PESC Board Selects Executive Committee for FY 2026

Washington, D.C. – September 30, 2025 – The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce its Executive Committee for this fiscal year. This distinguished group will provide strategic direction to the organization, guiding its initiatives to promote data standards and interoperability in education.


The new Executive Committee includes:

  • CHAIR: Monterey Sims, Director of Admissions and Evaluation, University of Phoenix
  • VICE CHAIR: Melissa Buckley, Senior Director of Strategy and Market Insights, National Student Clearinghouse
  • SECRETARY: Mark Cohen, Product Manager of Infrastructure and Data Services, California Community Colleges Technology Center
  • TREASURER: Kristi Blabaum, Systems Integration Analyst, Ascendium Education Solutions, representing NASLA


In addition to the Executive Committee, PESC warmly welcomes Melissa Loble, Chief Academic Officer at Instructure, as the new representative for Parchment by Instructure on the PESC Board. With her deep expertise in educational technology and member experience, Melissa will be a significant contributor in furthering our shared mission. We also wish to express our sincere thanks to Jason Weaver for his dedicated service during his time as Parchment’s PESC Board representative.

“I am honored to pass the Chair’s gavel to such a highly capable and forward-thinking individual as Monterey Sims,” said outgoing Board Chair, David K. Moldoff. “The entire new Executive Committee is comprised of exceptionally talented leaders who are perfectly positioned to guide PESC into the future. I also want to formally welcome Melissa Loble, whose extensive experience will be a tremendous resource to the Board. I have full confidence that this team will continue to advance our mission with a fresh and innovative approach.”


To learn more about the PESC Board of Directors, visit https://pesc.org/people/.

PESC Announces Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2026

Washington, D.C. – June 23, 2025 – The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) is pleased to announce the members of its Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2026. The re-elected members bring extensive experience and a strong commitment to furthering PESC’s mission of improving data exchange and collaboration throughout the higher education community. Read more…

Re-Elected Board Members:

  • Kristi Blabaum– Systems Integration Analyst, Ascendium Education Solutions (Representing the National Association of Student Loan Administrators – NASLA)
  • Mark Cohen – Product Manager for Infrastructure and Data Services, California Community Colleges Technology Center
  • Bryant Faust – Associate Dean and Registrar, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Representing the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers – AACRAO)
  • Alex Jackl – CEO and Founder, Bardic Systems
  • Karen McCredie – Executive Director, EducationPlannerBC
  • David K. Moldoff – Founder and CEO, AcademyOne Inc.

Incumbent Board Members:

  • Melissa Buckley – Director of Non-Degree Credentials Strategy, National Student Clearinghouse
  • Rob Layton – Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development, Ellucian
  • Monterey Sims – Director of Admissions and Evaluations, University of Phoenix
  • Francisco Valines– Director of Financial Aid, Florida International University
  • Jason Weaver– Executive Vice President of Product and Technology, Parchment, an Instructure Company
  • Vivian Wong – Group Vice President, Oracle Higher Education

“I am honored and excited to be returning to the PESC Board among such an exceptional group of individuals,” said David K. Moldoff, current Board Chair.  “The re-election of these highly experienced and dedicated leaders, alongside our incumbent members, positions us perfectly to accelerate our mission.  Their collective expertise and commitment to advancing interoperability in education will be instrumental as we work to achieve our strategic goals and further enhance data exchange and collaboration across the higher education community.”

Committed to its core mission, PESC continues to facilitate cost-effective data exchange that boosts the accessibility and quality of education for all, powered by leading technology standards.

To learn more about the PESC Board of Directors, visit https://pesc.org/people/.

MyCreds | MesCertif – ARUCC Joins PESC, Reinforcing Commitment to Standards and Interoperability in Digital Credentialing

Washington, D.C. – May 29, 2025
The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) is proud to welcome MyCreds | MesCertif – ARUCC, a digital credential wallet for post-secondary learners, as one of its newest members.

MyCreds | MesCertif, developed by the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC), provides learners with a secure platform to access, manage, and share official digital documents such as transcripts, credentials, badges, and other records. The platform is a central player in Canada’s education landscape and is now expanding into broader recognition of learning beyond the traditional post-secondary environment.


