2009-10 Survey Results
Longitudinal data–data gathered on the same student from year to year–make it possible to follow individual student academic growth, determine the value-added of specific programs, and identify consistently high-performing schools and systems. Since the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) launched in 2005, states have made remarkable progress in developing longitudinal data systems that can track student progress over time, from early childhood through 12th grade and into postsecondary education.
In 2009, for the first time, the DQC also surveyed states on the 10 State Actions to Ensure Effective Data Use to assess whether and to what extent states are actively sharing their longitudinal data and promoting the use of data to inform decisionmaking.
| Number of states reporting: | 2005 | 2009-10 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 10 essential elements | 0 | 11 | +11 |
| Five or more elements in place | 29 | 50 | +21 |
| Capacity to calculate National Governors Association longitudinal graduation rate | 14 | 47 | +33 |
| Number of states reporting: | 2009-10 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Eight actions | 1 | ||
| Four or more actions | 9 |
But much work remains, particularly on certain elements:
| Number of states reporting: | 2005 | 2009-10 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher identifier system with the ability to match teachers to students | 13 | 24 | +11 |
| Student-level course completion and transcript information | 7 | 23 | +16 |
| Ability to collect college readiness test scores | 7 | 37 | +30 |
| Ability to match student records between P-12 and postsecondary systems | 12 | 31 | +19 |
And for certain actions:
| Number of states reporting: | 2009-10 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Link state K-12 data systems with early childhood, postsecondary education, workforce, social services and other critical state agency data systems | 8 | ||
| Develop governance structures to guide data collection, sharing and use | 24 | ||
| Create progress reports with individual student data that provide information that educators, parents and students can use to improve student performance | 10 | ||
| Implement policies and promote practices, including professional development and credentialing, to ensure that educators know how to access, analyze and use data appropriately. | 0 |
While applauding the progress to date, DQC Partners urge policymakers, educators and other stakeholders make better use of these data to improve student achievement.