Appendix E SLDS 2021 Instrument

National Center for education statistics

(nces)

Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Survey 2021 –2023

OMB# 1850-0933 v.10

Appendix E – SLDS 2021 Instrument

May 2021

revised September 2021

APPENDIX E, Section 1 – Screenshots of Qualtrics Information Collection Tool

https://aemcorp.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qebIpidSVZrFeC?Q_CHL=gl&Q_DL=EMD_cqYVotic3NdfXKV_8qebIpidSVZrFeC_CGC_0efdfaHjMymnKzh

APPENDIX E, Section 2 – Microsoft Word (Paper Copy) Instrument

U.S. Department of Education Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) State Data Capacity Survey - 2021

U.S. Department of Education Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS)

Survey Cover Sheet

Reporting Period ^{From: To:}

General Information

PR/Award#:

Grantee Name

Agency Name

Agency Address

City:

State: _Zip:

Project Director Name:

Title:

Phone number:

Email:

Stakeholders Consulted to Complete the SLDS Survey (If applicable, list stakeholders and their agencies. For example, Jane Dean, State Department of Secondary Education; John Mills, State Institute of Higher Education; etc.)

Respondent Name:

(if different from the Project Director)

Title:

Phone number:

Email address:

U.S. Department of Education Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) State Data Capacity Survey - 2021

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the U.S. Department of Education's Institute for Education Sciences, is authorized to conduct the SLDS survey by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA 2002, 20 U.S.C. §9543).

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this voluntary information collection is 1850-0933. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this collection, or any comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, please write to: Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS), National Center for Education Statistics, 550 12th St., SW, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20202.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts this annual data collection effort because statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) capacity can change quickly as a result of infrastructure enhancements, evolving P20W agency collaborations, state legislation impacts, and other factors. Your responses to this survey will inform the field, SLDS Grant Program’s ongoing evaluation and technical assistance efforts, and they may guide the goals for future grant rounds. Thank you for completing this survey accurately.

Instructions:

Please answer the following questions about the current status of data elements and capabilities in your SLDS. Do not answer based on the status of elements or capabilities in systems that are not linked to your SLDS.

Most questions ask you to identify the status of an SLDS feature with the following options:

• Not Planned. Your state or territory is not currently planning to include this element or capability in its SLDS. You should also choose “Not Planned” for items that do not apply to your SLDS at this time due to legislative prohibitions, lack of interest, or other factors.

• Planned. Your state or territory intends to include this element or capability in its SLDS and has a documented plan and funding source to implement it, but implementation work has not begun.

• In Progress. Your state or territory is building or implementing this element or capability as part of its SLDS, but it is not yet fully operational.

• Operational. This element or capability is fully functional and available for its intended users.

Many of the questions ask about linking different types of data together. For the purpose of this survey, data are considered “linked” when the SLDS has an established technology solution to identify and join data records for the same individual from multiple source data systems in a replicable and useful way. Additional terms used in the survey are defined at the end of this document.

If your state has or is building more than one SLDS—for example, a K-12 SLDS and a P-20W+ SLDS—please answer the questions based on the status of the element or capability in both systems. A P-20W+ system encompasses information across multiple sectors, such as K-12early childhood, K-12 education, postsecondary education, and workforce data. You may need to consult other state agency or department representatives to complete questions about data linking and use in those sectors.

If you have any questions on this survey, please feel free to contact your State Support Team member for help completing the survey.

