diff --git a/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Admin.yml b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Admin.yml
index 7aa489e110..5147a0c868 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Admin.yml	
+++ b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Admin.yml	
@@ -112,8 +112,10 @@ jobs:
         nuget pack $AdminPostgreSQLNuspecFilePath -OutputDirectory $packageOutput -Version $version -Properties "configuration=release" -Properties "authors=Ed-Fi Alliance" -Properties "owners=Ed-Fi Alliance" -Properties "copyright=Copyright © $(date +'%Y') Ed-Fi Alliance, LLC and Contributors" -NoPackageAnalysis -NoDefaultExcludes
     - name: Install-credential-handler
       if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
-      run: iex "& { $(irm https://aka.ms/install-artifacts-credprovider.ps1) } -AddNetfx"
-      shell: powershell
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/      
+      run: |      
+        .\build.githubactions.ps1 InstallCredentialHandler
+      shell: powershell 
     - name: Publish Nuget package
       if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
       working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Security.yml b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Security.yml
index d315e1726b..82b90c1302 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Security.yml	
+++ b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.Database.Security.yml	
@@ -112,8 +112,10 @@ jobs:
         nuget pack $SecurityPostgreSQLNuspecFilePath -OutputDirectory $packageOutput -Version $version -Properties "configuration=release" -Properties "authors=Ed-Fi Alliance" -Properties "owners=Ed-Fi Alliance" -Properties "copyright=Copyright © $(date +'%Y') Ed-Fi Alliance, LLC and Contributors" -NoPackageAnalysis -NoDefaultExcludes
     - name: Install-credential-handler
       if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
-      run: iex "& { $(irm https://aka.ms/install-artifacts-credprovider.ps1) } -AddNetfx"
-      shell: powershell
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/      
+      run: |      
+        .\build.githubactions.ps1 InstallCredentialHandler
+      shell: powershell 
     - name: Publish Nuget package
       working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/
       if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.yml b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5e128a24e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/Pkg EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.yml	
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# Licensed to the Ed-Fi Alliance under one or more agreements.
+# The Ed-Fi Alliance licenses this file to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
+# See the LICENSE and NOTICES files in the project root for more information.
+
+name: Pkg EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    branches: [main, 'b-v*-patch*','feature-*']
+  push:
+    branches: [main, 'b-v*-patch*','feature-*']
+  workflow_dispatch:
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number || github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+env:
+  INFORMATIONAL_VERSION: "7.2"
+  BUILD_INCREMENTER: "-41"
+  AZURE_ARTIFACT_URL: "https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/ed-fi-alliance/Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS/_packaging/EdFi/nuget/v3/index.json"
+  AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY: ${{ secrets.AZURE_ARTIFACTS_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
+  VSS_NUGET_EXTERNAL_FEED_ENDPOINTS : '{"endpointCredentials": [{"endpoint": "https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/ed-fi-alliance/Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS/_packaging/EdFi/nuget/v3/index.json","password": "${{ secrets.AZURE_ARTIFACTS_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}"}]}'
+  CONFIGURATION: "Release"
+  REPOSITORY_DISPATCH_BRANCH: ${{ github.event.client_payload.branch }}
+  HEAD_REF:  ${{ GITHUB.HEAD_REF }}
+  REF_NAME:  ${{ GITHUB.REF_NAME }}
+  REPOSITORY_OWNER: ${{ GITHUB.REPOSITORY_OWNER }}
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+
+    runs-on: windows-latest
+    steps:
+    - name: Check for Azure token
+      if: ${{ env.REPOSITORY_OWNER == 'Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS' && env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY == '' }}
+      run: | 
+        echo "::error::Missing Azure Token"
+        exit 1 
+    - name: Support longpaths
+      run: git config --system core.longpaths true        
+    - name: Checkout Ed-Fi-ODS
+      uses: actions/checkout@8ade135a41bc03ea155e62e844d188df1ea18608 # v4
