Texas Grade Sync Solution

Automating LMS-to-SIS Grade Transfer for Texas Educators

Product Recommendation • January 2026 • V1 Launch: August 2026

Executive Summary

5+
Hours Saved Per Teacher Weekly
364,444
Texas Teachers
1,220
School Districts
$42M
Annual Time Savings Value

The Problem

Teachers across Texas are spending excessive time on administrative tasks, manually transferring grades from their Learning Management System (LMS) to the Student Information System (SIS). This dual-entry requirement creates:

  • 5+ hours per week of manual data entry per teacher
  • Increased risk of data entry errors
  • Reduced time for instruction and student interaction
  • Teacher burnout and retention challenges

Our Solution

Phased Approach:

V1 (August 2026): Chrome Extension that provides immediate relief with local-first architecture, requiring no district API approvals

V2 (2027): Web Portal with official LTI 1.3 and OneRoster integrations for enterprise automation

This approach enables rapid teacher adoption while building toward sustainable enterprise integration.

User Research Findings

Interviews with 50 Texas teachers revealed distinct needs across grade levels, informing our product design decisions.

K-5 Teachers

~164,219 teachers
30 Students per class
4 Grades per 6 weeks
Biweekly SIS entry frequency

Key Needs

  • Minimal new software learning curve
  • Maximum time with students
  • Simple, reliable process

6-8 Teachers

~76,573 teachers
90 Students per teacher
9 Grades per 6 weeks
Daily SIS entry frequency

Key Needs

  • Familiar environments (websites, LMS/SIS)
  • Curve grading support for assessments
  • Parent visibility priority

9-12 Teachers

~123,652 teachers
120 Students per teacher
16 Grades per 9 weeks
Immediate SIS entry frequency

Key Needs

  • Time-saving above all else
  • Curve grading for all assignments
  • Real-time student/parent updates

Texas LMS Distribution by District Type

Key Insight: Google Classroom dominates rural districts (60%), while Canvas and Schoology are preferred in suburban/urban areas

Texas SIS Distribution by District Type

Key Insight: Ascender dominates rural Texas (90%), while urban districts favor Skyward and Frontline TEAMS

Product Evaluation Framework

Based on user research and market analysis, we evaluated five product options against critical success criteria:

👥

Teacher Adoption

Ease of use, familiarity, and minimal learning curve

🔌

System Compatibility

Support for Texas's diverse LMS/SIS landscape

⚡

Speed to Market

Ability to launch by August 2026

🔒

Security & Compliance

FERPA compliance and Texas SB 820 requirements

📈

Scalability

Path to enterprise adoption and automation

💰

Cost Efficiency

Development costs and deployment barriers

Product Option Comparison

Platform LMS/SIS Support Access Model Key Features Teacher Adoption Speed to Market Overall Score
Chrome Extension Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology / All major SIS Individual signup (no district approval needed) XML export, sync on demand, category/grade modification 9/10 9/10 8.7/10
Web Portal Canvas, Schoology / PowerSchool, Frontline, Skyward, Ascender Individual signup (district can deny) XML export, sync on demand, category modification 7/10 8/10 7.3/10
Embedded LMS App Schoology only / PowerSchool, Nearpod, Skyward Built into LMS (no additional access) Auto-sync, sync on demand, full modification suite 8/10 5/10 6.8/10
iOS App Canvas, Schoology / Skyward, Frontline TEAMS District-level authorization required Auto-sync, sync on demand, grade modification 4/10 6/10 5.2/10
Desktop App Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom / All major SIS District-level authorization required XML export, auto-sync 3/10 7/10 5.0/10

Product Recommendation

Recommended Approach: Phased Deployment

Best Path Forward
V1

Chrome Extension (August 2026)

Immediate teacher relief with local-first architecture

  • Target Users: Individual teachers across all grade levels
  • Core Value: Eliminates dual data entry without requiring district IT approval
  • Technical Approach: DOM scraping + local storage (FERPA-compliant by design)
  • Market Position: Fast teacher adoption, builds user base for V2
V2

Web Portal with LTI/OneRoster (2027)

Enterprise automation with official integrations

  • Target Users: District-wide deployments
  • Core Value: True auto-sync, district admin dashboards, 24/7 operation
  • Technical Approach: Official API integrations, LTI 1.3 Advantage, OneRoster
  • Market Position: Upgrade existing V1 users to enterprise platform

Why This Approach Wins

1. Addresses Teacher Retention Crisis

Provides immediate relief (5+ hours/week saved) without waiting for lengthy district procurement cycles. Teachers can start using V1 within minutes of installation.