Feature	Status
	Not Planned		Planned	In Progress	Operational
State Agency K-12 Data
1) Does the SLDS include K-12 student data? (If no, skip to question 6)				Yes ☐	No ☐
2) What types of K-12 student data are included in the SLDS? Mark only one status per row.	Not Planned	Planned		In Progress	Operational
2a) Demographics1	☐	☐		☐	☐
2b) Migrant status	☐	☐		☐	☐
2c) Homelessness status	☐	☐		☐	☐
2d) English language learner status	☐	☐		☐	☐
2e) Special education status	☐	☐		☐	☐
2f) Other program participation (e.g., free and reduced-price lunch, Title l, or Section 504 participation) 2g) (NEW ITEM) Other measures of socioeconomic status other than free and reduced-price lunch status 2h) (NEW ITEM) Addresses or geocodes	☐	☐		☐	☐
2i) Attendance	☐	☐		☐	☐
2j) Discipline	☐	☐		☐	☐
2k) Grade level	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.i) Kindergarten entry assessments	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.ii) Statewide summative or end-of-course assessments	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.iii) Statewide benchmark or interim assessments	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.iv) Local benchmark or interim assessments	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.v) Advanced Placement (AP) scores	☐	☐		☐	☐
2l.vi) Reporting on students not tested by grade or subject	☐	☒		☐	☐
2l.vii) College-readiness test scores (e.g., SAT, PSAT)	☐	☐		☐	☐
2m) School enrollment and completion	☐	☐		☐	☐
2n) Course enrollment	☐	☐		☐	☐
2o) Course completion	☐	☐		☐	☐
2p) Virtual school/learning enrollment or participation	☐	☐		☐	☐
2q) Diploma or certificate	☐	☐		☐	☐
2r) Drop-out history	☐	☐		☐	☐
2s) Transfer in or out	☐	☐		☐	☐
2t) In-state postsecondary or dual enrollment	☐	☐		☐	☐
2u) Out-of-state postsecondary or dual enrollment	☐	☐		☐	☐
2v) (NEW ITEM) Type of instruction received (In-person, hybrid, online)	☐	☐		☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
3) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for K-12 student data elements that contains metadata such as a definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 4)	☐	☐	☐	☐
3a) Is the data dictionary published publicly?	☐	☐	☐	☐
3a.i) If so, please provide data dictionary website address
3b) Are K-12 student data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
4) Are course-related data collected by the state aligned with the School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
5) How do are K-12 student data from the SLDS used?	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
5a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐	☐	☐
5a.ii) Reports for state boards or agencies	☐	☐	☐	☐
5a.iii) Reports on statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐	☐	☐
5a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐	☐	☐
5b.i) Feedback reports about elementary schools	☐	☐	☐	☐
5b.ii) Feedback reports about middle schools	☐	☐	☐	☐
5b.iii) Feedback reports about high schools	☐	☐	☐	☐
5b.iv) Feedback reports about educator preparation programs	☐	☐	☐	☐
5c.i) Federal EDFacts reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
5c.ii) Federal OSEP/special education (non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
5c.iii) Federal Perkins CTE (non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
5c.iv) Other federal reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
5d) Instructional support (e.g., dashboards for teachers)	☐	☐	☐	☐
5e) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
5f) Data skills and use training	☐	☐	☐	☐
5g) Early warning systems and other predictive systems	☐	☐	☐	☐
5h) Budget allocations (e.g., implementing a state funding formula)	☐	☐	☐	☐
5i) Funding decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
5j) Program or intervention needs or placements	☐	☐	☐	☐
5k) Talent management (e.g., evaluating educator or administrator performance, supporting continuous improvement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
5l) Human resources (e.g., compliance-related hiring, placement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
5m) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐	☐	☐
5n) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g., dashboards, scorecards)	☐	☐	☐	☐
5o) Direct certification for participation in the National Student Lunch Program	☐	☐	☐	☐
5p) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned		Planned	In Progress		Operational
6) At what level(s) are K-12 expenditure data reported?
6a) Student level	☐		☐	☐		☐
6b) School level	☐		☐	☐		☐
6c) District level	☐		☐	☐		☐
K-12 Teacher Data
7) Where are K-12 teacher data managed and stored?
7a) Single-sector SLDS	☐	☐		☐	☐
7b) P-20W+ SLDS	☐	☐		☐	☐
7c) A separate, central teacher data system	☐	☐		☐	☐
7d) Multiple separate teacher data systems or source files	☐	☐		☐	☐
8) Does the SLDS mostly link K-12 student data and K-12 teacher data through an automated system? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 13)	☐	☐		☐	☐
9) How are K-12 teacher and K-12 student data linked?
9a) Course assignment	☐	☐		☐	☐
9b) Statewide unique teacher IDs	☐	☐		☐	☐
9c) Roster verification process	☐	☐		☐	☐
9d) Other method (please explain below)	☐	☐		☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
10) What types of K-12 teacher data are linked with K-12 student data?
10a) Demographics	☐	☐	☐	☐
10b) Attendance	☐	☐	☐	☐
10c) Certificate type	☐	☐	☐	☐
10d) Certification path (e.g., traditional v. alt-cert)	☐	☐	☐	☐
10e) Postsecondary program or major	☐	☐	☐	☐
10f) Preparation program or institution name	☐	☐	☐	☐
10g) Years of experience	☐	☐	☐	☐
10h) Salary	☐	☐	☐	☐
10i) Assessment results (e.g., Praxis)	☐	☐	☐	☐
10j) Course assignments	☐	☐	☐	☐
10k) Teacher or administrator evaluation data	☐	☐	☐	☐
	☐	☐	☐	☐
11) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for K-12 teacher data elements that contains metadata such as a definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 4)	☐	☐	☐	☐
11a) Is the data dictionary published publicly?	☐	☐	☐	☐
11a.i) If so, please provide data dictionary website address	☐	☐	☐	☐
11b) Are K-12 teacher data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
12 How are K-12 teacher data from the SLDS used? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 15)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐	☐	☐
12a.ii) Reports for state boards or agencies	☐	☐	☐	☐
12a.iii) Reports on statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐	☐	☐
12a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐	☐	☐
12b.i) Feedback reports about educator preparation programs	☐	☐	☐	☐
12b.ii) Feedback reports about professional learning	☐	☐	☐	☐
12b.iii) Feedback reports about educator effectiveness	☐	☐	☐	☐
12c.i) Federal EDFacts reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
12c.ii) Federal OSEP/special education (Non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
12c.iii) Federal Perkins CTE (Non- EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
12c.iv) Other federal reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
12d) Instructional support (e.g., dashboards for teachers)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12e) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
12f) Data skills and use training	☐	☐	☐	☐
12g) Budget allocations (e.g., implementing a state funding formula)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12h) Funding decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
12i) Merit pay	☐	☐	☐	☐
12j) Talent management (e.g., evaluating educator or administrator performance, supporting continuous improvement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12k) Human resources (e.g., compliance hiring, placement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12l) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐	☐	☐
12m) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g. dashboards, scorecards)	☐	☐	☐	☐
12n) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐
13) Are K-12 teacher data linked to finance data?	☐	☐	☐	☐

