The United States Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) implemented its first XML schema in 2002 responding to a business request to streamline student aid data when two major systems were merged. Since this time, FSA has used its move to XML technology as a cornerstone for an effective enterprise data management strategy, which emphasizes data as a critical asset.

This framework was developed to address the following strategic drivers for FSA:

• Simplify and standardize data exchange with internal and external trading partners.
• Deliver consistent and accurate data across the enterprise-level systems at FSA.
• Achieve enterprise-wide efficiencies related to better data exchange standards and policies.
• Strengthen FSA’s relationship with the government and financial aid community data standards bodies, to support industry wide data exchange standards.

The XML Framework vision was to use XML, via a single set of enterprise and community standards, to simplify and streamline data exchange across postsecondary education. This vision was the foundation of FSA’s Enterprise Data Standardization effort under an overall Enterprise Data Management initiative.