+      with:
+          repository: Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS/Ed-Fi-ODS
+          path: Ed-Fi-ODS/
+    - name: Checkout Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation
+      uses: actions/checkout@8ade135a41bc03ea155e62e844d188df1ea18608 # v4
+      with:
+          repository: Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS/Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation
+          path: Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation/                
+    - name: Setup MSBuild for .NET Framework 4.8
+      uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@6fb02220983dee41ce7ae257b6f4d8f9bf5ed4ce #v2.0.0
+    - name: Cache Nuget packages
+      uses: actions/cache@58c146cc91c5b9e778e71775dfe9bf1442ad9a12 #v3.2.3
+      with:
+        path: ~/.nuget/packages
+        key: ${{ runner.os }}-nuget-${{ hashFiles('**/*.csproj*', '**/configuration.packages.json') }}
+        restore-keys: |
+          ${{ runner.os }}-nuget-
+    - name: update BUILD_INCREMENTER 
+      run: |      
+            $newRevision = ([int]${{ github.run_number }}) + ([int]${{env.BUILD_INCREMENTER}})
+            if ($newRevision -lt 0) {
+                $newRevision = 1
+                echo "BUILD_INCREMENTER=$newRevision">> $env:GITHUB_ENV
+            }
+      shell: powershell
+    - name: Update  version number in source.extension.vsixmanifest file
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/    
+      run: |
+        $BuildCounter = ${{ github.run_number }}
+        $BuildIncrementer = ${{env.BUILD_INCREMENTER}}
+        $InformationalVersion = ${{ env.INFORMATIONAL_VERSION}}        
+        $newRevision = ([int]$BuildCounter) + ([int]$BuildIncrementer)
+        $version = "$InformationalVersion.$newRevision"
+        Write-Host "ODS/API Version : $version"
+        $vsixManifestPath = "$env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE/Ed-Fi-ODS/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/source.extension.vsixmanifest"
+        $vsixManifestContent = Get-Content $vsixManifestPath -Raw
+
+        # Use regex to find the first <Identity> tag and extract the Version attribute value
+        $versionRegex = '<Identity[^>]*\sVersion="([^"]+)"'
+        $match = [regex]::Match($vsixManifestContent, $versionRegex)
+        if ($match.Success) {
+            $currentVersion = $match.Groups[1].Value
+            Write-Host "Current Version: $currentVersion"
+            
+            # Update the Version attribute with a new value
+            $newVersion = $version 
+            $updatedContent = $vsixManifestContent -replace "$versionRegex", ('<Identity Id="EdFi.ProjectTemplates" Version="{0}"' -f $newVersion)
+            
+            # Write the updated content back to the file
+            $updatedContent | Set-Content $vsixManifestPath
+            Write-Host "Version updated to: $newVersion"
+        } else {
+            Write-Host "Version attribute not found in <Identity> tag."
+        }
+      shell: powershell
+    - name: Restore NuGet packages
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/    
+      run: msbuild "$env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE/Ed-Fi-ODS/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.sln" /t:Restore
+      shell: powershell      
+    - name: build
+      run: msbuild "$env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE/Ed-Fi-ODS/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.sln" /p:Configuration=${{ env.CONFIGURATION }}
+      shell: powershell
+    - name: pack using nuget nuspec file
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/    
+      shell: powershell
+      run: |
+        .\build.githubactions.ps1 pack -Configuration ${{ env.CONFIGURATION }} -InformationalVersion ${{ env.INFORMATIONAL_VERSION}} -BuildCounter ${{ github.run_number }} -BuildIncrementer ${{env.BUILD_INCREMENTER}} -PackageName "EdFi.Suite3.ProjectTemplates.Installer" -NuspecFilePath "$env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE/Ed-Fi-ODS/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.nuspec"
+    - name: Install-credential-handler
+      if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/      
+      run: |      
+        .\build.githubactions.ps1 InstallCredentialHandler
+      shell: powershell   
+    - name: publish
+      if: ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY != '' &&  github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}    
+      working-directory: ./Ed-Fi-ODS/
+      run: |