Early Childhood Data
14) Where are early childhood data stored and managed?
14a) P-12 (early childhood through K-12) SLDS	☐		☐		☐		☒
14b) Multi-sector SLDS (P-20W+)	☐		☐		☐		☐
14c) ECIDS (A separate, central early childhood data system, birth-2nd) (e.g., an early childhood integrated data system, or ECIDS)	☐		☐		☐		☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned		Planned		In Progress		Operational
14d) Multiple separate early childhood data systems or source files	☐		☐		☐		☐
15) Does the SLDS mostly link early childhood data with K-12 student data through an automated system? (If Not planned, skip to Question 19)	☐		☐		☐		☐
16) How are early childhood and K-12 student data linked?
16a) Assigned unique identifier	☐		☐		☐		☐
16b) Element match process	☐		☐		☐		☐
16c) Social Security number	☐		☐		☐		☐
16d) Another external organization	☐		☐		☐		☐
16e) Other method (please explain below)	☐		☐		☐		☐
17) From which programs are early childhood participation data linked with K-12 student data?
17a) Head Start	☐	☐		☐		☐
17b) Early Head Start	☐	☐		☐		☐
17c) Publicly funded prekindergarten	☐	☐		☐		☐
17d) Private prekindergarten	☐	☐		☐		☐
17e) Child care	☐	☐		☐		☐
17f) Special Education (IDEA Part B Section 619)	☐	☐		☐		☐
17g) Early Intervention (IDEA Part C)	☐	☐		☐		☐
17h) Other programs or services	☐	☐		☐		☐
18) What types of early childhood data are linked with K-12 student data?