“At MyCreds, our core mission is to empower learners by enabling secure, seamless, and trusted credential exchange,” emphasized Jodi Tavares, Executive Director of MyCreds | MesCertif. “As a leading provider in the post-secondary space—now expanding into broader recognition of learning—we recognize that participation in PESC is essential to maintaining interoperability, trust, and innovation in the digital credentialing ecosystem.


Standards are the foundation of a connected, future-ready credentialing environment. By actively engaging with PESC, we ensure that MyCreds remains at the forefront of best practices, fosters collaboration across institutions and industries, and contributes to shaping the evolving landscape of digital credentials. Simply put, we cannot be an effective provider in this space without fully committing to standards and interoperability, and PESC membership is a vital part of that commitment.”

As a PESC member, MyCreds | MesCertif will contribute to the development and implementation of open data standards that support the secure exchange of electronic student records and digital credentials. This collaboration supports both national and global efforts to streamline learner mobility, enhance credential transparency, and build a more interoperable education and workforce ecosystem.


“Canada has been a leader in the wide-spread adoption of PESC standards to support our transcript exchange both intra-provincially and nationally,” said Karen McCredie, PESC Board Member and Executive Director of EducationPlannerBC. “Canadian students are highly mobile, and they rely on each of our organizations to support their mobility as an essential component of our national business model. As MyCreds expands their activities across Canada, participating in PESC will play a key role in maintaining and strengthening the data connections that support our shared goals. It is great to see MyCreds | MesCertif’s commitment to embedding PESC standards in their work.”

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ABOUT MyCreds | MesCertif:

MyCreds | MesCertif, powered by ARUCC, is Canada’s digital credential wallet for post-secondary learners. It provides a secure, learner-centric platform for accessing, sharing, and verifying official documents and achievements. The platform supports the evolving needs of learners, institutions, employers, and other stakeholders across the educational and professional landscape.

University of Phoenix Leadership to Participate in 2025 PESC Data Summit

By Michele Mitchum, Manager, External Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, University of Phoenix

Vice Provost Marc Booker to speak; Directors Hillary Halpern and Monterey Sims to hold key roles

University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Vice Provost of Strategy Marc Booker, Ph.D., will be a featured speaker at the 2025 Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) Data Summit.  The event, which will be held on March 19-21 in Arlington, VA, provides a platform for leaders in education, policy, and technology to explore emerging trends and innovations in data standards.

In addition to Dr. Booker’s participation, Senior Director of Program Deployment Hillary Halpern, serving as PESC Program Committee Chair, and Director of Admissions and Evaluation Monterey Sims, a member of the PESC Board of Directors, will play significant roles in shaping the summit’s agenda and discussions.

Booker will lead the keynote conversation “Leveraging the CLR/LER Infrastructure to Give Students Value Today,” on Tuesday, March 20 at 10:30 a.m. ET. The discussion will center on the foundational role components of a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) and Learning and Employment Record (LER) can play in creating more value for learners utilizing micro-credentials in an increasingly tech-driven world.

“The PESC Data Summit offers a fantastic opportunity to explore how data standards and emerging technologies can drive innovation in higher education at scale,” states Booker. “I am eager to share how University of Phoenix has intentionally developed our CLR/LER strategy to provide increased value for our students and support their career aspirations while the market continues to evolve in embracing these new technologies.”

Each year, the PESC Data Summit features leading experts and visionaries in the field of education data. Speakers represent a diverse range of perspectives, from higher education institutions and government agencies to technology providers and policy organizations. Booker’s session is part of a robust lineup of speakers sharing their insights on opportunities in data management, interoperability, and the use of data to improve student outcomes.

As Vice Provost for Strategy at the University of Phoenix, Booker oversees critical path academic initiatives to improve the student experience such as learning platform implementations, curricular enhancements, and developing empathetic solutions to drive improved student outcomes through data. Booker’s work in higher education has been recognized by several associations as he was the 2024 recipient of UPCEA’s Business and Operations award for operational excellence, was honored with a 2024 Thomas A. Bilger award for his service from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and in 2020 Booker received a Hall of Fame recognition from Blackboard for his contributions in providing thought leadership and innovation in education.  

