What is an SIS?

Learning institutions, like K-12 districts, universities, or charter schools, use Student Information Systems (SIS) to manage student data and operations.

An SIS can organize records like:

  • student names and IDs
  • academic progress and report cards
  • class schedules and attendance
  • communication logs

SIS vendors may also offer features like grade tracking, family portals, and compliance reporting. For institutions, SIS providers are the backbone of managing student records.

SIS Integrations and Interoperability

Interoperability means different software systems can sync data with each other.

In this case, we’re talking about edtech tools (like learning apps or assessment platforms) that connect to a school’s SIS. When an edtech product integrates with an SIS, it can:

  • automatically create and update accounts (aka “rostering”)
  • send grades back to the school’s gradebook
  • pull student data to personalize content
  • reduce manual data entry and human error

For learning institutions, interoperability improves the user experience and streamlines IT.

For edtech companies, it makes your product more valuable and more likely to get adopted.

A learning institution might ask an edtech company, "how interoperable is X product?" Meaning can X product integrate with Z system. Advanced conversations around interoperability within edtech include discussing security and user experience.

Interoperability allows educators to have a more complete view of a learning journey. This perspective then supports better-tailored instruction to meet individual needs. The goal of interoperability with SIS providers is to use data to deliver a more effective, personalized, and seamless learning experience.

Are there any SIS integration Benefits for Edtech Companies?

When edtech companies integrate their product to an SIS it enables them to perform new functions like:

  • provisioning accounts automatically and ahead of the school year (known as “rostering”)
  • automatically share learning outcomes to a learning institution’s gradebook
  • retrieve attendance data for analysis
  • … and more!

Given the number of applications that learning institutions use these days, learning institutions need edtech products that are (1) interoperable and (2) seamlessly share data. Being able to do these two things makes an edtech product more marketable and “sticky” (read: hard to let go of). This means happier customers and higher renewal rates.

Common SIS Vendors

There are dozens of SIS vendors, but here are a few of the most commonly used by K-12 and higher education institutions:

K-12 SIS Vendors:

  • PowerSchool
  • Infinite Campus
  • Skyward
  • FACTS (RenWeb)

Higher Ed SIS Vendors:

  • Ellucian Banner
  • Jenzabar
  • Anthology (Campus Management

While most SIS vendors offer similar core data capabilities, rostering, grade tracking, and attendance, how they model data varies significantly. That makes it important to understand not just what a vendor offers, but how you can access and exchange data through their system.

How Do SIS Integrations Work?

Edtech developers can build SIS integrations through a few methods, such as:

  • Standards-based, like OneRoster
  • Custom-built, using the SIS’s API to form a direct connection
  • Aggregators, like Edlink, which handle multiple SIS providers

Each method has its tradeoffs, especially around access, effort, and data sync. For example, before a product can integrate with an SIS's API, the product needs the SIS's API key. This credential opens the "pathways/connections" to be able to start making requests. Or, before an edtech product begins an OAuth launch from an SIS instance, a token must be securely shared with the edtech product. This token comes from the learning institution and is tied to its specific SIS instance. Either way, an edtech company building an integration themselves has to think of the required relationships and secure transfers of relationships like these. Regardless, each method expands access to student information that wasn’t there before.

This new access to student PII introduces a new consideration – security. Processing PII securely to limit the risk of it being illegally accessed or shared is of the utmost importance. Leaking student PII (through a phishing attack or a bad actor) could be a company-ending event in the edtech space. Plus, the more PII you have, the more risk you encounter. Ingesting as little PII as possible can significantly reduce an edtech company’s security vulnerability risk.

What to Consider Before You Build an SIS Integration

Before starting development, developer teams should consider a few key questions:

  • What SIS platforms do our customers actually use?

There’s no “one-size-fits-all.” You’ll need to prioritize based on market demand.

  • What type of data do we need to exchange?

Just rostering? Or grades, attendance, and demographic data, too?

  • How will we keep data secure?

You’re dealing with PII. How will you manage the information you need with security?

  • Do we want to build and maintain SIS integrations ourselves?

Direct builds offer more control but require ongoing updates and support, something that might be taxing for developer teams. There are options that can help you scale faster without reinventing the wheel (aka: building integrations over and over again).

  • What will success look like for us?

Higher school renewals? Reduced support tickets? Map this out first.

Answering these questions upfront can save you months of rework and ensure your integration strategy actually supports your business goals.

TL;DR

A student information system (SIS) helps schools manage student records. Edtech companies integrate with SISs to become more interoperable — meaning their products can:

  • Automatically roster students
  • Share grades and attendance
  • Sync key data without manual entry

This interoperability helps schools deliver more personalized learning experiences and helps edtech products become more valuable and stickier.

Edtech teams can build integrations using standards like OneRoster, direct APIs, or aggregators like Edlink — each with tradeoffs.

But access to student data brings new responsibilities. Protecting student PII is critical. Smart teams ingest only what they need and build with security in mind.

*Updated 9.25.25

Learn More about Integrations

If you’re interested to learn more about Integrations here’re other articles we’ve written:

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