TECHNICAL SECURITY GROUPS and PERMISSIONS

Student Plans

TECHNICAL – SECURITY GROUPS and PERMISSIONS

Security groups can be used to define a set of permissions so that you can assign the security group to people and don’t have to assign individual permissions for each person. This also allows you to change the permissions for a group of people all at once rather than having to change the permissions for each person in the group.

As new modules are added to Student Plans, you will need to edit the security group and add access for the additional module. Then select to apply the change to all members

Normally you’ll set up groups based on roles within your district. You may define as many Security Groups with different permissions as you need. Some examples include:

Teacher
Case Manager
Plan Reviewer
Plan Approver
Plan Administrator
Special Education Teacher
Guidance Counselor
School Nurse
Service Provider
School Administrator
District Administrator
Principal
Superintendent
System Administrator

Please refer to the Staff Maintenance section of this manual for more information on applying security groups to people in your district.

Setting Permissions (Roles) for Staff Members

What users can do in the Student Plans system along with the data they have access to, is dependent on how their permissions are set up. Generally, you will want to set permissions for people by setting up groups so that you do not have to set individual permissions for every user in the system. However, there are always a few individuals in every organization that have unique needs, so the Student Plans system allows you to set unique permissions for individuals in the

system as well.

On the Menu Bar, click Staff Maintenance. / The Staff List search page is displayed.
Click in the boxes and enter search criteria for the staff member(s) you wish to find. /
Click the Search button. / The Staff List page is displayed.
In the Staff List table, click the Roles link next to the person for whom you wish to set permissions. / The Staff Permissions Definition page is displayed.
Functions within the Student Plans system are listed as roles within each of the modules available in your district. See the Security Groups section of this manual for details on the function of some of the Roles listed.
At the bottom of the page, click in the Use Security Group drop-down menu and select a Security Group with permissions appropriate for this user. / It’s generally preferable to assign permissions based on Security Groups, but even if you’re assigning them individually for a user, it’s often helpful to assign a Security Group that’s close to what you want and then change a few items.
At the bottom of the page, click to check the Use Security Group permissions checkbox. / If you want to set permissions individually for this user without using a Security Group as a starting point, click to uncheck the Use Security Group Permissions checkbox.
Click the Submit button / The page is redisplayed with the permissions shown for the selected Security Group. If you are only assigning permissions based on a Security Group (not individual permissions) for this user, you are done.
Continue ONLY if you intend to set individual permissions for this user.
At the bottom of the page, click to uncheck the ‘Use Security Group’ permissions checkbox. / READ THE OPTIONS CAREFULLY AND USE WITH CAUTION!
Click in the radio buttons for the permissions you wish to assign to this person. / Be sure to set the permission high enough for each role to allow the user to do his or her work but not so high that they have access to data that they shouldn’t.

None – the user will not be allowed to perform that function. This is the default permission setting for each role.
Person’s School – the user will be allowed to perform the role within their school but not in other schools.
Person’s District – the user will be allowed to perform the role across the entire district.

Depending on the environment and your permission levels, you may also be able to set:

Select Schools – the user will be allowed to perform the role within particular schools as selected below.
Person’s District – the user will be allowed to perform the role within selected districts (in a coop environment) as selected below.
Selected Districts – the user will be allowed to perform the role within all districts (in a coop environment).

If selecting schools or districts, click on the appropriate Select link. / These options will only be available if YOU have that permission – you can only assign other people permissions that are within your scope.
Click in the checkboxes to select the appropriate schools or districts.
Click the Submit button / The Staff Permissions Definition page is displayed with a success message.
Click the Submit button. / The Staff Permissions Definition page is redisplayed with a success message.

Adding New Security Groups

On the District Maintenance Menu Bar, click Security Groups. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with a table of all the security groups in the system.
Above the security groups table, click the Add New Security Group Template link. / The Security Group Template Definition page is displayed.
Click in the Security Group Template Code box and type a short abbreviation for the new security group. / The Security Group Template Code is limited to 10 characters.
Click in the Description box and type a description for the new security group.
Click the Submit Button. / The Security Group Template Definition page is redisplayed with a success message.
On the Menu Bar, click Security Groups. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with the new group you just added in the table.
Once you’ve added a new group, you’ll need to change the permissions for it. See the next section in this manual.