Halpern has been with University of Phoenix for 18 years and currently serves as the Senior Director of Program Deployment, where she has leveraged her in-depth insights from her student support and process improvement background to develop, improve, and maintain the University Program Lifecycle (UPL) process. Recognized with the “Rookie of the Year” examiner award in 2017 from Southwest Alliance of Excellence (SWAE), she has served as a lead examiner for the SWAE and as a speaker on process improvement at regional and national conferences. Halpern has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Arizona State University, and a Master of Business Administration and Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management from University of Phoenix. She recently co-authored a University of Phoenix white paper on establishing a skills ecosystem at a career-focused higher education institution.

Sims serves as a Director of Admissions and Evaluation at the University of Phoenix and volunteers on the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) Board of Directors. During her 30-year career at the University, she has participated in a variety of process improvement initiatives including implementation of Electronic Transcript Exchange (ETX) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Sims is directly responsible for the Office of Admissions Document Processing division which includes overseeing the acquisition and processing of admission documents and transcripts from prior attended institutions for University applicants. She also serves on the AACRAO Standardization of Postsecondary Education Record Electronic Data Exchange (SPEEDE) Committee and the eTrans California Steering Committee.

Booker, Halpern and Sims are key members of the University of Phoenix’s dynamic leadership team, which is frequently invited to share their expertise at prestigious national conferences and events. In the coming months, University leaders will participate in the AACRAO Annual Meeting, ASU + GSV Summit, 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference, SXSW EDU Conference, and PESC Data Summit. These engagements underscore the University’s commitment to innovation and thought leadership in higher education, providing valuable insights and fostering collaborations that drive the future of learning.

Learn more here about the 2025 PESC Data Summit. 

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit  phoenix.edu/blog.html.

ABOUT PESC

Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem.   Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.   PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.   PESC is annually sponsored by AcademyOne , National Student Clearinghouse , Parchment , EducationPlannerBC , AACRAO , and ECE .   For more information, please visit www.PESC.org .

Source: https://www.phoenix.edu/press-release/leadership-to-participate-in-2025-pesc-data-summit.html

University of Southern California (USC) Honored as Winner of PESC’s 25th Annual Best Practices Award

Washington, D.C. – January 16, 2025 – The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) is thrilled to announce the University of Southern California (USC) as the recipient of the 25th Annual Best Practices Award in Technology for their outstanding implementation of the PESC GEO Code standard.

USC’s innovative approach to leveraging the PESC GEO Code has significantly advanced data interoperability in higher education. Since its adoption in 2017, the university has revolutionized data exchange processes, enabling over 4,000 automated international degree verifications annually through the SPEEDE Server. Additionally, their work has enhanced student self-reporting of transfer data, removing barriers and ensuring secure and efficient data exchange across institutions.

“The University of Southern California’s leadership in seeing the industry need and championing the PESC GEO Code standard exemplifies the spirit of innovation and collaboration that this award celebrates,” said Monterey Sims, PESC Board Vice Chair and University of Phoenix Director of Admissions and Evaluation. “Their commitment to interoperability and streamlining critical processes has set a benchmark for institutions worldwide, and we are proud to recognize their achievements.”

Matt Bemis, Senior Associate Registrar at USC, expressed his gratitude for the honor, stating, “It is a privilege for USC to be recognized by PESC for our work with the GEO Code standard. This initiative has allowed us to transform how we manage and exchange student data, ultimately enhancing the experience for our students and partner institutions globally. We look forward to continuing our efforts to drive progress in data interoperability.”

Adding her congratulations, Ann Marie Lyseng, GEO Code User Group Co-Chair and Senior Manager, Learner Pathways/ACAT Secretariat, remarked, “USC’s implementation of the PESC GEO Code standard is an excellent example of how institutions and educational organizations can leverage a trusted, open standard to support reliable data exchange and interoperability. By embracing GEO Code, USC has demonstrated ways to strengthen data comparability while maintaining the security and integrity of student data—a win for learner mobility as well as institution and global data exchange.”

Congratulations to Matt Bemis and the University of Southern California for their exemplary leadership and dedication to advancing interoperability and student success through the PESC GEO Code standard.

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ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
USC is a constellation of schools, centers and institutes where some of the brightest minds, working together in a dynamic and collaborative environment, are leading the way to the future of education and a healthier, more joyful and more sustainable Los Angeles and world.  For more information, please visit www.usc.edu.

ABOUT PESC:
Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem.   Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.   PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.   PESC is annually sponsored by AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC, AACRAO, and ECE.   For more information, please visit www.PESC.org.

