12 for 2012 - 12 for 2012 is an ECS “read of the field,” built on our scrutiny of new reports and research, and our analysis of emerging drivers of change. The 12 policy areas do not represent an exhaustive list of the critical issues for the coming year, nor is this report intended to dictate your education policy priorities for 2012. Rather, 12 for 2012 is intended to stimulate thinking around how best to craft the “2.0” of powerful policy across the states. (ECS, 2012)...

Race to the Top: Promising Approaches to Establishing Meaningful Data Systems Fostering Continuous Improvement (Goal 2) MS Word PDF - (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, March 2009)...

Using Data: How can long-term outcomes inform instructional programming? - Access related research titles from the ECS Research Studies Database. Links embedded in titles will take you to each study's major findings and recommendations....

Focus on People to Change Data Culture - This report examines the progress states have made toward effective use of data-asserting that, although states are making progress in supporting effective data use, the hardest work remains. (Data Quality Campaign, November 2012)...

Meeting Policymakers' Education Responsibilities Requires Cross-State Data Collaboration, Sharing, and Comparability - This document provides resources to help policymakers understand the challenges inherent in ensuring transferring students receive uninterrupted education and services, producing indicators that provide a complete picture, and ensuring that information is comparable across states. (Data Quality Campaign, November 2012)...

Pivotal Role of Policymakers as Leaders of P-20/Workforce Data Governance - This report contends that, while most states have established data governance processes that span the P–20W spectrum, the majority of states’ data governance structures lack the executive-level policymaker oversight necessary to systematically overcome these obstacles. The author asserts that policymaker leadership is critical to garner the political will and resources to address the barriers of turf, trust, technical issues, and time. The report outlines the following actions policymakers can take to effectively develop and lead P–20W data governance and ensure that data systems meet stakeholder needs: Establish the right structure; Select the right people; Empower the structure with the authority to make necessary decisions and implement charges, and; Ensure that the structure is sustainable, protecting the continuity of the state’s vision. (Data Quality Campaign, August 2012)...

Supporting Education Policy and Practice Through Common Standards - This policymaker's guide addresses how common data standards can ensure the quality, comparability, and efficient sharing of data. (Data Quality Campaign, April 2012)...

Data Implications of the ESEA Waivers - In February 2012 the US Department of Education granted 11 states the first round of waivers from some of the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in exchange for other commitments. This analysis summarizes the waiver requirements, highlights some of the data and data system implications, and notes the authors' observations (where applicable) about states’ data capacity to address those issues. (Data Quality Campaign, February 2012)...

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund—Revised Data Collection and Reporting Requirements: DQC Summary - In response to the U.S. Department of Education final regulations revising data collection and reporting requirements for states receiving funds under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF), the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) submitted comments on the proposed changes articulating the belief that they strike a sensible balance: they maintain a commitment to advancing states’ efforts to collect and use data for continuous improvement and richer accountability while making adjustments that reflect states’ realities on the ground. The changes give states the flexibility and time to ensure their data systems and reported metrics are high quality and useful to stakeholders and to further leverage federal funding opportunities to address critical data capacity needs. (Data Quality Campaign, February 2012)...

Providing High School Feedback - This brief discusses the value of 'high school feedback,' where students' postsecondary success is reported back to the high schools from which they came. Included in the report is data on how many states are leveraging their data systems to provide high schools with feedback and highlights of promising practices found in some states. (Data Quality Campaign, 2011)...

States Could Empower Stakeholders to Make Education Decisions with Data . . . but They Haven‘t Yet - How can states allocate scarce resources AND improve student achievement without data? The answer is simple: They can’t. States cannot inform these critical policy conversations, or any others for that matter, without effective data use. Click here for the full report, including clickable maps allowing you to view each state's progress. Click here for the executive summary. (Data Quality Campaign, November 2011)(Data Quality Campaign, November 2011)...

What Four States Are Doing to Support Local Data-Driven Decisionmaking: Policies, Practices and Programs - This report describes how Arkansas, Florida, Texas and Virginia are supporting local data-driven decisionmaking. These states were chosen because they reported implementing the largest number of features of state longitudinal data systems and associated supports for local use. The study documents statewide policies, practices and programs for creating data systems, improving access to data, and building district and school capacity to use the data. (REL-Mid-Atlantic/National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance-IES, November 2011)...

Maximizing Education Data Use in SREB States - SREB states have led the nation in implementing the 10 essential elements of effective data systems identified by the Data Quality Campaign (DQC), a national collaborative effort to boost data collection. SREB partnered with DQC recently to host leaders from SREB states at a forum in Atlanta to discuss boosting the capacity of their systems. SREB’s Policy on Point report also looks at the region’s efforts and describes actions states can take to maximize data use. (Jeff Gagne, SREB, September 2011)...

