Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Longitudinal Data Systems to Support Data-Driven Decision-Making

Phase one of the project will (1)adopt an academic reference model (ARM) that identifies key education decision processes critical to tracking education performance and enhancement, (2)define key tools and decision reports that deliver critical information to support the ARM, and (3)develop a kernel data warehouse with associated reports to support objectives (1) and (2). The project will include development and deployment of a variety of end-user reporting tools that are web-based, self-service, and capable of adhoc analysis and reporting, statistical forecasting, and integration with Excel spreadsheets. Phase 2 and 3 of the project will pilot the system and bring it to production status.

The longitudinal data system developed by this project will include data on all students enrolled in PK–12 education. The project has been divided up into distinct task areas: data analysis and research requirements, data access, data dictionary, data warehouse, and secure data transport. Specific research methods for each task area are presented in detail in the proposal. The Data Dictionary will contain clear concise descriptions and definitions of the complex data elements the DPI works with to provide information and services. This data dictionary will also conform to requirements for metadata at the federal and state level.

One of the distinctive aspects of our proposal is that it reflects a genuine collaboration among three states and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research. Working together will permit each state to share responsibility for project tasks, thereby increasing the impact of the resources allocated to each state. Moreover, by structuring work products so that they can be shared across the Tri-State Partnership, we expect that these products will be of value to states that are not explicitly part of our collaboration. Project results and products, including overview papers that describe the concepts and strategies used in this project, will also be disseminated via conferences and workshops.

Other Work Planned

Ongoing plans include expanding the ISES framework to collect additional information at the student record level, and integrating student-level data with existing aggregate level data. Where feasible, the ISES will replace existing aggregate data reports. Current plans include the integration of the IDEA Federal Student Data Report data collection into ISES during the fall 2007–08 school year.

Wisconsin will also be redesigning the existing teacher licensing system and will be creating an online educator license system. This provides an excellent opportunity to reassesses its collection of staff data including the assignment of a unique statewide staff Ids.