How do "decodes" and "decode types" work?

"Decode Types" and "decodes" are pieces of data that represent student attributes, which Schoolrunner may bring in directly from your student information system. Briefly put, a decode type is an attribute like ethnicity or gender. Decodes are tied to specific decode types, and provide a way to translate codes like "01" into something useful to a human, such as "Male" or "Caucasian" (depending on which decode type it is linked to).

Decode Types

Student attributes provide detailed information about a student and can range from "Entry Code" to "Lunch Status". Some of these fields are especially important because they are used to satisfy state and federal data collection and reporting criteria. Schoolrunner allows you to add, deactivate, and edit these types to fit your school's and students' needs. 

On the Decode Types page, you'll see a column titled "Attribute Key". This is an exact representation of the field in your SIS that corresponds to each student attribute type discussed above. 

Next to "Attribute Keys" is a column titled "Name". This field directly corresponds to the field that names a student attribute throughout Schoolrunner, from the student page to the student summary that appears when hovering over an active linked student's name elsewhere throughout the site. Think of "Name" as Schoolrunner's translation for your SIS's student attribute type.

In summary, "Attribute Key" is what is synced in directly from your SIS, and "Name" is how that field is displayed within Schoolrunner.

When it comes to editing decode types, the name of the "Attribute Key" in Schoolrunner should always read exactly the same as its corresponding field in your SIS – keep in mind that inconsistent field names can cause confusion between Schoolrunner and your SIS! The following screenshot is an example of the screen you will see when editing a decode type:

Decodes

Decodes represent subsets, or options, of the decode types described above. Any given decode type can have as many or as few subsets as your school wishes to track. For example, a student with a disability will be assigned the corresponding decode type, as in the following screenshot highlighting "LA 504 Disability":

The column next to it, "Code", allows you to further specify what kind of disability this student has. 

"Code" corresponds to student attribute type codes already present in your SIS, many of which (like decode types) are strictly specific to state/federal reporting requirements. Take care when adding/editing codes in Schoolrunner, as they too must be exactly the same as those in your SIS! (Note: These disability codes are simply being used here for demonstration purposes. In your school, only those with the appropriate permissions have the ability to view such information.)

Using the above example, you can see that the codes next to "LA 504 Disability" are linked to specific names:

"Name" provides a translation of the code in question: What kind of disability does this student have? Is it a behavior disorder? Asperger's? bipolar disorder? Configure these names to show up throughout Schoolrunner. See the video below for how to add or edit decodes:

Note: To ensure consistency and compliance, contact your school's district office for appropriate coding or should you have questions concerning how to code your students.