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PESC Announces March 2025 Data Summit in Arlington, VA

Washington, D.C. – January 2, 2025 -The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) is pleased to announce its upcoming Data Summit, scheduled for March 19-21, 2025, at the Hilton Arlington National Landing in Arlington, Virginia.

This in-person event will convene leaders, educators, and innovators from higher education and technology sectors to explore the latest trends, technologies, and standards shaping the future of educational data.

Key Highlights of the March 2025 Data Summit:

  • Develop Data-Driven Strategies: Engage with keynote presentations and panel discussions led by industry pioneers, focusing on emerging technologies and innovative practices transforming education.
  • Connect with Industry Leaders: Network with a diverse community of higher education technology and data specialists to share ideas, build partnerships, and expand professional networks.
  • Professional Development: Gain insights from thought leaders driving change in the education sector, offering perspectives on current challenges and opportunities in educational data.
  • Collaborative Culture: Participate in interactive sessions designed to provide practical skills and knowledge, with topics including data interoperability, transcripts, standards, and more.

Accepting Community Session Submissions Through February 21, 2025:

PESC is currently seeking dynamic and informative in-person sessions that address various aspects of student data. Submissions are encouraged from higher education professionals, education technology providers, data experts and analysts, policymakers, and researchers. For more information on becoming a Summit speaker, please visit www.PESC.org.

Registration Information:

  • PESC Early Bird Member Rate: USD $795
  • Early Bird Non-Member Rate: USD $950

The conference package includes breakfast on two mornings, refreshments, luncheon, evening reception, and access to all general sessions.

Venue Details:

  • Hilton Arlington National Landing
    2399 Richmond Highway
    Arlington, VA 22202 USA

    Limited discounted room rates of USD $276/night are available until February 21, 2025. Reservations will open soon.

For more information about the March 2025 Data Summit, including program details, registration, travel, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit the event page at https://pesc.org/mar25-data-summit/.

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ABOUT PESC:
Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem.   Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.   PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.   PESC is annually sponsored by AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC, AACRAO, and ECE.   For more information, please visit www.PESC.org.

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PESC and the GDN Network Sign MOU

GDN Network and PESC Formalize Partnership to Advance Global Interoperability
and Open Standards

The Groningen Declaration Network logo stating "GDN Network"

Washington, D.C. – October 29, 2024 -The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) and the GDN Network have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to signal a new partnership in support of standards development and interoperability.

The two organizations have been working together informally over the last decade and are now at a stage where revitalizing their relationship represents an important next step.

By formalizing their collaboration, the GDN Network and PESC are signaling a plan to engage in intentional ways to cooperate to the benefit of their communities. Examples might include co-locating or collaborating on the development of future activities and research, holding learning webinars, and creating new content to help elevate the call to adopt quality assured open standards for data exchange across the diverse world of decentralized systems.

A man with white hair and wearing a suit.

“PESC has a longstanding tradition of supporting learner mobility and data portability from the vantage point of being a premier standards body in North America,” said David Moldoff, PESC Board Chair. “Our community and board have been stalwart supporters of the GDN Network across several years. The opportunity to support decisive action that contributes to creating a Network of Networks through this new MOU is critical as we work in partnership across organizational and geographic boundaries to enable trusted data exchange. The PESC community stands ready to support helping international GDN stakeholders around the world to transform and reshape the lifelong learner credential experience.”

A man with glasses and a beard wearing a white shirt

“As a long-standing participant in the open standards community, I’m thrilled to see the relationship between PESC and the GDN Network formalized,” said Alex Jackl, President, Bardic Systems and PESC board member. “We need to reach across organizational boundaries and find new and different ways of collaborating to advance interoperability and open standards. These are the secret ingredients to enable movement of learner data and credentials and doing it right benefits from bringing thought leaders together in new and different ways.”

The GDN Network seeks to catalyze a Network of Networks model as a way to build digital capacity across states and countries and to provide sustainable technology solutions for digital credential exchange that transform organizational capacity and expand and extend services for citizens. As an international not-for-profit, PESC seeks to advance trusted open standards to ensure the evolution of a data exchange foundation that supports sustainable education technology.