+        .\build.githubactions.ps1 publish -InformationalVersion ${{ env.INFORMATIONAL_VERSION }} -BuildCounter ${{ github.run_number }} -BuildIncrementer ${{env.BUILD_INCREMENTER}} -NuGetApiKey ${{ env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_NUGET_KEY }} -EdFiNuGetFeed ${{env.AZURE_ARTIFACT_URL}} -PackageName "EdFi.Suite3.ProjectTemplates.Installer"
+      shell: powershell     
+    - name: Upload EdFi.Suite3.ProjectTemplates.Installer Artifacts
+      if: success()
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@3cea5372237819ed00197afe530f5a7ea3e805c8 # v3.1.0
+      with:
+        name: NugetPackages.Artifacts
+        path: ${{ github.workspace }}/Ed-Fi-ODS/NugetPackages/*.nupkg
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Application/EdFi.Ods.Api/Startup/OdsStartupBase.cs b/Application/EdFi.Ods.Api/Startup/OdsStartupBase.cs
index a4473edc2a..87b7f76a1b 100644
--- a/Application/EdFi.Ods.Api/Startup/OdsStartupBase.cs
+++ b/Application/EdFi.Ods.Api/Startup/OdsStartupBase.cs
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ private string GetPluginFolder(Plugin pluginSettings)
             }
 
             // in a developer environment the plugin folder is relative to the WebApi project
-            // "Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation/Application/EdFi.Ods.WebApi/bin/Debug/net6.0/../../../" => "Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation/Application/EdFi.Ods.WebApi"
+            // "Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation/Application/EdFi.Ods.WebApi/bin/Debug/net8.0/../../../" => "Ed-Fi-ODS-Implementation/Application/EdFi.Ods.WebApi"
             var projectDirectory = Path.GetFullPath(Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory!, "../../../"));
             var relativeToProject = Path.GetFullPath(Path.Combine(projectDirectory, pluginSettings.Folder));
 
diff --git a/Utilities/CodeGeneration/README.md b/Utilities/CodeGeneration/README.md
index c4aa9c8cf0..717ba89aa4 100644
--- a/Utilities/CodeGeneration/README.md
+++ b/Utilities/CodeGeneration/README.md
@@ -14,12 +14,9 @@ Ed-Fi ODS software developers and implementers.
 
 ## Prerequisites
 To build the application the following tools are needed:
-* .NET 6 SDK (https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)
+* .NET 8 SDK (https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)
 * Visual Studio 2022 (https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)
 
 ## Testing the generated artifacts against the main solution
 * Run `initdev` on the main solution first
 * run `Rebuild-Solution` or `initdev -NoCodegen`
-
-## Known issues
-* must use Visual Studio 2022+ net6 is not compatible with Visual Studio 2019
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites.csproj b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites.csproj
index 6d12506fb0..d767b2e86b 100644
--- a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites.csproj
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Composites.csproj
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@
     <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Reference Include="Microsoft.VisualStudio.CoreUtility">
-      <Private>False</Private>
-    </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
     <Reference Include="System.Core" />
     <Reference Include="System.Data" />
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions.csproj b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions.csproj
index 33b1aa18bd..051ce1f3ec 100644
--- a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions.csproj
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Extensions.csproj
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@
     <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Reference Include="Microsoft.VisualStudio.CoreUtility">
-      <Private>False</Private>
-    </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
     <Reference Include="System.Core" />
     <Reference Include="System.Data" />
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.csproj b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.csproj
index 6daf625718..07bf12a09e 100644
--- a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.csproj
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.csproj
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@
     </Content>
     <None Include="source.extension.vsixmanifest">
       <SubType>Designer</SubType>
+      <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
+      <TargetPath>extension.vsixmanifest</TargetPath>
+      <IncludeInVSIX>true</IncludeInVSIX>
     </None>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.nuspec b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.nuspec
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1ea3b1ab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.nuspec
