Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Pilot Update

Between now and June 2025, the NJDOE is partnering with districts to test the new NJSLEDS system through a series of pilot programs. These pilots allow us to collect feedback and refine both the system and the resources we’re building to support it.

Each pilot is divided into smaller groups called cohorts. These staggered waves allow us to refine materials, provide targeted support, and capture a range of user experiences. Feedback gathered now will shape training, help desk procedures, and platform improvements for our soft launch in July 2025 and full transition in September.

What is a Cohort?

A cohort is a smaller, defined group of districts participating in the NJSLEDS pilot program. These groups are tested together over a set period.

The use of cohorts enables the NJDOE to implement a gradual system rollout. Rather than initiating a full-scale launch immediately, we begin with smaller groups to test the system, gather insights from actual usage, and make necessary adjustments accordingly.

Why NJDOE uses a cohort model:

• Controlled testing: We can monitor system functionality in a manageable environment.
• Diverse feedback: Each group brings varied perspectives based on district size, staffing, and technical setup.
• Targeted support: Smaller groups allow us to provide more hands-on guidance and troubleshooting.
• Informed decisions: Cohort feedback helps us refine processes and make data-informed improvements before a wider release.

Pilot Considerations

Data Used in the Pilot

• Use representative of test data from your SIS or source vendor whenever possible.
• If live data is necessary, clearly mark it and keep it separate from production data.
• Do not update your SIS, source system, or NJ SMART based on pilot results.
• Changes made within the pilot environment will not transfer to other systems.
• All pilot data, including newly created SIDs and SMIDs, will be cleared at the end of testing.

File Layouts

• Submission templates mirror those used in NJ SMART.
• No new fields are introduced during the pilot, except for Staff Vacancy.

Snapshot Simulation

• A “snapshot” of submitted data is taken on the final day of each pilot.
• Sync issues may still occur based on legacy data; we appreciate your patience.

Read more about Pilot Considerations here.

System Tips and Reminders

Clarifying Source Systems vs. Target Systems

NJSLEDS is a target system—a destination for validated data used in official reporting. It is not a platform for editing records directly. All data in NJSLEDS must come from your local source system (such as your SIS or HR platform).

During the pilot:

• You may use test or representative data exported from your source system.
• If you choose to use real/live data, do not update your source system based on pilot findings.
• Any corrections made during the pilot should be applied directly in your pilot submission file (e.g., the .CSV UTF-8 you upload), not in your SIS, source system, or NJ SMART.

We recommend you keep pilot files separate and clearly labeled to avoid any unintentional updates to production systems. This helps maintain data integrity while allowing you to fully explore the system’s functionality.

Once NJSLEDS goes live, all official submissions will reflect the data currently stored in your local source systems. At that point, all corrections will need to happen in the source system before reuploading to NJSLEDS.