Users have the ability to add Options, with or without display names, to Custom Demographics. Display names can also be added to Options Field Type demographics that are SIS-Imported. When Options are added, the Demographic will appear as the display name through eduCLIMBER, including in Students 3D and the Achievement Dashboard. This articles guides users through adding Options and accompanying display names.
Required Permission: Manage Demographic Codes
Options Use Cases
When should the Options field type be used for Demographic data, versus the Text, Number, Date, or Yes/No field types?
Pre-Determined List of Options
The Options field type essentially functions as dropdown list of pre-determined options for a Demographic. This can be useful when the Text, Number, or Date field types are too broad and open to fit the Demographic data, but the Yes/No field type is too limited. Administrators can create the list of pre-determined options, so that incoming Demographic data falls into one of the determined categories, and displays properly in the eduCLIMBER system.
Examples of Demographic data that commonly utilize the Options field type include Meal Status, ELP Level, Disability, Gender, and Ethnicity.
Display Names
The Options field type also allows for the Option categories to be given display names. This can be useful for when the Demographic field values being imported from the SIS use codes, or names that are not descriptive or intuitive. For example, an ELP Level code "L" may be coming in through the data, which is used to indicate students that are English Learners. The display name for code "L" can be set as "English Learners," allowing users to more easily understand what ELP Level data they are viewing across eduCLIMBER.
Display names can also be utilized to codify data that should be less readily visible in the eduCLIMBER platform. For example, the Meal Status values "Paid," "Reduced," and "Free" may not be necessary for most users to view in eduCLIMBER or on their students' profiles, and so could be given coded display names, such as "P," "R," and "F," or "1," "2," and "3."
Lastly, display names can be useful for when similar Demographic data being imported from the SIS is labeled in slightly different ways, but should be displayed together in eduCLIMBER. For example, different incoming Ethnicity data might be labeled as "Hispanic," "Latino," or "Hispanic/Latino," and each of those categories would be displayed separately in eduCLIMBER. Each of those field values can be given one unifying display name, like "Hispanic/Latino," so that all the included data will display together.
Hidden Options
One final use for the Options field type is that it allows for individual categories or entire Demographics to be hidden. Sometimes the Demographic data sent from the SIS is too inclusive for what users need to see in the eduCLIMBER platform, and some Personal Identifiable Information should be hidden from view. Options allows administrators to hide one or more categories of data from view, and to enable or disable that data at will, as necessary.
Before You Begin
Options can only be added to a Demographic if Options has been selected as the Field Type. If a Demographic's Field Type should be updated, take a look at Manage Custom Demographics.
Where to Start
- Go to System Configuration.
Add Display Names
- Select Students & Guardians.
- Select Demographics.
- Select the space in the Options column for the Demographic row.
- Enter a Display Name into the text box.
- Select Done.
When multiple Demographics have an identical display name, those values will be combined into one data point in visualizations.
The five SIS-Imported Demographic Groups – Meal Status, Gender, Disability, ELP Level, and Ethnicity – are hard coded into the eduCLIMBER platform. Because they are hard coded into the platform, the toggles to show these demographics on the Student Profile, Data Walls, smartFORMS, and Chart Filters cannot be changed. However, these demographics can be given display names, so that the values imported from the SIS appear differently within eduCLIMBER.
Hide Options
Districts may want to hide some Options and exclude that data from appearing on visualizations on Student Profiles, Data Walls, smartFORMS, and Chart Filters, such as Personal Identifiable Information that isn't necessary for daily eduCLIMBER functions. SIS-Imported Demographics Groups set to the Options field type cannot be hidden, but Custom Demographics Options do allow this functionality.
- Select the Options popup in the relevant Demographic row.
- Select or deselect the Active toggle to show or hide specific Options from view.
Next Steps
Now that Demographics Options have been added, take a look at Viewing and Searching by Demographics.