School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED)

School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) is a voluntary, common classification system for prior-to-secondary and secondary school courses. It can be used to compare course information, maintain longitudinal data about student coursework, and efficiently exchange course-taking records. SCED is based on a five-digit Course Code that provides a basic structure for classifying course content. Additional SCED elements and attributes provide descriptive information about each course.

SCED is updated and maintained by a working group of federal, state and local education agency representatives who receive suggestions and assistance from a wide network of subject matter experts at the national, state, and local levels. As a result, SCED is designed to be flexible enough that education agencies can modify it to meet their needs.

To suggest updates to SCED, please contact Ghedam Bairu at Ghedam.Bairu@ed.gov.


Cover of the Forum Guide to Understanding the School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Classification System

Forum Guide to Understanding the School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Classification System

The Forum Guide to Understanding the School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Classification System offers a comprehensive overview of the voluntary, common SCED classification system. SCED was developed to meet the need among local, state, and federal agencies for widely understood, standardized prior-to-secondary and secondary school course codes. The guide provides information on the development process, code structure, and element descriptions. Additionally, it offers best practices for SCED implementation and use. A companion publication, SCED Uses and Benefits, highlights user benefits and features case studies to illustrate SCED use.

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