2. Bridges the API Gap

While TEA pushes Ed-Fi adoption, many legacy SIS systems lack write APIs. Our extension works today with existing systems, then scales to official integrations.

3. Chromebook-Native

Texas is one of the largest Chromebook markets. Extension works seamlessly with existing 1:1 device infrastructure already deployed.

4. FERPA-by-Design

V1's local-first architecture means no student PII stored on external servers, minimizing compliance burden and accelerating district approval for V2.

5. Proven Market Strategy

Build teacher groundswell with V1, then approach districts with proven adoption data: "We already have 50 teachers using this—let's make it official and secure."

6. Universal Compatibility

Chrome Extension supports Google Classroom (60% of rural districts), Canvas, Schoology, and all major SIS platforms from day one.

Tradeoffs & Risk Mitigation

Risk: Extension Fragility

Issue: DOM scraping breaks when SIS vendors update their UI

Mitigation:

  • Build defensive selectors (text-based, not ID-based)
  • Maintain test environments for all major SIS versions
  • Implement automated regression testing
  • Plan for August maintenance sprint (SIS updates typically summer)

Risk: IT Department Blockers

Issue: District IT may block extension installations

Mitigation:

  • Minimalist permissions (only specific LMS/SIS domains)
  • Publish security whitepaper for Texas IT directors
  • Join TX Student Privacy Alliance (TX-NDPA)
  • Offer V2 as "official upgrade" once V1 gains traction

Risk: Session Management

Issue: SIS sessions timeout during grade review/mapping

Mitigation:

  • Background "ping" to keep sessions alive
  • Auto-save mapping state to local storage
  • Clear warning when session expiry detected

Tradeoff: V1 Manual vs V2 Automation

V1 Limitation: Requires teacher to have both LMS and SIS open; not fully automatic

Strategic Value:

  • Teachers actually prefer review step for accountability
  • Builds trust before introducing full automation
  • Provides clear upgrade path to V2's auto-sync

V1 Project Plan: August 2026 Launch

Development Timeline

Feb - Mar 2026

Phase 1: Foundation & Research

  • Capture HTML structures for Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom
  • Document Skyward, Ascender, PowerSchool DOM patterns
  • Build proof-of-concept scraping/injection script
  • Draft Texas-specific privacy policy (SB 820 compliance)
Owner: Lead Engineer + Product Manager
Apr - May 2026

Phase 2: Core Development

  • Build Chrome Extension (Manifest V3) with background service worker
  • Develop injected modal UI for pre-sync review
  • Implement name matching algorithm with manual override
  • Add two-way write-back to LMS APIs (Canvas, Schoology)
  • Create local storage encryption for mapping data
Owner: Full-Stack Engineer + Frontend Developer
June 2026

Phase 3: Texas-Specific Features

  • Build configurable XML export for Ascender compatibility
  • Implement grade weighting and category modification
  • Handle edge cases (excused grades, missing flags, null vs 0)
  • Add grading period validation (prevent closed-period sync)
Owner: Lead Engineer + QA Lead
July 2026

Phase 4: Testing & Compliance

  • Beta testing with 5-10 Texas teachers (summer school)
  • Regression testing across all SIS/LMS combinations
  • Security audit and TX-NDPA documentation
  • Chrome Web Store submission (July 15)
Owner: QA Lead + Product Manager
August 1, 2026

Phase 5: Launch & Support

  • Public release via Chrome Web Store
  • Teacher onboarding during in-service week
  • 24/7 support monitoring for back-to-school rush
  • Hotfix deployment capability for urgent issues
Owner: Full Team + Customer Support

