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What is LISS?
What is LISS?
LISS = Lightweight Interoperability Standard for Schools.
LISS = Lightweight Interoperability Standard for Schools.
LISS is an interoperability standard designed for K-12 schools, to connect Timetable applications and other applications to Student Information Systems / School Admin Systems. It is a web-based protocol based on JSON, (or XmlRpc, although XmlRpc is discouraged). The goal is that the combined system should act semantically as if it was a single system, i.e. with changes propagated in near-real time, even if there are different look and feels in use.
LISS is an interoperability standard designed for K-12 schools, to connect Timetable applications and other applications to Student Information Systems / School Admin Systems. It is a web-based protocol based on JSON, (or XmlRpc, although XmlRpc is discouraged). The goal is that the combined system should act semantically as if it was a single system, i.e. with changes propagated in near-real time, even if there are different look and feels in use.
LISS puts the SIS (Student Information System) in the centre of all communication: the SIS is the hub, and other systems such as timetabling or attendance software are at the spokes. The SIS usually takes the role of the server, and therefore must provide HTTP end-points (URL's), and the timetabling software takes the role of client, and therefore initiates all pull & push requests. But LISS does also operate bi-directionally too, but by flipping 'who is client' vs server.
LISS puts the SIS (Student Information System) in the centre of all communication: the SIS is the hub, and other systems such as timetabling or attendance software are at the spokes. The SIS usually takes the role of the server, and therefore must provide HTTP end-points (URL's), and the timetabling software takes the role of client, and therefore initiates all pull & push requests. But LISS does also operate bi-directionally too, but by flipping 'who is client' vs server.
Typically, timetabling or attendance or LMS software will pull:
student data, teacher data, room data, course data;
Typically timetabling or daily administration software (covers / exams) or attendance will push:
the cyclical timetable
class-lists.
date-based timetable ('daily variations')
calendar based events (Exams, PD, Excursions)
student attendance
How does LISS relate to SIF?
For the past two decades, many timetabling software applications have been happily interoperating with SIS's using .csv files. LISS is not very different to the idea of putting these .csv files into a web service.
LISS was developed in response to SIF, because the original complexity of SIF was so high that few companies could afford the development effort to implement it. However, since then, SIF 3.0 has been released which is a simpler protocol, a REST/JSON based protocol.
An article on the comparison between LISS & SIF has been published by Education Technology Solutions, issue 42. or p1, p2, p3.
How can I get the LISS specification?
I'm a developer. How do I get started?
Download the "LISS Development toolkit" - a simple Windows .exe program which acts as a LISS client, whereby RPC calls can be triggered at will using a sample dataset.
Download the "LISS Development toolkit" - a simple Windows .exe program which acts as a LISS client, whereby RPC calls can be triggered at will using a sample dataset.
If you are a timetabling product then you will be wanting a LISS test server. There is no publicly available LISS test server, but you can contact admin systems e.g. Compass, Sentral or Millenium.
If you are a timetabling product then you will be wanting a LISS test server. There is no publicly available LISS test server, but you can contact admin systems e.g. Compass, Sentral or Millenium.
What is the process for achieving Compliance?
What is the process for achieving Compliance?
There is no formal process for achieving compliance. In order to advertise "LISS Compliance" you must implement the basic features, or whatever subset of them your customers will expect from you. There is a bit more info on what is expected of you in section 1.4 of the specifications.
What is the cost of LISS?
What is the cost of LISS?
There is no cost for LISS. The LISS alliance specifically promotes an open (yet secure) flow of educational data between systems, with no prohibitive barriers, either technical, or financial. The LISS ethos is that schools own their data, and it should be free to transfer as best suits. Competition between vendors should be on features and service and marketing, but NOT on walled gardens that lock data into proprietary formats, have fees for schools, or fees for other vendors to connect.
Some providers in global education markets levy high fees to vendors who want to integrate with them, or require purchase of full and expensive licenses to their platform, which may not be otherwise needed. Some vendors charge a per-school fee to vendors for 'integration'. Some charge schools themselves such a fee. LISS does not, and strongly discourages this ethos. It is viewed by the LISS alliance as anti-competitive and restrictive, stifling innovation, blocking smaller start-ups while favouring large incumbents, and not in the best interests of the education technology space.
With LISS, data should always be secure, but always be free.
Who is LISS?
Who is LISS?
LISS is managed by an informal group of software vendors and stakeholders. The LISS process began in 2010, but building on experience gained over the previous 3+ years (web services) and 10+ years (flat-file interoperability). We welcome any input from stakeholders - send an email to any of the contacts below for technical queries. For LISS website queries or requests to add new supporting parties, contact Chris Cooper
Some of the members of the LISS association include:
Edval Timetables : www.edval.education : see Dr Tim Cooper tim.cooper@edval.education
Timetabling Solutions www.timetabling.com.au : see Michael Wood michael.w@timetabling.com.au
Timechart www.timechart.com.au : see David Pethick david@timechart.com.au
Compass Education : www.compass.education : see Lucas Filer lfiler@jdlf.com.au
GPTech (Sentral) : www.sentral.com.au : see Antony Mawer amawer@gptech.com.au
Edumate : www.edumate.com.au : see David Savill david@hobsons.com.au
Inspiriti (iWise): www.iwise.com.au : see Anthony England anthony@inspiriti.com.au
Schoolworx: www.schoolworx.com.au : see John Ross john.ross@schoolworx.com.au
Millennium Schools: www.millenniumschools.com.au see Alex Fiedler alex@millenniumschools.com.au
Catholic Education Office, South Australia : see Hugh Wheeler Wheeler.Hugh@cesa.catholic.edu.au
Daisy ePlanner www.productdynamics.com.au : see chris@productdynamics.com.au
My EDiary www.myediary.com.au : see Louisa Woods louisa@getpositive.com.au
Vivo Miles www.vivomiles.com.au : see ian.pedler@vivomiles.com.au
Xtreme Software www.xtremesoftware.com.au : see nathan.chaplin@xtremesoftware.com.au
Schoolbox www.schoolbox.com.au : see sean.richards@alaress.com.au
School Bytes www.schoolbytes.education : see Blake Garrett bgarrett@schoolbytes.education
Edrolo www.edrolo.com.au : see Ben Sze ben@edrolo.com
IRIS : www.holross.com.au see John Ross john_ross@bigpond.com
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