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
18a) Demographics	☐	☐	☐	☐
18b) Assessment data	☐	☐	☐	☐
18c.i) Provider licensure	☐	☐	☐	☐
18c.ii) Provider certification	☐	☐	☐	☐
18c.iii) Provider training or professional development	☐	☐	☐	☐
18c.iv) Other provider data	☐	☐	☐	☐
18d.i) Program provider or center	☐	☐	☐	☐
18d.ii) Program attributes	☐	☐	☐	☐
18d.iii) Program quality ratings	☐	☐	☐	☐
18e) Enrollment dosage (e.g., amount of time in program)	☐	☐	☐	☐
18f) Health data (e.g., birth weight, hearing screening results)	☐	☐	☐	☐
19) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for early childhood data elements that contains metadata such as definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If no, skip to Question 46)	☐	☐	☐	☐
19a) Is the data dictionary published publicly?	☐	☐	☐	☐
19a.i) If so, please provide the data dictionary website address:      
19b) Are early childhood data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
20) How are early childhood data from the SLDS used?	☐	☐	☐	☐
20a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐	☐	☐
20a.ii) Reports state boards or agencies	☐	☐	☐	☐
20a.iii) Reports on statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐	☐	☐
20a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐	☐	☐
20b.i) Federal EDFacts reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
20b.ii) Federal OSEP/Special education (Non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
20b.iii) Other federal reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
20c) Instructional support (e.g. dashboards for teachers)	☐	☐	☐	☐
20d) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
20e) Data skills and use training	☐	☐	☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
20f) Early warning systems and other predictive systems	☐	☐	☐	☐
20g) Budget allocations (e.g., implementing a state funding formula)	☐	☐	☐	☐
20h) Funding decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
20i) Program or intervention needs or placements	☐	☐	☐	☐
20j) Talent management (e.g., evaluating educator/administrator performance, supporting continuous improvement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
20k) Human resources (e.g., compliance-related hiring, placement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
20l) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐	☐	☐
20m) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g., dashboards, scorecards)	☐	☐	☐	☐
20n) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐

Postsecondary Data
21) Where are postsecondary data stored and managed?
21a) Single-sector SLDS	☐	☐	☐	☐
21b) P-20W+ SLDS	☐	☐	☐	☐
21c) A separate, central postsecondary data system	☐	☐	☐	☐
21d) Multiple separate postsecondary data systems or source files	☐	☐	☐	☐
22) Does the SLDS mostly link postsecondary data with K-12 student data through an automated system? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 26)	☐	☐	☐	☐
23) What types of postsecondary data are in the SLDS?	☐	☐	☐	☐
23a) In-state 4-year public institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
23b In-state 2-year public institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
23c) In-state tribal institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
23d) In-state private, nonprofit institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
Feature	Status I
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
23e) In-state for-profit or proprietary institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
23f) National Student Clearinghouse	☐	☐	☐	☐
23g) Out-of-state postsecondary institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
24) How are postsecondary and K-12 student data linked?
24a) Assigned unique identifier	☐	☐	☐	☐
24b) Element match process	☐	☐	☐	☐
24c) Social Security number	☐	☐	☐	☐
24d) Other method (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐
25) What types of postsecondary data are linked to K-12 student data?
25a) Demographics	☐	☐	☐	☐
25b) Course remediation	☐	☐	☐	☐
25c) Prior postsecondary institutions attended	☐	☐	☐	☐
25d) Program or major upon completion	☐	☐	☐	☐
25e) Recognized postsecondary credential	☐	☐	☐	☐
25f) Period of enrollment	☐	☐	☐	☐
25g) Progress toward completing program or degree	☐	☐	☐	☐
25h) Financial aid	☐	☐	☐	☐
26) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for postsecondary data elements that contains metadata such as a definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 27)	☐	☐	☐	☐
26a) Is the data dictionary published publicly?	☐	☐	☐	☐
26a.i) If so, please provide data dictionary website address:      
26b) Are postsecondary data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
27) How are postsecondary data from the SLDS used? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 23)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐	☐	☐
27a.ii) Reports for state boards or agencies	☐	☐	☐	☐
27a.iii) Reports on statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐	☐	☐
27a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐	☐	☐
27b.i Feedback reports about high schools (e.g., postsecondary enrollment, preparedness, persistence)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27b.ii Feedback reports about community college outcomes (e.g., degree attained, transfer, retention rates)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27b.iii Feedback reports about 4-year postsecondary institution outcomes (e.g., degree attained, transfer, retention rates)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27b.iv) Feedback reports about employment	☐	☐	☐	☐
27c.i) Federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
27c.ii) Federal EDFacts reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
27c.iii) Federal Perkins CTE (Non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
27c.iv) Other federal reports (e.g., Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA))	☐	☐	☐	☐
27d) Instructional support (e.g., dashboards for professors or administrators)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27e) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
27f) Data skills and use training	☐	☐	☐	☐
27g) Early warning systems and other predictive systems	☐	☐	☐	☐
27h) Policy updates or changes	☐	☐	☐	☐
27i) Funding decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
27j) Talent management (e.g., evaluating educator or administrator performance, supporting continuous improvement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27k) Human resources (e.g., compliance-related hiring, placement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27l) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐	☐	☐
27m) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g., dashboards, scorecards)	☐	☐	☐	☐
27n) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐

Perkins CTE and Adult Education Data
28) Where are Perkins CTE data stored and managed?	Not Planned	Planned		In Progress		Operational
28a) Single-sector SLDS	☐		☐		☐	☐
28b) P-20W+ SLDS	☐		☐		☐	☐
28c) A separate, central Perkins CTE data system	☐		☐		☐	☐
28d) Multiple separate Perkins CTE data systems or source files	☐		☐		☐	☐
29) Does the SLDS mostly link Perkins CTE data with K-12 student data in the SLDS through an automated system? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 35)	☐		☐		☐	☐
30) How are Perkins CTE and K-12 student data linked?
30a) Assigned unique identifier	☐		☐		☐	☐
30b) Element match process	☐		☐		☐	☐
30c) Social Security number	☐		☐		☐	☐
30d) Another external organization	☐		☐		☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
30e) Other method (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐
31) What types of Perkins CTE data are linked with K-12 student data?
31a) Program area or program of study	☐	☐	☐	☐
31b) Participation	☐	☐	☐	☐
31c) Placement after leaving program	☐	☐	☐	☐
31d) Certificates	☐	☐	☐	☐
32) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for Perkins CTE data elements that contains metadata such as a definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 36)	☐	☐	☐	☐
32a) Is the data dictionary published?	☐	☐	☐	☐
32a.i) If so, please provide data dictionary website address:      
32b) Are Perkins CTE data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐	☐	☐
33) How are Perkins CTE data from the SLDS used? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 34)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐	☐	☐
33a.ii) Reports for state boards or agencies	☐	☐	☐	☐
33a.iii) Reports for statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐	☐	☐
33a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐	☐	☐
33b.i) Feedback reports about high schools	☐	☐	☐	☐
33b.ii) Feedback reports about postsecondary institutions	☐	☐	☐	☐
33b.iii) Feedback reports about training programs	☐	☐	☐	☐
33b.iv) Feedback reports about workforce readiness by career cluster or industry	☐	☐	☐	☐
33b.v) Feedback reports about area CTE Centers	☐	☐	☐	☐
33c.i) Federal EDFacts reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
33c.ii) Federal Perkins CTE (non-EDFacts) reports	☐	☐	☐	☐
33c.iii) Other federal reports	☐	☐	☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
33d) Instructional support (e.g., dashboards for teachers)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33e) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
33f) Data skills and use training	☐	☐	☐	☐
33g) Budget allocations (e.g., implementing a state funding formula)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33h) Funding decisions	☐	☐	☐	☐
33i) Program or intervention needs or placements	☐	☐	☐	☐
33j) Talent management (e.g., evaluating educator or administrator performance, supporting continuous improvement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33k) Human resources (e.g., compliance-related hiring, placement)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33l) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐	☐	☐
33m) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g., dashboards, scoreboards)	☐	☐	☐	☐
33n) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐
34) From which programs are adult education participation data linked with K-12 student data?
34a) Adult Basic Education (ABE)	☐	☐	☐	☐
34b) Adult Secondary Education (ASE)	☐	☐	☐	☐
34c) English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)	☐	☐	☐	☐
34d) Workforce training programs	☐	☐	☐	☐
34e) Certificate programs	☐	☐	☐	☐