Using Data to Improve Teacher Effectiveness: A Primer for State Policymakers - Policymakers across the nation are leading efforts to ensure that every classroom has an effective teacher. Faced with the need to dramatically improve student outcomes, states have embraced a policy agenda that promotes and supports teacher quality in many ways, including developing evaluation and compensation policies, targeting professional development, determining the characteristics of effective teachers through research, and identifying effective teacher preparation programs. (Data Quality Campaign, July 2011)...

Building and Supporting an Aligned System: A Vision for Transforming Education Across the Pre-K-Grade Three Years - This statement articulates 10 steps that would promote higher student achievement by creating a more aligned P-3 learning experience. Recommendations touch on improvements in funding strategies and longitudinal data systems while calling for more coherent policies and structures at all levels of government to support P-3 education. The statement also acknowledges the importance of a “research-based” and “age-appropriate” set of standards for the P-3 grades that attend to the development of social-emotional and self-regulatory as well as cognitive and academic skills. (National Association of Elementary School Principals, 2011)...

Ten Essential Elements of a State Longitudinal Data System - The 10 Essential Elements of Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, along with the 10 State Actions, provide guidelines for state policymakers to ensure that quality data are used to increase student achievement. All states have committed to implement the 10 Essential Elements by September 2011, and every state should be poised to fulfill this 50-state commitment. (Data Quality Campaign)...

Workforce Information: A Critical Component of Coordinated State Early Care and Education Data Systems - An examination of the early care and education workforce data landscape across the states, focusing on the three main workforce data systems operating across the states. This report also examines the challenges and efforts to align these systems. (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, March 2011)...

Using Data to Improve Education: A Legal Reference Guide to Protecting Student Privacy and Data Security - This legal guide provides summaries of multiple federal and state laws that have implications for statewide longitudinal data systems. The legal guide can be accessed below in multiple ways: by federal law, state law by issue, and state law by state. (Data Quality Campaign, March 2011)...

2009-10 Indicators Report - This new SREB report provides the first interstate comparisons on the much needed indicators that facilitate the achievement of state's college completion goals. (Southern Regional Education Board, December 2010)...

Putting Data Into Practice: Lessons From New York City - This document looks at New York City's efforts to create an evidence-based and collaborative teaching culture. Few other districts have embraced the use of data like the nation’s largest school system. As such, its experience offers valuable lessons for other schools and systems seeking to maximize the use of data to drive and inform classroom-level instruction. (Bill Tucker, Education Sector, October 2010)...

Many States Collect Graduates' Employment Information, but Clearer Guidance on Student Privacy Requirements is Needed - The Higher Education Opportunity Act directed the GAO to study the information that states have on the employment outcomes of postsecondary graduates. This report describes: (1) the extent and purposes for which states collect data related to employment and the challenges they face in doing so; (2) potential approaches to expanding states' collection efforts across states and nationwide; and (3) how states and schools collaborate with employees to align education and workforce needs. (U.S. Government Accountability Office, September 2010)...

Building and Using Coordinated State Early Care and Education Data Systems: A Framework for State Policymakers - In consultation with an early childhood data advisory group, and with feedback from early childhood stakeholder groups, the Early Childhood Data Collaborative developed a framework that: (1) articulates principles for developing state ECE (early care and education) data systems that enable continuous improvement and answer states’ critical policy questions;(2) identifies the 10 ECE Fundamentals that provide the foundation for coordinated ECE data systems; (3) and provides guidance to state policymakers to ensure appropriate data access and use while protecting privacy and keeping data secure. (Early Childhood Data Collaborative, Data Quality Campaign, August 2010)...

Getting Started: 10 Fundamentals of Coordinated State Early Care and Education Data Systems - Transforming data systems so that they are improvement driven, coordinated and longitudinal lays the groundwork for coordinated state early care and education data systems. The 10 fundamentals outlined in this report provide the foundation for answering the critical questions that policymakers seek to answer. (The Early Childhood Data Collaborative, August 2010)...

Using Longitudinal Data Systems to Inform State Teacher Quality Efforts - This brief attempts to answer the following questions: what is driving the increased attention being placed on building statewide data systems; what the current national landscape is with regard to state data systems; is the stimulus funding requirements driving the current activity; what can be learning from linking teachers with students and what are the challenges in implementing reliable links; and, how can states build the capacity of their educators to use data effectively? (George Noell and Paige Kowalski, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, May 2010)...

Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making - This useful guide offers five recommendations to help educators effectively use data to monitor students' academic progress and evaluate instructional practices. (Institute of Education Sciences, 2010)...

Making the Numbers Add Up: A Guide for Using Data in College Access and Success Programs - State-by-state college attainment statistics that can serve as a call to action to make higher education more accessible and attainable for all Americans. (Lumina Foundation, December 2009)...

Annual Progress Report on State Data Systems - Each year, the Data Quality Campaign surveys all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to assess states’ progress toward implementing the 10 Essential Elements of a high-quality longitudinal data system. In 2005, no states reported having all 10 Elements. This year, 11 states have all 10 Elements (up from six states in 2008). (Data Quality Campaign, November 2009)...

Linking Data Across Agencies: States That Are Making it Work - This issue brief captures the current status of states' ability to link data across agencies, the opportunities and challenges they face, and how leading states are breaking down silos to ensure data follow individual students over time to improve success. (Rebecca Carson, Elizabeth Laird, Elizabeth Gaines and Thaddeus Ferber, Data Quality Campaign, November 2009)...

Achieving a Wealth of Riches: Delivering on the Promise of Data to Transform Teaching and Learning - This policy brief addresses why using data represents a significant shift for most teachers in how they perform their jobs, explains the importance of using multiple types of data to affect learning, details the infrastructure necessary to encourage Teachers' use of data, and provides federal policy recommendations. (Alliance for Excellent Education, August 2009)...

State Actions to Change the Culture Around Data--From Building to Using Data: State Action 9: Educator Capacity to Use Data - Action plan for states to gauge educator capacity to use data. (Data Quality Campaign, 2009)...

Education Data Warehouse Serves Important Function; Project Planning and Management Need Strengthening - Florida's Education Data Warehouse plays an important role by enabling policymakers, educators and researchers to track student progress from prekindergarten through graduate school. However the warehouse has not fully implemented tools to improve stakeholders' access to education data. Recommendations are given for the Florida Department of Eduction to remedy the situation. (OPPAGA, July 2009)...

Using Unique Identifiers to Promote Data Sharing Between Part C and Part B - These two indicators require states to have data systems and procedures in place that allow them to collect accurate student-level data between two different programs that are often administered by different state agencies. Using unique identifiers that are assigned to children identified in Part C and remain assigned to the child as they transition to Part B is one aspect of data sharing that some states have used in order to improve early childhood transition. (Chandra Keller-Allen, NASDSE, April 2009)...

The Next Step: Using Longitudinal Data Systems to Improve Student Success - Over the next few years the DQC will continue to assist states in developing data systems based on 10 essential elements and in using the information to improve student performance. DQC will focus on two high-priority needs: building demand for the newly available information and helping state agencies assist all stakeholders in harnessing this powerful source of information. (Data Quality Campaign, March 2009)...

Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008 - Online enrollment in college classes jumped 13% in 2007 and growth is expected to continue because of a weak economy. Good jobs are scarce and commuting requires time and money. Most popular fields are psychology, liberal arts and social sciences. (I. Elaine Allen and Jeff Seaman, The Sloan Consortium, November 2008)...

Power of Longitudinal Data: Measuring Student Academic Growth - The use of growth models statewide requires that states develop longitudinal data systems to track individual student performance over time. This report identifies the eight essential elements which should be incorporated in the growth model and indicates the policy and practice questions growth models can help address. (Data Quality Campaign, 2008)...

They Can Pass, But Are They College Ready? Using Longitudinal Data to Identify College and Career Readiness Benchmarks on State Assessments - This resource guide focuses on data that states must collect and analyze to identify scores on the state test that provide strong assurance that the student is college-ready. To inform the setting of these benchmarks, states need information on the relationships among state test scores and other indicators of student readiness for college and workforce training programs. (Chrys Dougherty, Data Quality Campaign, October 2008)...

Data Governance: Changing Culture, Breaking Down Silos and Deciding Who Is in Control - The amount and demand for high-quality, accessible education data are increasing and the roles and responsibilities of data managers at the state and district levels are changing. Growing numbers of policymakers are calling for better information on the educational experience and how it relates to other important issues such as child health, welfare, early childhood education and postsecondary success. This policy brief discusses the benefits of data governance for improved data quality and use; key elements for changing culture to leverage technology for successful data governance; and three case studies in implementing data governance strategies. (National Center for Educational Achievement, Data Quality Campaign, August 2008)...