Changing Permissions for a Security Group

On the District Maintenance Menu Bar, click Security Groups. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with a table of all the security groups in the system.
In the security permissions table, click Permissions for the group you wish to change. / The Security Group Permissions page is displayed.
Functions within the Student Plans system are listed as roles within each of the modules available in your district.
*This needs to be edited when new modules are added to your system.
Click in the radio buttons for the permissions you wish to assign to this group. / For each role there are three columns that define scope (a person’s level of access to the data):

None - people in this group will not be allowed to perform that function. This is the default permission setting for each role.
Person’s School – people in this group will be allowed to perform the function within their school but not in other schools.
Person’s District – people in this group will be allowed to perform the function across the entire district.

Click in the checkboxes at the bottom of the page for any of the options you’d like to apply to the group. / READ THE OPTIONS CAREFULLY AND USE WITH CAUTION!
Normally you’ll want to check the first box.
Note that you can use the second two checkboxes to apply changes to a group but that the changes are not saved in the Security Group Template.
Click the Submit button. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with a success message.

Role Definition Detail

Following are some brief descriptions of what is affected by each of the Role settings and a sample screen shot showing the base menu for someone with these permissions. This is not a comprehensive description of the functionality but is intended to give you a sense of what is affected by each setting. Note that they’re listed in the system from the lowest level of security to the highest in each module. Each role is limited in scope by schools and district. In general, Case Managers, Service Providers and Evaluators have access to cases (students) that they are assigned to and other staff has limited access based on roles specifically assigned to them.

SPED Module

View Spec Ed Cases - Allows a user to see all students and all paperwork for case manager. Specify districts and schools that each staff person needs access to. No changes to any form can be made. Search by school, name, grade and/or student ID.

Evaluate Cases - Allows user to be listed on Evaluation Plans. They can write Evaluation Reports, Draft Goals and Draft PLEPs. Evaluators can view other documentation for students they are assigned to evaluate.

Manage Spec Ed Cases - Allows a staff person to be assigned as a case manager. Case managers can also provide services and evaluate.

Assign Spec Ed Cases – Enables the Assign/Manage Cases menu item and allows the user to assign and reassign cases to other users in the system.
Transfer Plan – Allows a user to create a transfer plan. This is an IEP/ISP that has a less rigorous completeness check. It could be used to enter existing IEPs when first starting to use Student Plans, or to enter the basics of an existing IEP written at another district for a student transferring into the districts. Because of the relaxed completeness check, this permission is usually only assigned to experienced and trusted users.
Spec Ed Case Master - Allows a user to assume the role of another person. This is the ‘back door’ access to other staff persons’ paperwork. Case Master users automatically get the rights to the following roles: View All Cases, Assign/Manage Cases and Evaluate Cases
Service Provider - Allows a user to be assigned to cases as Service Providers. Service Providers can view all student documentation for the students they are assigned to. Limited to the district(s) and school(s) as defined by roles and permissions. Service Providers can print ServiceReports and create Service Logs.
Run Spec Ed Reports – Enables the Run Reports menu option and allows the user to run reports.

Billing Manager - Billing Managerscan produce billing documentation and reports. With other permissions, Billing Managers could View student IEPs, IIIP, etc.
Correct Plans – Allows a user to change a Final IEP or IIIP to Correct status to make changes. This permission is usually only assigned to experienced and trusted users.

