PowerSchool Authentication API

OAuth 2.0 token operations

OpenAPI Specification

powerschool-authentication-api-openapi.yml Raw ↑
openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: PowerSchool SIS REST Authentication API
  description: The PowerSchool SIS REST API provides programmatic access to student information system data including student demographics, enrollment records, grades, attendance, master scheduling, and district reporting. The API uses OAuth 2.0 client credentials for authentication and returns data in JSON format. Endpoints follow the /ws/v1/ path convention and support GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE HTTP methods for full CRUD operations on supported resources. Authentication tokens are obtained via /oauth/access_token/ using Basic auth with client credentials provisioned through the PowerSchool Plugin Management Dashboard.
  version: 1.0.0
  contact:
    name: PowerSchool Developer Support
    url: https://help.powerschool.com/
  termsOfService: https://www.powerschool.com/legal/
servers:
- url: https://{district}.powerschool.com
  description: District PowerSchool instance
  variables:
    district:
      description: The subdomain of the school district's PowerSchool installation
      default: demo
security:
- BearerAuth: []
tags:
- name: Authentication
  description: OAuth 2.0 token operations
paths:
  /oauth/access_token/:
    post:
      operationId: getAccessToken
      summary: Obtain OAuth 2.0 access token
      description: Exchange client credentials for a Bearer access token using the OAuth 2.0 client credentials grant type. The client_id and client_secret are provisioned through the PowerSchool Plugin Management Dashboard. Credentials must be Base64-encoded in the Authorization header as Basic {base64(client_id:client_secret)}.
      tags:
      - Authentication
      security:
      - BasicAuth: []
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/x-www-form-urlencoded:
            schema:
              type: object
              required:
              - grant_type
              properties:
                grant_type:
                  type: string
                  enum:
                  - client_credentials
                  description: Must be "client_credentials"
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Access token issued successfully
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Token'
        '401':
          description: Invalid client credentials
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
components:
  schemas:
    Error:
      type: object
      description: API error response
      properties:
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable error description
        error:
          type: string
          description: Error code or type
        status:
          type: integer
          description: HTTP status code
    Token:
      type: object
      description: OAuth 2.0 access token response
      required:
      - access_token
      - token_type
      - expires_in
      properties:
        access_token:
          type: string
          description: The Bearer access token value
        token_type:
          type: string
          description: Token type, typically "Bearer"
          example: Bearer
        expires_in:
          type: string
          description: Token lifetime in seconds (returned as string)
          example: '3600'
  securitySchemes:
    BearerAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: bearer
      description: Bearer token obtained from /oauth/access_token/ using client credentials. Tokens expire and must be refreshed.
    BasicAuth:
      type: http
      scheme: basic
      description: Basic auth with Base64-encoded client_id:client_secret for the token endpoint only.