Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS)

Manuals and Calendar​

PIMS Proposed Changes

The PIMS Change process has concluded for the 2024-25 SY. Thank you for providing your feedback and comments. This information is invaluable as proposed changes are considered, reviewed, and/or implemented. Accepted changes for are reflected in the updated PIMS Manuals.

This process will be repeated for the following school year beginning in March.  

2024-25 SY Proposed PIM​S Changes

File Name
Templ​​ate/App
PurposeDetails of the Change
Industry Credentials (Certification) Codes (PDF)

Attachment (Appendix Q)​ (PDF)
PIMS Manual Vol 2 Appendix QTo allow schools to report Industry Certifications by adding/modifying Industry ​CredentialsNew Dataset/Add Elements
Adding Industry Certifications

Definition Change
Updating the industry credentials to also allow for industry certifications

Code Set Change
Additional industry certification codes to Appendix Q
Updating Definition of Military Family (PDF)
Student TemplateTo align with federal definition of military familyDefinition Change
Updating Field 207 to align with the federal definition and reporting guideline
Delete Staff Assignment Code 1998 (School Safety and Security Coordinator) (PDF)
Staff AssignmentTo eliminate redundancy. LEAs are required to report the identity of the School Safety and Security Coordinator to School Safety and Security Committee (PCCD) within 30 days of appointment; Collecting this data in the October Staff collection is redundantCode Set Change
Delete Staff Assignment Code 1998
Special Education Field Name Change (PDF)
Special Education TemplateTo better clarify reason for collecting this data via a name changeCode Set Change
Change Field Name (field 32) from Primary Placement Type to Noneducational Agency Placement
Change to Weapons Codes (PDF)
Weapon Codes - Appendix AQTo update the definition of knife based on blade length for special education discipline reporting purposesAdd Elements
Change "Cutting Instrument" to "Cutting Instrument (razor, box cutter, blade length <= 2.5“ etc.)"
Change "Knife" to "Knife (blade length > 2.5“)"
Update​d federal race/ethnicity categories/guidance​
​​Change has been postponed and will not be included in the SY 24-25​
Student Template
Staff Template
​Special Education Snapshot Template
To meet the Federal GuidanceDefinition Change/Code Set Change
Updating Field 27 of Student Template Valid Values to align with federal guidance
School of Residence - Special Ed Schools (PDF)
Student TemplateTo clarify that the school of residence is the school the student would attend based on reported grade only; This should not consider the student's special education statusOther: Rule
Clarification that Field 165 cannot be a "Special Education" school unless Field 2 = Field 165
Rule for staff Assignment dated to be on or before the snapshot date (PDF)
Staff AssignmentTo improve data quality

Othe​​r: New Rule to ​Validate Data
Assignment Date (field 6) must be ≤ to the Staff Snapshot Date.​

Professional Staff Vacancy (PDF)
Compound Rule for VacanciesTo improve data qualityOther: Compound Rule for Vacancies
When an assignment code is reported as a vacancy, the count of vacant positions cannot be 0.
Compound rule for Vacancies if Category 3 = Assignment Code then Count ≠ 0
Home Language Code (PDF)

Student Template

Student Snapshot

To clarify that the Home Language Code (field 123) may be populated for students with any EL Status (field 41), not just those identified as Current ELDefinition Change/Remove Elements
Clarifying Field 123 Home Language Code
New Rule for LIEP Type (PDF)

Student Template

Student Snapshot

To improve data qualityOther: New Rule to Validate Data
If EL Status (field 41) = 99 (Never EL), then LIEP Type (field 45) must be BLANK
Act 35 of 2023 - Budgeted complement of instructional employees and vacancies in approved budget (PDF)
District Domain - District Fact Template for Budgeted Complement of Instructional EmployeesTo comply with Section 131 of the School Code; Requirement was added as part of Act 35 of 2023.New Dataset
See attachment- DISTRICT FACT_ ACT35

Per School Code Section 131(a)(1) Instructional Vacancy Data, schools must report on the budgeted number of instructional employees and the number of those positions that are vacant at the time the budget is adopted.
C6 Quarterly Vacancy Update (PDF)
District Fact_Prof Staff VacancyTo meet quarterly posting requirements of ACT 35Add Elements
See Attachment

Data collection is required to comply with Section 131 of the School Code. Requirement was added as part of Act 35 of 2023.
Number of Buildings in an LEA (PDF)
District FactTo clarify how many individual buildings an LEA has as multiple school numbers can live in one building and vise versaNew Dataset
District Fact - New Collection to capture the number of buildings in an LEA
Staff Student Linkage​ (PDF)
Staff Student SubtestTo create a new optional data set to allow LEAs to report teacher-student linkage to facilitate prepopulation of PVAAS custom student list This will ease teachers' burden in creating custom student reports. This data will be used to populate lists from which teachers can select their students, rather than to manually​ enter each student. The custom student report will allow teachers to review historical PVAAS data for current-year students.New Dataset
Staff Student Subtest for Teacher Student Linkage
Template Description: This template is used to report teacher-student link to facilitate prepopulation of the custom student list from which teachers can select current year students for whom the will be able to view historical data in PVAAS.

PIMS Archive Manuals

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021

2019-2020

2018-2019

2017-2018

2015-2016

2014-2015  

2013-2014

2012-2013

SES Provider PIMS 2011 (Excel)

SES Provider V1.0 (Excel)