CASE® Network of Competencies and Academic Standards
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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What is the difference between “verified” standards and “official” standards?
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Why should school districts publish their own official learning standards through CASE Network?
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What if my state or district already publishes standards in CASE format?
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How is CASE Network different than the commercial alignment services?
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How do I get my login credentials to be able to download frameworks?
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How do I reset my password? What do I do if I forget my password?
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What is CASE Network?
IMS Global operates the CASE Network to provide a single, verifiable, trusted source of learning standards and workforce competencies in digital format, making it easier to support aligned instruction. The CASE Network registry software is an “all-in-one” standard authoring, verification, and distribution service available State Education Agencies, school districts, and edtech suppliers to publish, distribute, discover, and use official learning standards at no-cost with no IMS membership required.
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How does CASE work?
Competency & Academic Standards Exchange® (CASE) is a data standard designed specifically for issuing official learning standards and workforce competencies in an interchangeable, digital format that works seamlessly across the various district data systems. By using software to create official learning standards in CASE format, Districts can generate a unique number, known as a Global Unique Identifier (GUID), for each framework and each standard within a given framework that is uniquely their own. These GUIDs make easier for various systems to share standards specific to the district, aligns resources to those standards, deliver assessments based on those frameworks, and report results without the human manipulation, i.e., the re-keying and “cutting-and-pasting,” that currently occurs.
Framework Illinois Learning Standards in Math (2010) |
4th Grade Standard (Text) 4.NF.A Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. |
Unique Identifier (GUID) https://casenetwork.imsglobal.org/uri/ |
Visit thee CASE specification page for more information.
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What is the CASE Network registry?
Initially, CASE Network was announced as “CASE Registry.” The registry refers to the open source software used to “register” CASE content as verified and official. IMS continues to refer to this registry feature in licensing.
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What content is in CASE Network right now?
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What is the difference between “verified” standards and “official” standards?
- Retired. IMS or Issuer designates materials as “retired” when the verified materials are no longer the most current version of the official materials of the standards organization.
- Private Draft. IMS designates materials, i.e., academic standards, frameworks, and other documentation, in CASE Network as “draft” when the materials have been published and assigned to the appropriate organization, but the verification process by IMS staff has not been completed. These standards are not yet accessible to the public.
- Verified. IMS designates materials as “verified” when the materials have been assigned to the appropriate organization and the review and verification by IMS staff as official materials of that organization.
- Official. A standards organization, such as a State Education Agency or School District, can designate its own organization’s materials as “official” after the materials have been issued, reviewed, and verified by the organization's staff.
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Why would standards authors such as states use CASE Network to publish and distribute their official learning standards?
The CASE Network Registry software can create digital versions of state standards in CASE format and help states avoid the cost of operating their own software for this purpose. IMS Global is committed to helping every state publish their standards in CASE format. The CASE Network Registry is the no-cost publishing option for states and other official standards authors.
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Why aren’t official PDFs good enough?
Suppliers who provide content in Learning Tools Interoperability® (LTI®) and Common Cartridge® formats and suppliers who provide LMS, LOR, Assessment and Gradebook systems can not use a PDF to tag content and provide the “Metadata” needed to enable search, discovery and reporting of skill based alignments. PDFs, while trustworthy, are not interoperable and create “copy-and-paste” challenges when sharing standards across the different systems making up a digital learning ecosystem. This is terribly inefficient and fraught with error for districts trying to manage teaching and learning digitally.
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How is CASE Network Funded?
CASE Network is generously supported by IMS Global and through a CASE Network sponsorship program by a number of edtech suppliers that are committed to making official learning standards open and free for use. Current sponsors include ACT, McGraw-Hill, and SchoolCity powered by Illuminate Education.
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What if a state isn’t ready to publish in CASE Network?
State standards authors have a lot of work on their plate in terms of managing the standards adoption process from start to PDF on the State Education Agency website. IMS Global understands this and we are committed to assisting every state through this progress. That is why we have already verified and published the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards for all 50 states through CASE Network. IMS will work with states to build out full sets of state standards for every state in the months ahead, making it even easier for states to publish their official standards through CASE Network.
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Why should school districts publish their own official learning standards through CASE Network?
Framework
Illinois Learning Standards in Math (2010) |
4th Grade Standard (Text)
4.NF.A Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. |
Unique Identifier (GUID)
https://casenetwork.imsglobal.org/uri/ |
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Chicago Public Schools: Illinois Mathematics Standards (2010) |
4.NF.A Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. |
https://casenetwork.imsglobal.org/uri/ Exact Match Of: https://casenetwork.imsglobal.org/uri/ |
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What if my state or district already publishes standards in CASE format?
Awesome! With the new release, the CASE Network Registry software can “mirror” existing official standards published directly in CASE format. A great example of a state that issues standards in CASE is the Georgia Department of Education.
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How can my agency mirror frameworks in CASE Network?
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How is CASE Network different than the commercial alignment services?
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Is registration and log-in required?
No, all of the frameworks in CASE Network can be viewed and linked to without a login. Terms of Use still apply.
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What access is available with a registered login?
CASE Network requires users to login to gain access to both the download feature in both JSON and Excel formats and the authenticated API. During the registration process, users will indicate if they would like a key-and-secret for the authenticated API and one will be provided. IMS membership is not required for registration. IMS Contributing Members will also have access to the change logs with registration. Register for CASE Network.
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How do I get my login credentials to be able to download frameworks?
(1) Complete the registration process.
(2) You will receive a notification when your credentials are ready.
(3) Contact casenetwork@imsglobal.org if you experience any issues.
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How do I access the secure API?
Complete the registration process and indicate your interest in accessing the secure API. Once you are approved, IMS will provide you with the key-and-secret via email. We will provide one set of credentials per organization. This is a manual process and could take up to two business days. If you do not receive your credentials or run into difficulty implementing it, please contact casenetwork@imsglobal.org.
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How do I reset my password? What do I do if I forget my password?
Send an email to casenetwork@imsglobal.org with “CASE Network: Password Reset” in the subject field.
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How does the security framework work for accessing the API?
Accessing CASE Network data using the CASE API requires implementation of the IMS Global Security Framework. Organizations that can request a free access key-and-secret by contacting casenetwork@imsglobal.org or by requesting access when registering.
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What if I can’t find an answer to my question?
Send an email to casenetwork@imsglobal.org and we’ll do our best to answer your question and add it to this FAQ.