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Generate

An open-source, Common Education Data Standard (CEDS)-aligned application that helps states standardize and automate IDEA/EDFacts reporting and strengthen data quality.

Diagram showcasing how SEA data moves through CEDS and then into Generate to create standardized IDEA data for reporting.

What is Generate?

Standardized data reporting support for state teams.

What it does: Generate standardizes data inputs and helps automate reporting workflows for state reporting needs.

What it is built on: It uses CEDS properties, definitions, and option sets, plus CEDS Connections to align required data to reporting specifications.

Why it matters: Generate improves consistency, reduces manual rework, and supports better-quality submissions.

CIID Generate Release Calendar for 2026. A timeline showing four Generate software releases and their corresponding file submission deadlines. March 2026 - Generate Release v13.2, covering Directory and v13 CEDS changes. May and June 2026 - SY 2025-26 Directory files due. May 2026 - Generate Release v13.3, covering Child Count. July 2026 - SY 2025-26 Child Count files due. September 2026 - Generate Release v14.0, covering Assessment and v14 CEDS changes. January 2027 - SY 2025-26 Assessment, System Enforcement, and CEDS Data Warehouse files due. November 2026 - Generate Release v14.1, covering Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline. January and February 2027 - SY 2025-26 Personnel, Exiting, and Discipline files due. Published by the Center for the Integration of IDEA Data (CIID). Updated June 1, 2026.

How Generate fits in your ecosystem

From source data to submission-ready outputs.

  1. Source systems

    Data begins in the systems states already use to manage IDEA and related reporting inputs.

  2. CEDS-aligned structures

    Data is aligned to shared structures, definitions, and option sets.

  3. Generate workflows and checks

    Generate supports transformation, validation, and workflow steps that reduce manual rework.

  4. Outputs for submission and state use

    States can prepare data for federal submission and use the same aligned outputs internally.

Resources

Explore Generate

Use these resources to explore the codebase, implementation guidance, standards references, and the wider open-source community.

Generate Documentation

User guide, developer guide, release notes, and implementation guidance.

Generate Governance Group

Join the stakeholder conversation shaping Generate.

The Generate Governance Group (G3) is a structured community for Generate users and stakeholders to preview updates, share implementation challenges, and shape priorities for tool enhancements and support materials.

What G3 stakeholders do

  • Provide input on upcoming enhancements and documentation needs.
  • Surface common issues and prioritize fixes and enhancements, often through GitHub issues.
  • Share implementation patterns across states, including what worked and what did not.

Get started

Follow a simple path into the tool and Generate community.

Start with the core references, then explore the implementation surface, and finally connect with the people and spaces that support ongoing use.

  1. Review the docs

    Read the role-based setup overview, user guidance, and implementation notes.

  2. Explore the repository

    Review install and configuration references, the docs folder, and contribution guidance.

  3. Connect with the community

    Use the CEDS community and G3 touchpoints to stay aligned on changes and shared practices.