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2010/07/nuspec.xsd">
+  <metadata>
+    <id>EdFi.Suite3.ProjectTemplates.Installer</id>
+    <version>0.0.0</version>
+    <authors>Ed-Fi Alliance</authors>
+    <owners>Ed-Fi Alliance</owners>
+    <copyright>$copyright$</copyright>
+    <projectUrl>https://github.com/Ed-Fi-Alliance-OSS/Ed-Fi-ODS</projectUrl>
+    <requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
+    <description>EdFi.Suite3.ProjectTemplates.Installer</description>
+    <releaseNotes></releaseNotes>
+    <license type="file">LICENSE.txt</license>
+  </metadata>
+  <files>
+    <file src="bin\$configuration$\LICENSE.txt" />
+    <file src="bin\$configuration$\EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer.vsix" target="." />    
+  </files>
+</package>
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/source.extension.vsixmanifest b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/source.extension.vsixmanifest
index 549d3a1517..e9e73d405e 100644
--- a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/source.extension.vsixmanifest
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Installer/source.extension.vsixmanifest
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <PackageManifest Version="2.0.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vsx-schema/2011"
 				 xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vsx-schema-design/2011">
 	<Metadata>
-		<Identity Id="EdFi.ProjectTemplates" Version="1.7.3" Language="en-US" Publisher="Ed-Fi Alliance" />
+		<Identity Id="EdFi.ProjectTemplates" Version="7.2.1" Language="en-US" Publisher="Ed-Fi Alliance" />
 		<DisplayName>Ed-Fi Alliance Project Templates</DisplayName>
-		<Description xml:space="preserve">Ed-Fi Alliance API C# project templates for creating composites, profiles, and/or extensions to work with ODS/API v7.1</Description>
+		<Description xml:space="preserve">Ed-Fi Alliance API C# project templates for creating composites, profiles, and/or extensions to work with ODS/API v7.2</Description>
 		<MoreInfo>https://www.ed-fi.org</MoreInfo>
 		<License>LICENSE.txt</License>
 		<ReleaseNotes>Release Notes.rtf</ReleaseNotes>
diff --git a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles.csproj b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles.csproj
index 2d098fd3a8..ad4231533f 100644
--- a/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles.csproj
+++ b/Utilities/VisualStudioProjectTemplates/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles/EdFi.ProjectTemplates.Profiles.csproj
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@
     <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Reference Include="Microsoft.VisualStudio.CoreUtility">
-      <Private>False</Private>
-    </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System" />
     <Reference Include="System.Core" />
     <Reference Include="System.Data" />
diff --git a/build.githubactions.ps1 b/build.githubactions.ps1
index 57f9cdba3e..c19bb78c14 100644
--- a/build.githubactions.ps1
+++ b/build.githubactions.ps1
@@ -234,22 +234,23 @@ function Get-IsWindows {
 function InstallCredentialHandler {
     if (Get-IsWindows -and -not Get-InstalledModule | Where-Object -Property Name -eq "7Zip4Powershell") {
          Install-Module -Force -Scope CurrentUser -Name 7Zip4Powershell
+         Write-Host "Installed 7Zip4Powershell."
     }
      # using WebClient is faster then Invoke-WebRequest but shows no progress
      $sourceUrl = ' https://github.com/microsoft/artifacts-credprovider/releases/download/v1.0.0/Microsoft.NuGet.CredentialProvider.zip'
      $fileName = 'Microsoft.NuGet.CredentialProvider.zip'
      $zipFilePath = Join-Path ([IO.Path]::GetTempPath()) $fileName
-     Write-host "Downloading file from $sourceUrl..."
+     Write-Host "Downloading file from $sourceUrl..."
      $webClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
      $webClient.DownloadFile($sourceUrl, $zipFilePath)
-     Write-host "Download complete." 
+     Write-Host "Download complete." 
      if (-not (Test-Path $zipFilePath)) {
          Write-Warning "Microsoft.NuGet.CredentialProvider file '$fileName' not found."
          exit 0
      }
      $packageFolder = Join-Path ([IO.Path]::GetTempPath()) 'Microsoft.NuGet.CredentialProvider/'
      if ($fileName.EndsWith('.zip')) {
-         Write-host "Extracting $fileName..."
+         Write-Host "Extracting $fileName..."
          
          if (Test-Path $zipFilePath) { Expand-Archive -Force -Path $zipFilePath -DestinationPath $packageFolder }
          Copy-Item -Path $packageFolder\* -Destination "~/.nuget/" -Recurse -Force