Each year, state legislators craft new policies that drive data use across their states, and as part of a comprehensive review of state education data legislation, the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) keeps track. In 2022, state legislators introduced 131 bills in 35 states--42 of which became law in 17 states-- that would govern the use of data along…

In 2021, legislators in 45 states introduced 361 bills to govern the use of data about education or the workforce, and leaders in most states (38) enacted a new education data law. This level of legislative activity that is focused on education data collection, use, protection, and reporting is nothing new. But the ongoing pandemic left unique…

In 2020, state legislators have remained focused on making data available to address education challenges. More and more, policymakers are introducing bills that would address the information needs of students, educators, parents, and the public, though most new education data laws do not systematically support data use. As the COVID-19 crisis…

In 2019, legislators on both sides of the aisle in nearly every state proposed legislation addressing the use of data to inform decision-making to support students on their path to success. Through proposed legislation, many of these policymakers took steps to improve the foundational data systems and processes that make data work for students and…

Over the past decade, states have made enormous progress in collecting, using, and reporting education data in service of learning--although state legislation has primarily focused on implementing the robust privacy and security protections and data governance structures that make data use safe. In the 2017 legislative session, data privacy…

2018 is the fifth year that state policymakers have taken concerted legislative action on education data use and privacy issues. Across the country this year, 42 states considered 300 bills and 25 states passed 59 new laws governing the collection, linking, use, access, and protection of education data. With the passage of the Every Student…

The foundational federal law on student privacy, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), establishes student privacy rights by restricting with whom and under what circumstances schools may share students' personally identifiable information. This tool summarizes some of the main provisions of FERPA, and identifies when students'…

Student data privacy was a priority issue in state legislatures in 2016, though as expected, states passed fewer student data privacy bills into law than they did in 2014 and 2015. The privacy conversation has evolved since 2014, and now states have the ability to borrow from each other: California's 2014 Student Online Personal Information…

The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) believes that when parents and educators have the right information to make decisions, students excel. Parents agree, according to a recent survey. DQC's Parent Poll, conducted online by Harris Poll in November 2015, surveyed 1,093 US parents with children ages 5-17 about their attitudes toward data collection and…

At the federal level, leaders can promote policies that reduce burdens on states, encourage collaboration across agencies, and help build the capacity of stakeholders to use data while ensuring the privacy of student information. The annual "Data for Action" survey measures states' progress toward achieving the 10 State Actions to Ensure…

State leaders are increasingly focused on improving college and university programs that prepare teachers as a route to a high-quality teacher workforce. This work requires significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth data with the state's teacher preparation programs. This fact sheet…

Educators, administrators, and policymakers are all working to ensure that students graduate high school ready for success in college and the workforce. High school feedback reports, reports that provide information on how a class of high school graduates fares in postsecondary, let school and district leaders know where their students go after…

Growing state and district use of education data and increased public attention to the ways in which these data are collected, used, managed, and disclosed have sparked conversation on the value of data and how they are protected. Student data (e.g., demographics, transcripts, attendance, test scores, outcomes, etc.) are an important tool for…

Last year, growing state and district use of education data and increased public attention to the ways in which these data are collected, used, managed, and disclosed sparked much conversation in statehouses around the country about the value of data and how they are protected. Student data (e.g., demographics, transcripts, attendance, test…

Teachers need longitudinal student-level data, such as attendance history, course-taking patterns, grades, and test scores, to tailor instruction to individual students' strengths and weaknesses.This factsheet uses the findings from the Data for Action 2013 analysis to discuss how states can provide teachers with student-level longitudinal data,…