Create a free account at ceds.ed.gov and navigate to the Align tool; prepare your data dictionary as an Excel file with at minimum columns for element name, definition, and option set values.
Upload your Excel file or enter elements manually; the tool validates column structure and flags duplicate element names before import.
Use the Align interface to match each local element to its CEDS counterpart by keyword search or manual browse through the CEDS element tree; record match confidence (exact, partial, or unmapped).
For unmapped elements, annotate them as extension candidates and note whether they correspond to state-specific or program-specific requirements not in CEDS.
Export the alignment report (CSV or PDF) which shows local element, CEDS element number, CEDS definition, and alignment confidence for each row.
Share the report with your SEA data governance team and use it to drive descriptor mapping decisions in the Ed-Fi ODS configuration.
Known gotchas
CEDS element numbers change across versions; always record the CEDS version number alongside the element ID in your mapping documentation to avoid stale references.
Option set values (code sets) often require mapping one-to-many — a single local code may correspond to multiple CEDS option set values; the Align tool supports notes fields to capture this nuance.
The Align tool is browser-based with no public REST API; bulk automation must go through the Excel upload path, not programmatic API calls.
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