Team Structure & Roles

Lead Full-Stack Engineer
1 FTE
Focus: Chrome Extension architecture, Manifest V3, DOM scraping resilience
Required Skills:
  • JavaScript/TypeScript expertise
  • Chrome Extension API mastery
  • Canvas/Schoology API experience
Frontend/Extension Developer
1 FTE
Focus: Injected modal UI, grade review interface, user experience
Required Skills:
  • React or vanilla JS UI development
  • Shadow DOM techniques
  • Responsive design for various SIS interfaces
Product Manager / QA Lead
1 FTE
Focus: Texas education domain expertise, edge case identification, testing coordination
Required Skills:
  • Understanding of PEIMS/TSDS requirements
  • Experience with Texas SIS systems
  • Manual testing across platforms
UI/UX Designer
0.5 FTE (Contract)
Focus: Pre-sync review modal design, teacher workflow optimization
Required Skills:
  • EdTech UX experience
  • Data table/grid design
  • Minimizing teacher cognitive load

Key Stakeholders

TEA Leadership

  • Role: Strategic direction, state policy alignment
  • Engagement: Monthly progress updates, policy guidance
  • Key Contact: Commissioner's office, Data Strategy team

Regional Education Service Centers (ESCs)

  • Role: SIS support coordination (especially Ascender)
  • Engagement: Technical validation, pilot district recruitment
  • Key Contact: Technology directors at ESC Region 10, 13, 20

Texas Computer Cooperative (TCC)

  • Role: Ascender system owner, largest SIS in rural Texas
  • Engagement: Technical documentation, future API discussions
  • Key Contact: TCC technical team

Pilot District Partners

  • Role: Beta testing, feedback, case studies
  • Engagement: Weekly during July testing phase
  • Target: 3-5 districts representing rural, suburban, urban

LMS Vendors (Canvas, Schoology)

  • Role: API documentation, partnership discussions for V2
  • Engagement: Technical support channels, developer relations

Texas Student Privacy Alliance

  • Role: Privacy compliance certification
  • Engagement: TX-NDPA signing, privacy policy review
  • Timeline: Complete by June 2026

Critical Milestones & Success Metrics

Milestone Date Success Criteria Owner
POC Complete March 15, 2026 Successful scrape + inject demo for 3 SIS platforms Lead Engineer
Alpha Build May 1, 2026 Core extension with all primary features functional Full-Stack Team
Beta Release July 1, 2026 10 teachers successfully syncing grades in production Product Manager
Chrome Store Approval July 25, 2026 Extension published and available for download Lead Engineer
V1 Public Launch August 1, 2026 Available to all Texas teachers Full Team
Initial Adoption September 1, 2026 100+ active teacher users across 10+ districts Product Manager
V2 Planning October 2026 V2 roadmap finalized based on V1 feedback TEA + Product Manager

Additional Considerations & Risks

Regulatory & Compliance Risks

Texas Privacy Framework (SB 820 & HB 3834)

High Priority

Risk: Extension flagged by district cybersecurity coordinators without proper TX-RAMP or privacy documentation

Mitigation:

  • Join TX Student Privacy Alliance and sign TX-NDPA by June 2026
  • Create detailed "Security for Texas IT Directors" whitepaper
  • Emphasize zero-knowledge, local-first architecture in all materials
  • For V2, begin TX-RAMP Level 1 certification process

PEIMS/TSDS Data Integrity

Medium Priority

Risk: Synced grades cause errors in state reporting if grading periods don't align

Mitigation:

  • Implement grading period validation (read SIS calendar before allowing sync)
  • Display clear warnings for closed grading periods
  • Partner with ESCs to validate against PEIMS requirements
  • Build "test mode" for IT directors to verify data flow before production use

Technical Risks

SIS/LMS Platform Updates

High Priority

Risk: Summer 2026 SIS updates break DOM scraping selectors

Mitigation:

  • Establish test accounts with all major vendors
  • Monitor vendor release notes and beta programs
  • Build automated regression test suite
  • Reserve August 2026 "maintenance sprint" for emergency fixes
  • Implement defensive coding: text-based selectors, multiple fallback paths

Chrome Extension Manifest V3 Deprecations

Medium Priority

Risk: Google deprecates Manifest V2; V3 restrictions limit functionality

Mitigation:

  • Build exclusively on Manifest V3 from day one
  • Use service workers instead of background pages
  • Test against Chromium beta channel for early warning