Today the GDN Network consists of participants and signatories from countries around the world who endorse citizen-focused, privacy-compliant data exchange principles that support mobility. PESC’s efforts complement the global cause because it delivers a family of tested market-defined data standards that deliver efficiencies, interoperability and quality. Together and in partnership with other standards bodies, these two organizations seek to remove mobility barriers, advance automation opportunities, and create resources to aid their stakeholders in evolving access and outcomes for learners.

A woman with glasses wearing a black shirt

“The GDN Network is made up of an incredibly diverse stakeholder community that represents the bedrock of education expertise in place to ensure citizens worldwide obtain rapid access to work and learning,” said Joanne Duklas, Executive Director, GDN Network. “By working together through a Network of Networks model, particularly with open standards bodies like PESC, we believe that rapid interoperability can be achieved more effectively. We are excited by the prospect of working with our not-for-profit standards community to advance real change for learners and citizens.” 

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ABOUT THE GRONINGEN DECLARATION NETWORK (The GDN Network):
The GDN Network is an international, non-profit federated trust located in the Netherlands. It represents a voluntary network of like-minded organizations and individuals that seek to make digital student data portability happen. Its network of thought leaders from around the globe are collaborators who seek to support, advise and offer innovative changes in the ways we share artifacts of academic learning. The GDN Network seeks common ground in best serving the academic and professional mobility needs of citizens worldwide by bringing together stakeholders in the digital student data ecosystem. It seeks to develop and support best practices and globally accepted standards for safe and citizen-oriented convenings and information exchanges. Learn more about the GDN Network at: groningendeclaration.org.

The GDN Network Media contact:  Maya Hardy, Outreach Coordinator, the GDN Network, outreach@groningendeclaration.org

ABOUT PESC:
Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem.   Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.   PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.   PESC is sponsored annually by AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC, AACRAO, and ECE.   For more information, please visit www.PESC.org.

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A4L Community and PESC Announce Joint Venture Agreement

A black and yellow logo for access 4 learning community.

Joining Forces to Drive Innovation in Educational Data Interoperability

Washington, D.C. – October 23, 2024 – At the PESC October Data Summit on October 16, 2024, the Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community and the Postsecondary Education Standards Council (PESC) announced the creation of a joint venture to facilitate their work together. This is a major step forward for the education standards communities, with two standards bodies taking the first step towards formalizing their collaboration through the creation of an agreement in the form of a joint venture.  

This agreement will enable the standards bodies to collaborate in a safe space on common projects. It will allow the organizations to share resources and work more efficiently together without requiring additional legal or contractual agreements.  The structure provided by the joint venture will enable the collaborative work to flourish and enhance the traditional efforts of the organizations. This initiative is anticipated to serve as a model for additional standards bodies to join and further streamline the PK20W standards landscape.   

“The creation and adoption of data standards and protocols are central to orchestrating how the P20W ecosystem can scale to serve the objectives of our key constituents.  We look forward to a long-term relationship that stimulates insights, infrastructure, and innovations to increase collaboration, reduce costs, streamline data access, enhance privacy and security, and improve interoperability.” 

– David Moldoff, Board Chair, PESC

“A4L has a long track record of standing up the SIF architecture and expanding technologies to support privacy and security commitments.  The EdTech community is composed of thousands of members.  A4L is well-positioned to broaden the platform to reinforce the benefits of implementing data standards through our collaboration.”

– Steve Smith, Executive Director, A4L Community 

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ABOUT A4L COMMUNITY:
Started in 1997 by vendors and schools collaborating, the SIF Association – now the Access 4 Learning Community – is a unique, non-profit collaboration composed of more than 3,000 schools, districts, local authorities, states, US and International Ministries of Education, software vendors and consultants who collectively address all aspects of information management and access to support learning.  The A4L Community supports these educational stakeholders in establishing common expectations in the “connecting and securing effective learning ecosystems” regardless of the platform hosting those applications to give teachers more time to do what they do best: teach.   For more information, please visit www.a4l.org.

ABOUT PESC:
Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem.   Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.   PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.   PESC is annually sponsored by AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC, AACRAO, and ECE.   For more information, please visit www.PESC.org.

