Welcome to the ODE Secure Web Portal User Guide

If you followed the directions below and cannot complete the sign-up process for some reason,
please contact the Security Administrator by clicking this link - Safe.Admin@education.ohio.gov

Secure Web Portal overview
Secure access through the ODE Web site involves several steps. First, ODE must be confident the secure account requestor is properly identified or "authenticated". To accomplish this, ODE requires the following information: Ohio Identity Card number or Ohio Drivers License number, date of birth and last four digits of requestor's Social Security Number. By providing this (correct) information, the requestor has satisfied the identity proofing criteria required to initiate a secure Web portal account. This series of numbers, used in combination, prevents duplicate accounts in ODE systems, and dramatically reduces the risk of  identity  fraud and "spoofing" by Internet criminals.  Once the secure account is created, the owner can use it with multiple applications within ODE, after the account owner is authorized to do so by ODE.

PLEASE NOTE: UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD OWNERS OF SECURE ODE WEB PORTAL (SAFE) ACCOUNTS SHARE ACCOUNT NAMES OR PASSWORDS. THIS PORTAL ACCOUNT IS YOUR UNIQUE AND SECURE WEB CONNECTION WITH THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.  PROVIDING YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL CREATES AN EXTREME RISK TO THE SECURITY OF YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMATION.

Because SAFE was designed to meet the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio DAS Administrative rules (linked below) requirements regarding electronic transactions,  a  SAFE user can "digitally" sign a document, just as they would using a pen and paper signature. If you are interested in more information regarding authentication process requirements, please see the Ohio Revised Code Title 13 Commercial Transactions - Ohio Uniform Commercial Code, Chapter 1306, Uniform Electronic Transaction Act, and also the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, Administrative Rule 123 "In response to the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, Use of Electronic Signatures and Records:" http://www.das.ohio.gov/Divisions/InformationTechnology/OhioStatutesandAdministrativeRules.aspx

For a more detailed overview of SAFE, please click here.

Sign-up instructions
Please follow the detailed instructions below to create a secure ODE Web Portal (SAFE) account. If you have questions regarding the process,
please contact the ODE Security Administrator.

  Navigate with a browser to
https://safe.ode.state.oh.us/portal/signup/


Please read the agreement carefully, and if you are interested in proceeding, click the "I agree" button at the bottom of the page to indicate your acceptance of the terms.

If you have a valid Ohio Identity card or Ohio Drivers License, please enter the number in the appropriate field on the license information screen, represented in the image below (as an example). Please type your date of birth in the appropriate field.  For example, if your birth date is April 12, 1955, it should appear as 04/12/1955 in the "Date of Birth"  field. Finally, please type the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number.

If you do not have a valid Ohio Identity card or Ohio Drivers License, please select the appropriate item and complete the alternate process. This process will require more time to perform the appropriate level of identity authentication. Please allow a minimum of 7 days for this alternate sign-up process. 

NOTE: By supplying these data elements, you have satisfied the authentication criteria required by the Ohio Department of Education. In other words, by providing correct information to the automated identity authentication system, you've proven your identity to ODE for purposes of creating a secure Web account and are permitted to proceed with the sign-in process. 

If you provide incorrect information during the identity authentication process, that information is tracked and a message similar to the one pictured below (in red) will occur:

Click on the “Continue” button when the REQUIRED fields are complete. All the fields require information before the form will allow you to continue.

 

If your information is already listed at the Department of Education, you will receive a screen stating that a some of your information may already exist in the system.   If the information listed is correct for you click the "This is me" button that appears on the screen. If you are not listed you can continue by clicking the "Here" in "Click Here if you do not see your information in the list. "

 

 

Please provide as much information as possible in the system. Only fields with adjacent red asterisks * are required.

 

 

 

 

 

Please enter YOUR email contact information in the field on this screen illustrated below for YOUR secure account. Please DO NOT insert the email account of another individual. Enter the email address from which you will conduct business with the Ohio Department of Education.


 

After you complete the email address field and click "continue", an email validation process will occur.

Note: Below  is an example of the e-mail you should have received. If you did not receive the e-mail please start the process over and check your input items. Please contact the Security Administrator if you continue to have problems.


Note: If you are using the Netscape Navigator 3.0 Mail Client (or later), Microsoft Outlook 97 (or later), or another email application that supports hyperlinks, click on the link above to open your Web browser. Other email software may require you to copy and paste the link into the address bar located at the top of the Web browser.


Open your e-mail application.

Find the email you just received from the Ohio Department of Education.

Click on the link in the e-mail next to the space “Link”.

 

The link will take you to the page below, which should contain the Key number already populating the Key field. If the fields are empty, please type in the appropriate Key, and the last 4 digits of your SSN.

Then click the "Continue" button at the bottom of the screen.

 

 

 

  Step six includes three important fields. Please enter your preferred account name the first field. A convention often used is "firstname.lastname", separated by a period, such as john.smith, janet.jones, anna.michelangelo-popodopolus, etc.

When entering a password, please remember to include 1 special character and 1 number in the password. Many software applications are offered on the Internet specifically targeted for cracking passwords. By including a special character and a number, it reduces the risk of criminals on the Internet "cracking" your password.

Note: Passwords must be longer than 6 characters and less than 20 characters; contain at least 1 number; contain 1 special character such as !@#$%^&*-=/*+|;:<[]>?.~'.You can also use a "passphrase", which may be easier to remember.

 

Please click the "Continue" button when you have completed the required fields on the form.

 

If you have chosen to not use your driver's license number, you will have to send in the Identity form, which can be found by clicking here.  Once ODE has received your identity form with a CLEAR copy of your identification card, your SAFE account will be created and you will be notified of your account name and password.


 

 

The screen below will appear in your browser when you have successfully completed the automated sign-up process. Please use the new account and password to complete the fields and click the button to sign in.

If you successfully sign in to the ODE Web portal (look for your name beside the sign-in button) you may see several text links to applications which you have been authorized to access, based on your OEDS role.

If you see only your name and the password maintenance link, and no application text links, that indicates you are not authorized to access any specific ODE secure Web applications. To gain access to a specific Web application, please contact the customer support team for the ODE-supported Web application to which you desire access.

Thank you for helping ODE provide secure access through the Internet !

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the ODE Security Administrator.