Statewide Education Longitudinal Data Systems: A Federal/State Partnership to Support Data-Driven Decisionmaking

• Activity Number: 280
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Government Statistics
• Author(s): Jeff Sellers*+
• Companies: Consultant
• Keywords: Data ; data use ; slds ; longitudinal data ; education data

Abstract

Since 2005, the US Education Department has been offering competitive funds to states for the development of statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDS). More than 40 states have received SLDS grant funds to develop these systems. Other states are using Race to the Top (RT3) funds or their own state funds to build these systems, which link education information, longitudinally, to enable a robust method for tracking student performance. States are also taking their K-12 SLDS' and linking them to early learning, post-secondary, employment and other data sources in an effort to get a more comprehensive picture of students. States need to leverage the potential that comes with these SLDS' and take these opportunities to use their SLDS for state level policy and program evaluation, along with providing education data down to the districts, schools and teachers to inform instruction and facilitate data-driven decisions. This session will provide examples how Florida has been able to use its SLDS, the PK-20 Education Data Warehouse, to evaluate and build upon existing policies and programs within the state, support legislation development and future plans for additional data use.