Getting Started with Student Groups – DnA & ISE

This document is divided into 5 parts: System Permissions, Student Groups and Visibility, FAQs, Student Group Scenarios, and Troubleshooting.

Before creating Student Groups, keep in mind there should be discussion around Student Groups in general. Things to think about:

How are your teachers and principals etc. planning to use Student Groups?
Who should be creating, managing and sharing Student Groups?
Have your users been effectively trained on what Student Groups are and how/when they should be used?

System Permissions

Permissions need to be enabled for users to create Student Groups. You will need to determine which users, roles, etc. will need access to this feature. In best practice, default permissions are given at two levels.

These permissions should be set to ‘Yes’:

1- Roles with access to all students at a site/district level:

Create Student Groups
Edit Student Groups
View Student Groups
Enable Visibility Option on Groups
Use Visibility Groups

2- Role of Teacher:

Create Student Groups
Edit Student Groups
View Student Groups
Use Visibility Groups

The difference between these is the permission 'Enable Visibility Option on Groups'. This permission gives the user the ability to create students groups from the group that was shared with him/her. Users who have the ability to see all students should have the ability to give visibility to other users. Teachers should not be given this permission to ensure there are no FERPA violations.

Student Groups and Visibility

In DnA, a user's Student Visibility determines which students can be accessed. Student groups can be used to grant access to additional students' data outside of their visibility.

When a student group is created, the option 'Visibility Group' can be enabled to allow a user to view students not rostered to them and to adjust their entire view of DnA tools and reports to only look at the students in this group. These groups can also be used in any student scope selector for a search of assessment scores, prebuilt report data, or establishing a student set in your custom report.

Visibility Group: Yes

The creator of the student group can use the group as a visibility group in the Control Panel and in the student scope selector for assessment data, custom report student sets, and prebuilt reports.

Visibility Group: Yes and shared with Can Use As Visibility Group: Yes

Anyone given access to the group with this permission will be able to use the group as a visibility group in the Control Panel and in the student scope selector for assessment data, custom report student sets, and prebuilt reports.
Users with this access will also see all students in the group even if they are outside the users' normal visibility.

Visibility Group: No

The creator of the student group and any user that has access to view the student group can use the group as a way to group their current students and can access the group through the 'Additional Filters' in the student scope selector to view assessment data, establish a custom report's student set, and view prebuilt reports.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What are student groups?

A: Student groups allow users to gain access to students beyond their currently rostered students or to effectively organize, track, and report on groups of students within their visibility.

Q: How do I create and manage a student group?

A: To learn about student groups and how to get started, Click Here.

Q: What is the maximum number of students I can put in a Student Group?

A: There is none. However, if your student group has hundreds of students, it will take the system longer to generate information.

Q: What can't I do with a Student Group that I can do with my rostered students?

A: At this time, not all pre-built reports generate for Student Groups. In addition, Student Groups cannot be selected when creating online testing rosters or when creating a gradebook.

Q: In what areas of DnA can I use Student Groups?

A: You can print answer sheets, view assessment reports, create custom reports, and run some pre-built reports.

Q: Will Student Groups update automatically when changes are made to rostering?

A: Yes, they will as long as the following criteria are met: the information is accurately entered into your student information system and importing into DnA, the student group is not locked, and the group was created through Sections, Grade Levels, Student Programs, or a Custom Report. If students have been added manually through "Add Student," the group will not update automatically.

Student Group Scenarios

Option A: Student Programs

Example: The administrator wants to access student data for all students in a student program or sub-group.

Setup:

The administrator creates a student group with all program students, leaving ‘Visibility Group’ set to ‘Yes’.
Assessment reports and custom reports can be run for the student group.

Option B: Students Specific to a Teacher

Examples: The football coach would like data access for those students on the team. The RSP teacher would like data access to those students in his/her class. The counselor needs access to students assigned to him/her.

Setup:

The administrator creates a student group with all students associated to the team or class, enabling ‘Visibility Group’.
The administrator shares the student group with the associated teacher, giving the permissions ‘Can View’ and ‘Can Use as Visibility’.
The student group can be used to view demographic information, run assessment reports, and more.

Option C: Grade level or department sharing/leveling

Example: Fifth grade teachers trade students for Math. Teachers would like to have access to student data from other fifth grade rooms.

Setup:

The administrator creates a student group with all 5^th grade students enabling ‘Visibility Group’.
The administrator shares the student group with 5^th grade teachers giving permission ‘Can View’ and 'Can Use as Visibility Group'.
Teacher can create a student group from the grade level group.
The student group can be used to run assessment reports and prebuilt reports for the grade level at the user's site of affiliation.

Option D: Student Access by Site, Role, and/or User

Example: The administrator also wants the Gifted coordinator to have access to data for all Gifted students.

Setup:

The administrator creates a student group with Gifted students enabling ‘Visibility Group’.
The administrator shares the student group with the Gifted coordinator giving the permissions ‘Can View’ and ‘Can Use as Visibility’.
The Gifted coordinator can view data on all Gifted students.

Troubleshooting

Problem: I created a Student Group and/or have access to use a Student Group but I do not see it as an option in my Control Panel or the student scope selector.

Solution: This means that this Student Group was not assigned to you with the appropriate permissions. If you created the student group yourself you will need to set the Visibility Group option to Yes. If you did not create the Student Group you will need to inform the user who shared the group with you that he/she will need to give you the Can Use as Visibility permission.

Problem: I created a Student Group but no students are showing up.

Solution: This means that either there are no students in the student group or that the students in the student group do not match your site affiliation.

Problem: I have students that have either left my Student Group or do not belong in my Student Group but they are still showing up.

Solution: In order for students to leave a student group there must be a leave date on that student either through enrollment, scheduling or through student group management, depending on how the student group was set up. Check with your district DnA administrator for direction.

Additional Resources

For additional resources on Student Groups- See DnA U's lesson: U055 Getting Started with Student Groups