Workforce Data (Employment/Wage and Unemployment Data)
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
35) Where are workforce data stored and managed?
35a) Single-sector SLDS	☐	☐	☐	☐
35b) P-20W+ SLDS	☐	☐	☐	☐
35c) A separate, central workforce data system	☐	☐	☐	☐
35d) Multiple separate workforce data systems or source files	☐	☐	☐	☐
36) Does the SLDS mostly link workforce data with K-12 data through an automated system? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 37)	☐	☐	☐	☐
37a) How are workforce data linked with K-12 student data?
37a.i) Assigned unique identifier	☐	☐	☐	☐
37a.ii) Element match process	☐	☐	☐	☐
37a.iii) Social Security number	☐	☐	☐	☐
37a.iv) Another external organization (e.g., DMV)	☐	☐	☐	☐
37a.v) Other method (please explain below)
38) What types of workforce data are linked with K-12 student data?
38a) Occupation code	☐	☐	☐	☐
38b) Current earnings	☐	☐	☐	☐
38c) Historical earnings	☐	☐	☐	☐
38d) Employer ID	☐	☐	☐	☐
38e) Employer county	☐	☐	☐	☐
38f) Unemployment insurance	☐	☐	☐	☐
38g) Unemployment compensation	☐	☐	☐	☐
38h) Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data	☐	☐	☐	☐
38i) Wagner-Peyser	☐	☐	☐	☐
38j) Trade Adjustment Assistance	☐	☐	☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned	In Progress	Operational
39) Does the SLDS mostly link workforce data with postsecondary data through an automated system? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 40)	☐	☐	☐	☐
40) How are workforce data linked with postsecondary data?
40a) Assigned unique identifier	☐	☐	☐	☐
40b) Element match process	☐	☐	☐	☐
40c) Social Security number	☐	☐	☐	☐
40d) Another external organization	☐	☐	☐	☐
40e) Other method (please explain below)	☐	☐	☐	☐
41) What types of workforce data are linked with postsecondary data?
41a) Occupation code	☐	☐	☐	☐
41b) Current earnings	☐	☐	☐	☐
41c) Historical earnings	☐	☐	☐	☐
41d) Employer ID	☐	☐	☐	☐
41e) Employer county	☐	☐	☐	☐
41f) Unemployment insurance	☐	☐	☐	☐
41g) Unemployment compensation	☐	☐	☐	☐
41h) Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data	☐	☐	☐	☐
41i) Wagner-Peyser	☐	☐	☐	☐
41j) Trade Adjustment Assistance	☐	☐	☐	☐
42) Does the SLDS mostly link workforce data with adult education and career and technical education (Perkins CTE) data through an automated system? (If Not planned, skip to Question 43)	☐	☐	☐	☐
43) How are workforce data linked with adult education and Perkins CTE data?
43a) Assigned unique identifier	☐	☐	☐	☐

Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned		In Progress		Operational
43b) Element match process	☐	☐		☐		☐
43c) Social Security number	☐	☐		☐		☐
43d) Another external organization	☐	☐		☐		☐
43e) Other method (please explain below)	☐	☐		☐		☐
44) Is there a comprehensive data dictionary for workforce data elements that contains metadata such as a definition, option sets, type, and field length? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 45)	☐	☐		☐		☐
44a) Is the data dictionary published publicly?	☐	☐		☐		☐
44a.i) If so, please provide data dictionary website address:      
44b) Are workforce data elements aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?	☐	☐		☐		☐
45) How are workforce data from the SLDS used? (If Not Planned, skip to Question 46)	☐	☐	☐			☐
45a.i) Reports for governor or state legislature	☐	☐			☐	☐
45a.ii) Reports for state boards or agencies	☐	☐			☐	☐
45a.iii) Reports on statewide research or policy agenda and strategic plans	☐	☐			☐	☐
45a.iv) Reports for state legislative, policy, or regulatory requirements	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.i) Feedback reports about district employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.ii) Feedback reports about regional employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.iii) Feedback reports about adult education program employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.iv) Feedback reports about community college transfers and employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.v) Feedback reports about 4-year postsecondary institution transfers and employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
45b.vi) Feedback reports about Perkins CTE program employment outcomes	☐	☐			☐	☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned			In Progress	Operational
45b.vii) Workforce/industry supply and demand	☐	☐			☐	☐
45c) Federal reports (e.g., WIOA)	☐	☐			☐	☐
45d) Curriculum decisions	☐	☐			☐	☐
45e) Data skills and use training	☐	☐			☐	☐
45f) Funding decisions	☐	☐			☐	☐
45g) Cross-sector collaboration	☐	☐			☐	☐
45h) Resources for public, parents, and community members (e.g., dashboards, scorecards)	☐	☐			☐	☐
45i) Other (please explain below)	☐	☐			☐	☐

Interoperability
46) In what ways do student-level data move between data systems through replicable, automated processes?
46a) Across local education agencies (LEAs) in the state through a student records exchange (SRE or SREx)	☐		☐		☐	☒
46b) From LEAs to the state education agency (SEA) through an SRE or SREx	☐		☐		☐	☐
46c) From K-12 to in-state postsecondary institutions through e-transcripts (including electronic PDFs)	☐		☐		☐	☐
46d) To other SEAs through an SRE or SREx	☐		☐		☐	☐
46e) To out-of-state postsecondary institutions through e-transcripts	☐		☐		☐	☐
46f) Interstate (e.g., through SEED, SWIS, or data-sharing agreements between states)	☐		☐		☐	☐
46g) Other (please explain below)	☐		☐		☐	☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned	Planned		In Progress			Operational
47) (NEW ITEM) Is the SLDS used to conduct cross-state data sharing with another state(s)?	☐	☐		☐			☐
47a) (NEW ITEM) Early childhood data	☐	☐		☐			☐

47b) (NEW ITEM) K-12 data	☐		☐			☐			☐
47c) (NEW ITEM) Postsecondary data	☐		☐			☐			☐
47d) (NEW ITEM) Workforce data	☐		☐			☐			☐
48) (NEW ITEM) Is the SLDS used to conduct cross-state data sharing in a multi-state collaboration?	☐		☐			☐			☐
48a) (NEW ITEM) Early childhood data	☐		☐			☐			☐
48b) (NEW ITEM) K-12 data	☐		☐			☐			☐
48c) (NEW ITEM) Postsecondary data	☐		☐			☐			☐
48d) (NEW ITEM) Workforce data	☐		☐			☐			☐
Feature	Status
	Centralized			Federated			Hybrid		Not applicable
49) Which model best describes the P-20W+ SLDS that collects data across agencies? (Please select one.)	☐			☐			☐		☐
Feature	Status
	Less than 50%	50% - 75%			75%-90%			Greater than 90%		Not applicable

