Leveraging Federal Funding for Longitudinal Data Systems - A Roadmap for States

This roadmap provides a starting point for state plans by identifying federal funding sources that can be used for data-related activities. The dollar amounts included in this document reflect new American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding, which is in addition to regular FY 2009 appropriations and separate from FY 2010 budget requests.

Most of this information is pulled from federal legislation, statute or guidance. DQC has also provided suggestions, noted next to the "tip" icon, for how states might be able to use these identified funds. This interactive roadmap transforms the printed version and will be continually updated, so check back often.

Key Related Resources

P-20: Early Childhood to K-12 to Postsecondary to Workforce

Statewide Longitudinal Data System Grants | $250 million

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) | $48.6 billion

State Incentive Grants (i.e., Race to the Top) | $4.35 billion

IDEA Part B (ages 3–21) | $11.7 billion

IDEA Part C (ages birth–2) | $500 million

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV)*

Title I Funds | $13 billion

Higher Ed. Opp. Act | $100 million

Adult Education and Family Literacy*

Teacher Incentive Fund | $200 million

Enhancing Ed. Tech. | $650 million

M-V Homeless Assistance | $70 million

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families | $5 billion

Child Care and Development Block Grant | $2 billion

Head Start | $1 billion

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) | $3.95 billion

Workforce Data Quality Initiative | $12.5 million

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Statewide Longitudinal Data System Grants

These grants are intended to enable state education agencies “to design, develop, and implement statewide, longitudinal data systems to efficiently and accurately manage, analyze, disaggregate and use individual student data. Under ARRA, funding provided under this competition is to be used for Statewide data systems that, in addition to K-12 data, also include postsecondary and workforce information.

Tip

States should use these funds to build out their data systems to ensure that they have the DQC 10 essential elements. States should also think about using these funds to provide access to and improve the use of the information coming out of these systems.

U.S. Department of Education

$250 million

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce

Federal Register, SLDS RFA Invitation (PDF)

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF)

In exchange for the new, one-time funding, states must commit to education reform in four areas, including “establishing pre-K-to-college-and-career data systems that track progress and foster continuous improvement.”

Tip

Local education agencies can use their allocated funds for activities
such as providing training for educators on the use of data to improve instruction, connecting to the statewide data system, and funding upgrades to the infrastructures and student information systems at the district and school levels. There is no specific set-aside for state education agencies as part of the SFSF; however, to the extent that they are able to receive any of the SFSF from the governor, they may also use these funds to develop the state data system and the fuller use of data in the system.

U.S. Department of Education

$48.6 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce

U.S. Department of Education SFSF Guidance (PDF)

State Incentive Grants (i.e., Race to the Top)

To qualify for these competitive grants, states must demonstrate “significant progress” toward meeting the four required assurances in the SFSF, including establishing a longitudinal data system with elements required by the America Competes Act. These funds are intended to encourage innovation by providing grants to states that are “making dramatic progress on the four reform goals” and are effectively leveraging other ARRA funds.

Tip

States should, therefore, think creatively about how this grant can help them develop and implement cutting-edge data efforts including, but not limited to, cross-state partnerships and interoperability, cross-agency data sharing (e.g., workforce-education agencies), P–20 linkages, and supporting district and school data systems and use.

U.S. Department of Education

$4.35 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce

Federal Register, RTT Proposed Notice (PDF)

IDEA Part B (ages 3–21)

IDEA Part B is divided into two streams: $11.3 billion in grants to states and $400 million for preschool grants. A possible use of these limited, one-time funds is to “develop or expand the capacity to collect and use data to improve teaching and learning.”

Tip

States should consider using part of their funds to ensure that information on students with disabilities is an integral part of the state longitudinal data system, whereby students with disabilities are identified and tracked to ensure that they are provided with an appropriate education. States should also coordinate early childhood data efforts under IDEA Part B-619 and Part C with the work of their State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care.

U.S. Department of Education

$11.7 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12

U.S. Department of Education IDEA Part B Guidance (PDF)

IDEA Part C (ages birth–2)

One use of these funds can be to “support development of high quality state and local data systems to collect valid and reliable data for use in improving the timely delivery of early intervention services, the transition of children receiving services under Part C to the Part B preschool program, [and] the tracking of early childhood outcome data as children exit the program and enter preschool and elementary school, and in meeting data reporting requirements on the state’s and EIS programs’ performance on early childhood priority areas.”

