1. Kansas Educational Data Users Consortium
Education Data for Real Life!
Name
Organization
Date

2. Overview History of Education Data KEDUC Origins Vision of KEDUC
Future of Education Data

3. Education Data - History
Silos
Systems
Organizations
Technologies
Quality
Authoritative Sources
Definitions
Policies
The history of education data in Kansas is not uncommon for large multi-layer statewide systems. In practical terms that means “troubled.”
I’ll just highlight a few of these issues for you here (the big ones) and then want to talk for a moment about how that has impacted education research.
Historically data was siloed and collected in the aggregate. Silos serve a valuable purpose in agriculture, but, generally speaking, are bad for data systems. Typically when people think about silos it usually is related to different departments in an organization. For education data we had multiple levels of silos – System level silos, organizational level silos, and technology level silos. When we want to talk education data in Kansas, in a holistic manner, we are talking about primary, secondary and postsecondary education. That, as you all know, encompasses two distinct systems in Kansas, multiple institutions and governing or coordinating organizations, and countless technologies.
Since several “silo’s” reported similar data, there wasn’t agreement on which was data were “right” – nor was there an understanding of why there were differences (e.g., different definitions, different formulas, different points in time, etc.)
In other words there were quality issues when you tried to pull data pieces together from different silos.

4. Frustration Ruled the Day!
Owners
Users
Limitations
Not spurring research
No innovations
All of these issues left everyone FRUSTRATED!
The owners were frustrated because…
similar information was collected in multiple silos but the values of the information was not consistent since they often represented different points in time or different definitions.
there was not a common key or identifier in the individual silos that allowed users to easily merge data together.
Users were frustrated because…
they were unable to get consistent reports across the education system because definitions were different at each institution or level of learning.
many reports were reported in an aggregate value, obscuring important information from the user (maybe the very information they needed to assist with a decision or to answer an important research question).
And, ultimately, that meant that data were not being used in research, to spur research, or to impact teaching and learning in Kansas.

5. Problem Solving! Comprehensive Education Data System Funding
Pre-K
K-12
Postsecondary
Funding
Establishing Partnerships
Attracting Researchers
So, some folks got together from the two major silos and talked about solutions.
In the course of problem solving they identified that the following needed to happen…

6. KEDUC Born! Enhance data system to improve teaching and learning.
statewide capacity for data use.
Working with several partners, and lead by the Kansas State Department of Education, a grant proposal was submitted to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in 2007.
The main goals of the grant are (1) to enhance the existing statewide education data system in ways that can lead to improvements in teaching and learning, and (2) to enhance the capacity for data use.
The Kansas Education Data Users Consortium was formed to help accomplish goal 2.

7. KEDUC Vision
The Kansas Educational Data Users Consortium will promote the development and utilization of a robust statewide data system that enables research, improvement and innovation in Kansas education.

8. What’s In Progress Show & Tell Research Priorities
Data Presentation
Research Priorities
Protocol Development
Connecting Researchers
Data Use Training
Best Practices
Data Presentation (show examples if have them)
portals and dashboards
reports
ad hoc reporting tools
metadata
and more!
Research Priorities
KEDUC is surveying Kansas education stakeholders to determine priorities for education research. From this a state-wide Research Agenda will be established, outlining the priorities for education research in Kansas.
Protocol Development
KEDUC, in collaboration with KSDE and KBOR, is developing procedures/protocols that comply with state and federal law and best practice to address access privileges, confidentiality issues, and other problems.
Connecting Researchers
KEDUC plan to provide a web-based tool to connect educators with specific research needs to researchers with professional interest in the research area, as well as to provide links to existing funding sources for education research.
Stakeholder Data Use
Provide tools to data users that will allow them to critically evaluate learning outcomes and teaching in the Kansas education system.
Develop training to meet stakeholder needs on metadata, uses of the data, etc. And, develop and use efficient and effective methods to deliver that training (i.e., the web!)
And, of course there’s all the work going on behind the scenes too with the “custodians” of the data
Populating and maintaining the data warehouses, data marts, and metadata
Providing training to data submitters regarding Data Quality
Developing and providing training
Sharing and helping guide (where appropriate) the research agenda for the state.

9. But I Need Data Now! What is available now? How do they access it?
How might it be used?
Availability and accessibility
Public use aggregate data can be accessed from the KSDE website.
Superintendents and principals can access their data through password protected reports on the KSDE website.
Protocols have been established for researcher access and use of confidential data.
Possible Uses
Informing daily practice in schools and districts
Comparing student performance to expectations
Weighing and/or justifying courses of action
Complying with reporting requirements
Complying with public, researcher and policy maker requests for information
Informing parents and the public/influencing the public image of education
Conducting program evaluation and research

10. Help Shape the Future of KEDUC
Send us ideas, wants, needs, desires!
Share the KEDUC story with interested colleagues.

11. For More Information Contact A Allan R. Miller
KEDUC Project Coordinator
School of Education
Kansas University
Lawrence, KS 66045
Contact B

12. Consortium Charter Members
Kansas State Department of Education
Kansas Board of Regents
Kansas State University
University of Kansas

13. Consortium Affiliate Members
Emporia State University
Fort Hays State University
Pittsburg State University
Wichita State University
Kansas Association of School Boards
Kansas Action for Children
Kansas Association of School Administrators
Kansas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Kansas Staff Development Council