What is the Forum

1
What is the Forums Role in the National Data
Standards Effort?

• Lee Hoffman, NCES
• July 28, 2009

2
What Has Been the Forums Role?
3
A Guide to Improving the National Data System,
1990

• Identified broad policy questions
• Developed related indicator areas
• Recommended practices to improve quality

4
Forum contributed toInformation system content

• Agenda for early childhood statistics, 1994
• Agenda for addressing equity issues, 1995
• Core data elements, 1997
• Taxonomy for exit codes, 2006
• Taxonomy for attendance codes, 2009
• And worked with NCES to write
• Student, staff, institutional handbooks for unit
  record data items
• Secondary course coding system
• Accounting standards for state and local
  education agencies

5
Forum contributed to Information technology and
system development

• SPEEDE/ExPRESS , 1995 EDI student transcript
• Building an automated student record system,
  2000
• Guide to technology standards and security, April
  2003
• Maintaining data on virtual education, 2006
• Crime, violence, discipline incident reporting
  system, updated 2008
• Decision support systems, 2006
• Guide to metadata, 2009
• Education data model, 2009
• Guide to longitudinal student data systems, in
  progress

6
Forum contributed toInformation use / staff
development

• Guide to education indicators, 2005
• Student information privacy (updated 2006)
• Implementing race/ethnicity standards
• Data quality improvement, book and online course,
  2005, 2008
• Guide to data ethics, in progress

7
Questions today

• What does a model student data system look like?
• What are best practices in selecting, delivering
  data that will be used?
• Are there models for data sharing, linking P-12
  with postsecondary and workforce data?
• What data elements are needed to build the
  indicators, metrics policy makers want?

8
(What) can the Forum contribute to ensure that
the national data system is

• Useful?
• Feasible to build and maintain?
• Respectful of legal and ethical considerations?
• Providing accurate, reliable, comparable data?