Data Synchronization Conflicts

Medium Priority

Risk: Network failures during two-way write create LMS/SIS divergence

Mitigation:

  • Implement atomic transactions (all-or-nothing writes)
  • Add retry logic with exponential backoff
  • Show clear success/failure indicators to teachers
  • Maintain local transaction log for troubleshooting

Market & Adoption Risks

District IT Blockers

Medium Priority

Risk: Districts use allowlist policies that prevent extension installation

Mitigation:

  • Request only minimal, specific permissions (not all_urls)
  • Create IT director approval toolkit (security docs, demo video)
  • Offer to present at ESC technology coordinator meetings
  • Position V2 as "official district solution" for locked-down environments

EMAT Procurement Timing

Medium Priority

Risk: August 2026 launch misses April/May district budget cycle

Mitigation:

  • V1 offered free or low-cost to teachers directly ($5-10/mo)
  • Build groundswell of users for district sales pitch in 2026
  • Apply for Region 10 ESC cooperative purchasing in early 2026
  • Position as "teacher retention investment" (easier budget justification)

Teacher Resistance to Change

Low Priority

Risk: Teachers stick with manual processes due to familiarity

Mitigation:

  • Partner with teacher influencers and EdTech coordinators
  • Create 2-minute walkthrough videos
  • Emphasize "try it once" with easy uninstall
  • Showcase time savings with concrete data (X hours saved per week)

V2 Transition Risks

LTI 1.3 Certification Timeline

High Priority

Risk: 1EdTech certification takes 6-12 months, delaying V2 launch

Mitigation:

  • Begin 1EdTech membership during V1 development (Q2 2026)
  • Start certification process in Q4 2026
  • Use V1 adoption data to prioritize LMS partnerships
  • Consider Edlink/Clever integration as interim step

V1 to V2 User Migration

Medium Priority

Risk: Teachers resist moving from free V1 to paid V2

Mitigation:

  • Keep V1 extension as free tier (manual sync)
  • Position V2 as "premium" with auto-sync and support
  • Offer grandfathered pricing for early V1 adopters
  • Make migration seamless (import V1 settings to V2)

Critical Success Factors

1

Teacher-Centric Design

Every feature decision must prioritize reducing teacher clicks and cognitive load. If it takes longer than manual entry, it will fail.

2

Regression Testing Discipline

Weekly automated tests across all SIS/LMS combinations. One broken integration can destroy teacher trust.

3

Texas-Specific Compliance

Proactive engagement with TX Student Privacy Alliance and ESCs. Privacy compliance is table stakes, not a nice-to-have.

4

Rapid Support Response

During August 2026 back-to-school period, support must be 24/7. First impression is everything for teacher adoption.

Financial Impact & ROI

Teacher Time Savings

364,444 Texas teachers ×
5 hours saved per week ×
36 weeks per year ×
$35/hour (avg teacher rate) =
$2.3 Billion Annual Value

Even 2% adoption saves Texas $46M annually in teacher time

V1 Development Cost

  • 4 FTE team × 6 months: $300K
  • Infrastructure & tools: $20K
  • Compliance & legal: $30K
  • Beta testing & support: $25K
  • Total V1 Investment: $375K

Path to Sustainability

V1 Revenue Model:

  • Free tier: Basic sync features
  • Premium: $10/month (advanced features)
  • 1,000 premium users = $120K annual recurring revenue

V2 Enterprise Model:

  • District licensing: $2-5 per student/year
  • 10 mid-size districts (50K students) = $250K-625K ARR

Moving Forward

The Chrome Extension + Web Portal phased approach represents the fastest, lowest-risk path to providing immediate relief to Texas teachers while building toward sustainable enterprise automation.

Immediate Next Steps

  1. Secure Funding: $375K for V1 development and launch
  2. Recruit Core Team: 3.5 FTE by February 2026
  3. Establish Partnerships: Connect with TCC, ESCs, and pilot districts
  4. Begin Compliance: Join TX Student Privacy Alliance, initiate TX-NDPA process
  5. Set Up Infrastructure: Development environments, SIS/LMS test accounts

With your approval, we can begin development in February 2026 and deliver immediate value to Texas teachers by August 2026.