Report on SLDS Value

States and the federal government collectively have spent more than $1 billion building data systems that can track children from pre-K to adulthood. But without the ability to analyze that data, a new report by the Alliance for Excellent Education says states and districts are missing unique learning opportunities.

Data collection can sometimes result in an overwhelming amount of information with no organized way to tackle it and make it useful, the report says.

When analyzed effectively, data about who students are and how they learn can help teachers cater to the needs of at-risk students, adapt instructional content and provide useful feedback. Some states are already doing it, the report shows. In Michigan, the Utica Community Schools district has a data system that shares assignments and grades with parents while identifying students’ learning needs. In Kentucky, K-12 and postsecondary data are linked so teachers know whether students are prepared for college and career.

States and districts can borrow from these examples by making sure that data collection and analysis is transparent to teachers, parents and students. Teachers and administrators need adequate training to make use of the data, and the infrastructure and technology to analyze the data must be present. At the same time, student data privacy must remain a top priority, the report says.