of the technical specification, best practices and patterns. We’re actively seeking feedback on the patterns and proposals, particularly from data providers and state or regional agencies. We invite feedback and participation from across the education community. If you're interested in contributing or have questions, please contact us at RosteringProject@1edtech.org.
Coming Up Next
1EdTech and the Ed-Fi Alliance will host a webinar on June 26, 2025, to provide an update on the work and solutions. Learn more and register here.
About the Authors
1EdTech CEO Curtiss Barnes has over 30 years of experience in the education industry and expertise in a broad range of enterprise and instructional systems supporting education's core missions. He has held roles at universities, technology start-ups, large enterprise businesses, and courseware and publishing companies. Curtiss holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Clark University.
Sean Casey is Head of Partnerships at the Ed-Fi Alliance, where he works with LEAs, ESAs, and collaboratives to adopt data standards and unlock the full potential of connected data for students. Over the years, Sean has worked as a district CIO and administrator, an educator of secondary students and adult learners, and as a provider of personalized learning, assessment, and teaching software tools. Sean’s sweet spot is innovating with other forward-thinking people and making effective use of emerging technology — while always keeping students at the center.
