The state of Tennessee shows us it is possible to create a single, standards-based way for states, districts, and providers to securely share student, teacher, class, and enrollment data with learning and assessment tools, quickly and easily. The state recently launched a fully operational OneRoster® support in the Ed-Fi ODS/API (native OneRoster API) that processed approximately three million roster records on its first day, without a single reported data error. The implementation, which connects Tennessee’s data ecosystem with Pearson’s assessment system, also launched one week ahead of schedule.
The results represent a major improvement over the state’s previous custom integration, which was costly to maintain and frequently experienced problems, and illustrates the broader impact of the partnership between 1EdTech and the Ed-Fi Alliance. Instead of relying on custom integrations or spreadsheets, agencies can now use the data they already manage through the Ed-Fi ODS/API and share it consistently with OneRoster-supported platforms. This reduces setup time, administrative work, and the potential for errors while giving providers a more predictable integration model that can be reused across customers and systems.
For educators and learners, the impact is practical: accurate rosters are available when classes and assessments begin, new tools can be connected more quickly, and staff will spend less time correcting data. Tennessee’s experience shows how collaborative standards can protect existing technology investments while creating a more reliable and scalable data ecosystem.
This Story from the Field is a supplement to the 2026 Project Unicorn State of the Sector Report which analyzes K-12 school system capabilities and infrastructure for leveraging education data. Read the full report.