Do “College-Preparatory” Courses Live Up to Their Labels? Using Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems to Assess the Rigor of Academic Courses - Putting all or nearly all high school students into college-preparatory high school courses will accomplish the desired goal of preparing students for college only if adequate steps are taken to prepare students in advance for success in the courses and to offer additional support to students who enter high school with gaps in their academic preparation. With a longitudinal data systems, states can monitor student academic results over time to see if these things are happening. (Data Quality Campaign, Chrys Dougherty, August 2008)...

The Third Wave of Longitudinal Data Systems: Data Partnerships - The capacity of state data systems to collect, analyze and provide useful data to inform policymaker and educator decisions has dramatically increased since 2005 when the DQC first surveyed states about the capacity of their data systems. Unless this data is analyzed deeply and used widely to help improve student achievement and outcomes, there will be little need to build robust longitudinal data systems. Some states have begun to work with other entities to make full use of the data. These efforts are described in this report. (Data Quality Campaign, Jane Armstrong, Terry Bergner and Nancy Smith, August 2008) ...

Using Longitudinal Data Systems: How ACT, SAT and AP Results Can Increasingly Inform Policymaking, School Improvement and Student College Readiness - The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) recommends that state P-12 data systems include 10 essential elements so they can be used as a powerful tool for tracking and improving individual student progress as well as answering important policy and educational improvement questions. One of the essential elements addresses the need to collect student-level scores on these common college readiness indicators—the ACT, SAT and AP exams. Matching these scores with other student-level performance, course and program participation data can provide valuable information for educators to use when working with individual students about their progress toward college readiness. The information is also invaluable for policymakers, schools and districts to use when evaluating their efforts towards student preparation for postsecondary education. According to the DQC 2007 survey of state data systems, just four states have all ten elements in place and only 15 are counted as having the college readiness scores. (Data Quality Campaign, Jane Armstrong, Terry Bergner, Susan Hanes and Nancy Smith, August 2008)...

En Route to Seamless Statewide Education Data Systems - An accurate, timely, and secure statewide longitudinal data system can provide a unified view of student achievement from year to year across the K-16 system. While the technical aspects of the data linkages are critical to successful implementation, equally important are the processes that will lead to mobilizing education sectors around the common goal of increasing student educational attainment at every level. To move from a better data system to better policy and better outcomes will take time and multiple steps. The process begins with ensuring that all affected constituents see the value of the data system and work together to build it cooperatively around shared state-level purposes. More useful data systems can facilitate better policy and better outcomes. (State Higher Education Executive Officers, Sharmila Basu Conger, August 2008)...

En Route to Seamless Statewide Education Data Systems: Addressing Five Cross-Cutting Concerns - A 2007 workshop involving 11 states and experts in the field identified five core processes that are key to implementing K-16 longitudinal data initiatives: identifying shared benefits for K-12 and postsecondary education sectors, reconciling technical differences between independently created data systems, assuring student privacy, designing systems that enable effective use, and planning for long-term sustainability of state data systems. This report provides a framework for getting started and for addressing these five core issues. (Sharmila Basu Conger, State Higher Education Executive Officers, August 2008)...

Early Childhood Assessment: Why, What, and How - This National Research Council report articulates the latest understanding of best practices in early childhood assessments, leading with the basic principle that the purpose of each assessment should drive decisions about what to measure, how to measure it, and how to use the data. Guidelines for these processes are provided to ensure that the benefits of assessing young children outweigh any negative effects on the children, adults, or programs, such as making children anxious or overburdening teachers. (National Research Council, 2008)...

Longitudinal Effects of the Arkansas Better Chance Program: Findings from Kindergarten and First Grade - In this study, researchers at that National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) found mixed, though generally positive, pre-k outcomes. While children who attended pre-k, upon kindergarten entry, did significantly better than their peers on measures of vocabulary, basic reading skills, and early math skills, by the end of kindergarten the only evidence of significant impact was for vocabulary skills. Moreover, by the end of first grade, researchers found significant impact for early math and basic reading skills, but not for vocabulary....

Teachers' Use of Student Data Systems to Improve Instruction: 2005 to 2007 - Using data from national surveys of teachers and school districts, this brief documents the results of efforts to promote data-informed decision-making within schools. Estimates of the prevalence of K-12 teachers’ access to and use of electronic student data systems at two time points (schools years 2004-05 and 2006-07) are provided. Specifically, the brief addresses three research questions: (1) How broadly are student data systems being implemented in districts and schools; (2) How prevalent are supports for data use and tools for generating and acting on data; and, (3) How are school staff using student data systems. (Lawrence Gallagher, Barbara Means and Christine Padilla, U.S. Department of Education, 2008)...