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The Rise of JSON-LD in Data Standards: A Collaborative Approach

By John Lovell, Technology Director, A4L Community

In the evolving world of data standards, JSON-LD has emerged as a powerful and innovative way to define data models, particularly in the education sector. As data needs expand and systems evolve, the transition to more flexible and interoperable standards has become essential. JSON-LD, with its ability to support rich, linked data
models, is at the forefront of this shift. In the Access 4 Learning (A4L) Community, we’ve been witnessing this change not just within our own efforts but also through the work of our friends at HR Open Standards, the Common Education Data Standards
(CEDS), and the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC).


Among these organizations, A4L’s collaboration with PESC stands out, particularly in the development of PESC’s first JSON-LD standard focused on the
College Transcript. This marks a significant step forward for the education
community. JSON-LD enables data models to be more readable, developer-friendly, and flexible, a critical requirement as systems become more complex. PESC’s commitment to laying the groundwork for future standards is evident in their approach. At their JSON-LD Standards Development Resources page, they’ve outlined how they plan to structure, validate, and clarify not just the College Transcript standard, but future ones as well.

PESC is working to create a comprehensive suite of tools and resources to assist organizations in developing JSON-LD standards. These resources include templates and guidelines to support the creation of key elements like Application Profiles, Context Files, SHACL Specifications for validation, and JSON Schemas for structural integrity. Each component is being designed to ensure that standards remain robust, interoperable, and easy to implement. This collection will also feature practical examples and implementation guides, which are essential for ensuring that developers and stakeholders alike can effectively work with JSON-LD standards.


Together, A4L and PESC are working towards a future where JSON-LD be comes the cornerstone of data standards in education, supporting seamless data exchange and enhancing the flexibility and reliability of educational technologies. As these collaborations continue, we can expect to see a growing number of interoperable, efficient, and developer-friendly standards that support the needs of the entire education community. For more information and to explore PESC’s latest developments, you can visit their JSON-LD Standards Development Resources
page.

View this article in the A4L Community Quarterly Newsletter (PDF)

PESC Announces Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2025

Washington, D.C. – August 20, 2024 – The Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) is pleased to announce the members of its Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2025. The re-elected and newly appointed members bring a wealth of experience and dedication to advancing the organization’s mission of improving data exchange and collaboration across the higher education community. Read more below…


Re-Elected Board Members:

  • Doug Falk – Vice President and Chief Information Officer, National Student Clearinghouse
  • Rob Layton – Senior Vice President of Global Research and Development, Ellucian
  • Monterey Sims – Director of Admissions and Evaluations, University of Phoenix
  • Francisco Valines – Director of Financial Aid, Florida International University
  • Jason Weaver – Executive Vice President of Product and Technology, Parchment
  • Vivian Wong – Group Vice President, Oracle Higher Education


Newly Appointed Member: The Board is also pleased to welcome back Mark Cohen, Product Manager for Infrastructure and Data Services at the California Community Colleges Technology Center. Mark returns to the Board following the retirement of former PESC Board Member and Executive Director of Council on Admission and Transfer for Nova Scotia (NSCAT), Ruth Blades. Mark will assume Ruth’s responsibilities as Board Secretary, bringing his deep knowledge and leadership to this critical role.


Incumbent Board Members:

  • Kristi Blabaum – Systems Integration Analyst, Ascendium Education Solutions (Representing the National Association of Student Loan Administrators – NASLA)
  • Bryant Faust – Dean and Registrar, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Representing the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers – AACRAO)
  • Alex Jackl – CEO and Founder, Bardic Systems
  • Karen McCredie – Executive Director, EducationPlannerBC
  • David K. Moldoff – Founder and CEO, AcademyOne


Elected Board Leadership for FY2025:

  • David K. Moldoff – Board Chair
  • Monterey Sims – Board Vice Chair
  • Kristi Blabaum – Board Treasurer
  • Mark Cohen – Board Secretary


“We are thrilled to have such a distinguished group of professionals guiding PESC into the future,” said David K. Moldoff, Board Chair. “Their collective expertise and commitment to advancing interoperability in education will be instrumental in achieving our strategic goals for 2025 and beyond.”


PESC remains dedicated to its mission of enabling cost-effective connectivity among institutions, organizations, and systems, enhancing the accessibility and quality of education through the use of technology standards.
To learn more about the PESC Board of Directors, visit https://pesc.org/people/.

ABOUT PESC:

PESC Members come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W Ecosystem.


Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD.


PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains.


PESC’s Annual Sponsors include AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC , AACRAO, and Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).


For more information, please visit www.PESC.org.

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