Tip

States should consider using part of their funds to ensure that information on students with disabilities is an integral part of the state longitudinal data systems, whereby students with disabilities are identified and tracked to ensure that they are provided with an appropriate education. States should also coordinate early childhood data efforts under IDEA Part B-619 and Part C with the work of their State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care.

U.S. Department of Education

$500 million

Early Childhood (Birth-School)

U.S. Department of Education IDEA Part C Guidance (PDF)

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (Perkins IV)

Although ARRA does not allocate any state funds for this use, local education agencies may use the SFSF allocation for any activity authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, IDEA, the Adult and Family Literacy Act, or Perkins. Under Title I Part B sec 124 (c)(15) of the law, states also can use a percentage of their state allotment for “ … leadership activities … [that] may include developing and enhancing data systems to collect and analyze data on secondary and postsecondary academic and employment outcomes.” States may reserve up to 10 percent for leadership activities and 5 percent for administrative activities, including developing and enhancing data systems. Perkins requires states to collect and report information from both K–12 and postsecondary activities plus linkages to employment data.

Tip

Instead of building a duplicate system, states should consider consolidating or building links between and among existing systems.

U.S. Department of Education

*There is no direct allocation by the ARRA, but SFSF and program funding may be used for your state's data system.

K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce

Carl D. Perkins Law (PDF)

Title I Funds

The ARRA includes additional allocations of $10 billion for grants under Part A of Title I and $3 billion for grants under the School Improvement Program by section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Tip

State and local education agencies may use school improvement funds to incorporate capacity and elements in the data system to identify and track schools in improvement status and to monitor and evaluate supports and
interventions in these schools. In addition, local education agencies may use Title I funds to strengthen the capacity of Title I schools and teachers in Title I programs to make effective use of data in addressing the needs of students in these programs. These activities can be a significant part of teacher training activities supported under Title I.

U.S. Department of Education

$13 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12

U.S. Department of Education Title I Guidance (PDF)

Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)

The ARRA provides $100 million through HEOA for teacher quality partnerships to improve teacher preparation programs through activities such as professional development and content preparation.

Tip

States should work to ensure that their data systems can follow
graduates from teacher preparation programs into the workforce and are able to link teachers to student achievement data. HEOA also establishes a pilot program for up to five states to develop postsecondary student data systems to“improve the capacity of States and institutions to generate more comprehensive and comparable data, in order to develop better-informed educational policy at the State level and to evaluate the effectiveness of institutional performance” and “identify how to best minimize the data-reporting burden placed on institutions, particularly smaller institutions, and to maximize and improve the information institutions receive from the data systems, in order to assist institutions in improving educational practice and postsecondary outcomes.” This pilot program is currently unfunded. Nevertheless, as states enhance their postsecondary systems, they should be prepared to develop methods of linking data with K–12 and workforce.

U.S. Department of Education

$100 million

Postsecondary

Adult Education and Family Literacy

Although there are no ARRA funds allocated to adult education and literacy, local education agencies may use funds they receive under the education allocation in SFSF (81.8 percent of the SFSF allocation) for any activity authorized under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (also known as Title II of the Workforce Investment Act or the Adult Education Act).

Tip

These activities can include strengthening data systems and linking them with postsecondary education and workforce data systems. By linking data systems, local education agencies would be better able to report on core indicators required by the act, such as participants’ placement in, retention in or completion of postsecondary education, training, unsubsidized employment or career advancement.

U.S. Department of Education

*There is no direct allocation by the ARRA, but SFSF and program funding may be used for your state's data system.

K-12, Postsecondary

Teacher Incentive Fund

These funds are to “support programs that develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems, based primarily on increases in student achievement, in high-need schools.”

Tip

To provide these types of measurement, states should work with districts to enhance state and district data systems that would allow for accurate teacher student linkages and student course/grade information.