S504 Module

View S504 Cases - Allows a user to see all students and all paperwork for case manager. Specify districts and schools that each staff person needs access to. No changes to any form can be made. Search by school, name, grade and/or student ID.
Manage S504 Cases - Allows a staff person to be assigned as an S504 case manager. The My 504 Accommodations menu item allows a 504 case manager the rights to create accommodations for the students they case manage.
Assign S504 Cases – Enables the Assign/Manage Cases menu item and allows the user to assign and reassign cases to other users in the system.
S504 Case Master - Allows a user to assume the role of another person. This is the ‘back door’ access to other staff persons’ paperwork. Case Master users automatically get the rights to the following roles: View All Cases, Assign/Manage Cases and Evaluate Cases
S504 Accommodation Provider - Allows a user to be assigned to cases as an Accommodation Provider. Accommodation Providers can view all student documentation for the students they are assigned to. Limited to the district(s) and school(s) as defined by roles and permissions.
Run S504 Reports – Enables the Run Reports menu option and allows the user to run reports.

Health Module (displayed only when you have this this module)

View Health Plans - Allows a user to see all students and all paperwork for case manager. Specify districts and schools that each staff person needs access to. No changes to any form can be made. Search by school, name, grade and/or student ID.

Limited Health Plan Manager - There are two types of Health Plan Managers. Health Plan Mangers and Limited Health Plan Managers. Limited Health Plan Managers typically have fewer rights to the Medical Library and Nursing Diagnosis tables.
Health Plan Manager – See Limited Health Plan manager description.
Assign Health Plans – Enables the Assign/Manage Cases menu item and allows the user to assign and reassign cases to other users in the system.
Health Plan Master - Allows a user to assume the role of another person. This is the ‘back door’ access to other staff persons’ paperwork. Case Master users automatically get the rights to the following roles: View All Cases, Assign/Manage Cases and Evaluate Cases

CLP Module

View ContinuousLearning Plans –Allows a user to see all students and all paperwork for case manager. Specify districts and schools that each staff person needs access to. No changes to any form can be made. Search by school, name, grade and/or student ID.
Update Continuous Learning Plans – Can edit CLPs.
Continuous Learning Plan Manager – Can be assigned as a case manager. Case managers can also provide services and evaluate.
Monitor Continuous Learning Plans - Can view CLPs but cannot edit them.
Assign Continuous Learning Plans – Can assign CLPs to other users, can change student IDs, and can Merge/Split cases.
Continuous Learning Plan Master – Allows a user to assume the role of another person. This is the ‘back door’ access to other staff persons’ paperwork. Case Master users automatically get the rights to the following roles: View All Cases, Assign/Manage Cases and Evaluate Cases.

Transportation Module (viewable only if additional module was purchased by district)

View Transportation –Allows a user to see all students and all paperwork for case manager. Specify districts and schools that each staff person needs access to. No changes to any form can be made. Search by school, name, grade and/or student ID.
Transportation Master – Allows a user to assume the role of another person. This is the ‘back door’ access to other staff persons’ paperwork. Case Master users automatically get the rights to the following roles: View All Cases, Assign/Manage Cases and Evaluate Cases

Base Module

Teacher – Places My Students on the menu
Modify Release Consent Forms - Can edit Release Consent documents.
Imports/Exports - Import/Export is used when setting up Student Plans for the first time.
Staff Maintenance – Users can add Staff Members in the schools to which the user has permissions. If a person does not have the rights to Staff Security, the Roles link would not be visible.

Staff Security – Staff Security manager control what permissions Staff Members have in the system. Users with Staff Security automatically get Staff Maintenance. Users cannot give themselves more permissions than what has been given to them.
District Maintenance – Allows user to modify District settings (schools, calendars, etc.)
System (Template) Maintenance – Users have access to all tables as assigned by the coordinator to be managed at the district level and can make changes to those tables.

Editing Security Group Names

Removing Security Groups

On the District Maintenance Menu Bar, click Security Groups. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with a table of all the security groups in the system.
In the security permissions table, click Delete for the group you wish to remove. / The Security Group Template Definition page is displayed with a message to confirm that you really want to delete this security group.
If you do not wish to delete this security group, click the Cancel button.
Click the Confirm Delete button. / The Security Group Templates page is displayed with a success message.

cmERDC (Central Minnesota Educational Research and Development Council)

(Security groups setup.doc)