Rostering Student Information

During the 2011-2012 school year, teachers will have two options to enter student information into the PLTW online assessment system: manual entry and bulk upload. The information below explains the process by which teachers are able to utilize the bulk upload system. Manual entry of student information is the same process by which students were entered into the system during the 2010-2011 school year, and detailed information will be provided to teachers prior to the start of the Fall/Winter testing cycle if they choose to utilize the manual entry option.

Bulk Upload of Student Information

An Excel or CSV file of student information can be sent to PLTW via a secured manner by utilizing the attached student population import template file. Instead of teachers individually entering the information, schools or districts can submit a single file that includes all of the information that is necessary. Teachers should work with their school or district to coordinate the submission of the file; individual teacher file submissions will not be accepted.

Timelines and Testing Cycles

PLTW will accept bulk upload files from schools during two submission periods, depending on when students will be taking the End of Course assessments. PLTW will have two testing cycles: the Fall/Winter testing cycle that runs from November 14, 2011 through March 16, 2012 and the Spring testing cycle that runs from April 23, 2012 through June 22, 2012.

For schools/districts that have students taking assessments during the Fall/Winter testing cycle, the time period for sending student population import files is September 19 through October 5.

For schools/districts that have students taking assessments during the Spring testing cycle, the time period for sending student population import files is November 15 through February 17.

Note that schools that have students whom will take assessments during both testing cycles (ie schools that are on a semester or block schedule) should submit two files: one during the Fall/Winter submission and a second during the Spring submission cycle.

Files that are submitted after the two deadlines will not be included in the bulk import, and all student information must then be added to the assessment system manually. Manual input of student data includes the same fields as the bulk import, and can be completed up until the day before student testing if necessary. Teachers/schools/districts that are unable to submit bulk import files are in no way negatively impacted, and their students can take the same End of Course assessments during the same assessment cycles, providing the teachers manually input the student information.

Creating Student Population Import Files

In order for PLTW to import student data, all files must conform to a specific format. The attached import file must be utilized in order to submit data. The file contains two tabs: the first is the actual template and the second tab includes a description of the fields, as well as additional instructions. The template must not be modified in any way in order for PLTW to accept the data, and was created with the minimum number of fields in order for schools/districts to export data directly from their student database software.

Submitting Files to PLTW

Files must be submitted via a secured transfer in order to comply with FERPA regulations. Files from schools/districts should be sent in the following manner:

1. Go to http://dropbox.yousendit.com/JasonTaylor457451
2. Enter user email address and Subject: School Population Import
3. Click on "Select File" and select the import file
4. Click on the "Send It" button

The YouSendIt file transfer employs a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) security protocol, described at the following address: http://www.yousendit.com/cms/security 

Absolutely no files with student information should be sent via email. If PLTW receives files from schools/districts that include student information, they will be deleted.

Help Submitting Files

If help is needed during the student import submission process, please call 877-335-PLTW(7589) and select option number 1, or send an email to assessment@pltw.org.