U.S. Department of Education

$200 million

K-12

Teacher Inventive Fund Website

Enhancing Education through Technology

Aimed at improving student achievement through the use of technology in elementary and secondary schools, the funds are divided into two types of grants to qualified local education agencies: competitive grants and formula grants. Regardless of the type of grant a local education agency receives, 25 percent must be set aside for professional development.

Tip

States should encourage districts to use the professional development funds for activities such as “using technology to collect, manage, and analyze data to inform and enhance teaching and school improvement efforts.”

U.S. Department of Education

$650 million

K-12

U.S. Department of Education Ed Tech Guidance (Word doc)

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

States should work with local education agencies in using funds under this authority to “collect and disseminate data and information regarding: the number and location of homeless children and youths; the education and related services such children and youths receive; and the extent to which the needs of homeless children and youths are being met.”

Tip

States should use additional funds for state-level activities resulting from the ARRA (either through direct ARRA funding or through the effect of ARRA funds on the state’s percentage set-aside) for state-level data activities (as an integral part of the state data system) to identify and track homeless children, their problems and special needs, and the effectiveness of programs addressed to their needs.

U.S. Department of Education

$70 million

K-12

U.S. Department of Education McKinney-Vento Guidance (PDF)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

HHS has allocated $5 billion in Emergency Fund grants that support the four statutory purposes of this program: to assist needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes; reduce the dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage; prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. States receive funding to cover the costs of administering the program, including data collection and reporting.

Tip

Because states are required to report on program participants’ involvement in activities such as education, subsidized private employment, unsubsidized employment, etc., states should consider using a portion of their administrative funds to improve data system linkages with education and workforce agencies.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

$5 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12, Postsecondary, Workforce

Child Care and Development Block Grant

“States must use approximately $255 million for quality activities, and of the $255 million, States must use approximately $94 million for activities to improve the quality of infant and toddler care.”

Tip

States should use part of the $255 million allocated for quality activities to support data initiatives. States should coordinate these data efforts with the State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care and use funds to support building, linking and using data systems like child care and early childhood systems that link with K–12, Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) that evaluate and help improve early childhood program quality, and early childhood workforce registries.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

$2 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School), K-12

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services CCDF Guidance

Head Start

Of the $1 billion allocated to Head Start, $100 million is available for states to support the establishment and work of State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care. These councils must “develop recommendations for a unified data collection system for public early childhood programs and services throughout the State.”

Tip

In addition to the membership requirements in the federal statute, governors should ensure that council membership includes data and policy leaders across P–12 agencies and departments so data can be shared across agencies.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

$1 billion

Early Childhood (Birth-School)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Head Start Guidance

Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

The $3.95 billion allocated is divided into six broad categories: WIA Adult Program ($500 million), WIA Dislocated Workers Program ($1.25 billion), WIA Youth Program ($1.2 billion),dislocated workers assistance national reserve ($200 million), Youth Build Activities ($50 million), and a competitive grants program for worker training and placement in highgrowth and emerging industry sectors ($750 million). States can reserve up to 15 percent of WIA funding for statewide workforce investment activities and up to 25 percent of the Dislocated Worker allocation for statewide rapid response activities. Of the 15 percent set aside, states can use 5 percent to cover administrative costs.

Tip

States may want to consider using a portion of their administrative funds to enhance their data collection systems by creating linkages with education to better report on one of the core indicators required by WIA — “attainment of a recognized credential relating to achievement of educational skills, which may include attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or occupational skills, by participants who enter unsubsidized employment, or by participants who are eligible youth age 19 through 21 who enter postsecondary education, advanced training, or unsubsidized employment.”

U.S. Department of Labor

$3.95 billion

Postsecondary, Workforce

U.S. Department of Labor WIA Guidance

Workforce Data Quality Initiative

On December 16, 2009, the President signed an Omnibus bill that bundles the unfinished 2010 appropriations bills. In this bill is appropriated $12.5 million for the Workforce Data Quality Initiative that provides competitive grants to support the development of longitudinal data systems that integrate education and workforce data.

Tip

States should apply for funds to enhance their workforce data systems and build linkages with other state systems such as K–12 and postsecondary data systems.

U.S. Department of Labor

$12.5 million

Postsecondary, Workforce

FY 2010 Budget, Employment and Training Administration (PDF)