NCES Forum July 2010 Kathy Gosa Kansas State Department of Education Using Forum Products to Establish a Solid SLDS Framework

What Why How The Forum Guide to …

 System Development  Policy Development  Communication & Training

 KSDE implemented Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) student-level data collection system in 2005  Internally developed system which collects student demographic, enrollment, attendance, and program participation data  As we established Code Sets & Business Rules we referenced Forum resources: Accounting for Every Student: A Taxonomy for Standard Student Exit Codes Forum Guide to Education Indicators

 We also used Forum resources to inform policy development Forum Guide to Protecting the Privacy of Student Information – State and Local Education Agencies *Education Privacy Working Group is determining scope of revisions needed (awaiting forthcoming FPCO guidance)  In 2008 our state legislature became interested in collecting additional virtual education data Forum Guide to Elementary/Secondary Virtual Education

 SY KSDE began collecting & reporting KIDS data based on the new categories Managing an Identity Crisis: Forum Guide to Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories  Code Sets – confirmed SEA collection – informed LEA collection  Public and federal reporting

Introductory PowerPoint Link to Forum Guide FAQs Letter from Commissioner Sample Letter to Staff Brochure Sample Letter to Parents Example Enrollment Form Training Schedule Suggestions for Conducting Observer Identification  SY KSDE began collecting & reporting KIDS data based on the new categories Managing an Identity Crisis: Forum Guide to Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories  Code Sets  Public and Federal Reporting  Policy Development (for SEA and LEAs)  Communication & Training (within SEA & with LEAs)

 In 2009 Kansas Course Codes (KCC) were implemented  Standard course codes and descriptions for all elementary, middle, and high school courses  Districts were required to map to the new codes and to use for reporting teacher assignments starting SY  In SY we will collect student – teacher connection and course completion data based on the KCC  Discussion is underway to define PS Qualified Admissions based on KCC

 In 2009 Kansas implemented Kansas Course Codes (KCC) The Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED)  Advisory Council members (SEA, LEA, PS) used SCED as foundation for the conversation  KCC implemented SCED and adopted the course attribute structure

 In 2009 Kansas implemented Kansas Course Codes (KCC) The Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) *Elementary/Middle School Course Classification working group has developed the Nonsecondary Course Code Classifications (planned late 2010)  Taxonomy for assigning standard codes to elementary and middle school courses.

 Initiated in 2006 to provide free, high quality professional development to school & district staff responsible for entering data in the local SIS and for submitting it to KIDS. Forum Guide to Building a Culture of Data Quality Forum Curriculum for Improving Education Data  Expanded to include tracks for Administrators and Program Staff

Forum Guide to Data Ethics Forum Guide to Data Ethics Online Course  Available on both NCES and Forum websites. (Released today!)  Initiated in 2006 to provide free, high quality professional development to school & district staff responsible for entering data in the local SIS and for submitting it to KIDS. Forum Guide to Building a Culture of Data Quality Forum Curriculum for Improving Education Data

Traveling Through Time: Forum Guide to Longitudinal Data Systems Developed to help state and local education agencies meet the many challenges involved in building robust LDSs, populating them with quality data, and using this new information to improve the education system. With special emphasis on the business-level perspective, these products explore a broad range of issues involved in establishing a successful LDS. ▪ Book 1 – What is an LDS? (Released 7/10) ▪ Book 2 – Planning and Developing an LDS (planned 10/10) ▪ Book 3 – Effectively Managing LDS Data (planned late 2010) ▪ Book 4 – Advanced LDS Usage (planned late 2010 )

Safety in Numbers: Collecting and Using Crime, Violence and Discipline Incident Data to Make a Difference in Schools  Update to the 2002 Forum document to help establish a consistent body of terms and definitions. (scheduled 10/10) Section 508 Accessibility Working Group  Document to increase awareness of Federal Section 508 regs that require public organizations receiving federal funds to make electronic information accessible to all people including those with disabilities. Product will provide basic guidance for designing or revising websites to improve accessibility. (scheduled 12/10)

Data Use Working Group Document to provide education stakeholders with practical guidance on the effective use of education data to take action. The resource will help teachers, administrators, and the state program managers leverage appropriate and actionable data to improve the education system and student learning. ▪ Brief 1 Draft (planned 2/11) ▪ Brief 2 Draft (planned 4/11) ▪ Brief 3 Draft (planned 7/11) ▪ Final Product (planned 2/12 )

Forum products are available at on the Forum website under Resources. You’ll also be able to order copies and/or download the documents.

 For any new initiative we look for Forum resources which would allow us to build upon the collective knowledge of others.  Promoting to SEA staff  Present overview & distribute at Data Steward Workgroup meetings  Present overview & distribute at Data Governance Board meetings  Send link to program director/ committee chair  Promoting to LEAs  Send link on listserv  Distribute documents at meetings and conferences (e.g., Council of Superintendents, Annual Conference)

 Focused on real issues driven by states & schools  Accessible (document or link) easy to obtain & to share  Inexpensive - free!  Comprehensive - contain links to additional resources  Reliable - broad review model  Perspectives - informed by experience of many (SEA/LEA/Fed). Facilitates commonality without being prescriptive.  Actionable/practical - most include specific “case studies”, best practices, or templates from SEA/LEA  Understandable by broad audience.