50) What percentage of individuals identified as postsecondary students in the SLDS are matched to former in-state K-12 students? (Please select one.)	☐	☐		☐		☐		☐
51) What percentage of individuals identified as employed in the state in the SLDS are matched to former in-state K-12 students? (Please select one.)	☐	☐		☐		☐		☐
52) What percentage of individuals identified as employed in the state in the SLDS are matched to former in-state postsecondary students? (Please select one.)	☐	☐		☐		☐		☐
Data Use and Research Capacity
Feature	Status
	Not Planned		Planned		In Progress		Operational
53) Does the SLDS produce federal and state reports in addition to those listed in previous parts of this survey? (If Not Planned, skip to question 54)	☐		☐		☐		☐
53a) Statewide assessment nonparticipation reports by type or category (e.g., opt out, absent, medical emergency)	☐		☐		☐		☐
53b) Data quality reports (e.g., timeliness of submissions or certifications, error correction rate prior to certification)	☐		☐		☐		☐
53c) SLDS Usage statistics by user role (e.g., teachers, administrators, SEA users, public)	☐		☐		☐		☐
53d) Other (please explain below)	☐		☐		☐		☐
Feature	Status
	Not Planned		Planned		In Progress		Operational
54) How does the state find out how critical stakeholders and stakeholder groups use SLDS dashboards, reports, or tools? (Critical stakeholders and stakeholder groups, sometimes referred to as user roles, are identified by and unique to each state or territory. They can range from senior state government officials to the public depending on the data sources included in the SLDS, investment in SLDS initiatives and programs, and the state's overall objectives and priorities.)
54a) Large-scale surveys	☐		☐		☐		☐
54b) Post-training evaluations	☐		☐		☐		☐
54c) Focus groups	☐		☐		☐		☐
54d) Interviews	☐		☐		☐		☐
54e) Observations	☐		☐		☐		☐
54f) Ad hoc feedback	☐		☐		☐		☐
54g) Online analytics	☐		☐		☐		☐
54h) Other (please explain below)	☐		☐		☐		☐
55) If the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) are used, how are they used?
55a) Data governance	☐		☐		☐		☐
55b) Generate	☐		☐		☐		☐
55c) Data integration	☐		☐		☐		☐
55d) Integrated Data Store	☐		☐		☐		☐
55e) Other (please explain below)	☐		☐		☐		☐
56) Can the SLDS address all of the state or territory’s current policy, research or program evaluation questions?					Yes ☐		No ☐
56a) If no, please explain.      

Research Agenda
57) Does the state or territory have a research agenda? (If no, skip to Question 58)	Yes ☐	No ☐
57a) Is the research agenda published publicly?	Yes ☐	No ☐
57a.i) If so, please provide the research agenda website address:      
57b) What topics does the research agenda cover?      
57c) Does the state require assistance from outside researchers to address its research priorities?	Yes ☐	No ☐
57c.i) If yes, please explain:      
58) Please enter any additional comments.      

Definitions:

Adult Education: A program providing basic education and literacy services to individuals over the age of 16 who are not currently enrolled in school and lack a high school diploma or the basic skills to function effectively in the workplace and in their daily lives.

Advanced Placement (AP): A curriculum sponsored by the College Board that offers standardized college-level courses and aligned summative assessments to high school students.

Automated system: A technological solution that requires minimal manual configuration to complete. Any system that links data in a standard, repeatable process should be considered for this response. Ad hoc data linking should not be considered for this response.

Benchmark or interim assessment: An assessment administered throughout the school year that (a) evaluates student knowledge and skills relative to a specific set of academic goals, usually within a limited period of time, and (b) is designed to give educators immediate, formative feedback on how students are performing and inform decisions at the classroom and school or district level.

Centralized data model: A data model in which all participating source systems periodically copy their data to a single, centrally located data repository where they are organized, integrated, and stored using a common data standard. Users can query the system to access the data that they have been authorized to view and use.

Common Education Data Standards (CEDS): A national collaborative effort to develop voluntary, common data standards for a key set of education data elements to streamline the exchange, comparison, and understanding of data within and across P-20W+ institutions and sectors.

Data governance: The overall management of SLDS data, including its availability, usability, integrity, quality, and security.

Data integration: The process of integrating data into an SLDS or other general education data system that provides state education agencies with more complete data and helps them improve the accuracy of federal reporting, increase the quality of and access to data within and across data systems, and make better informed policy decisions.

Demographics: Characteristics of individual students, including date of birth, gender, race/ethnicity, and disability status.

Diploma/certificate: The credential earned by a completer or graduate, including high school diploma, special education diploma, modified diploma, certificate of attendance, or GED.

Discipline: Information about student infractions of rules, including type of incident, type of disciplinary action, and duration of disciplinary action.

Early Intervention, IDEA Part C: The Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (Part C of IDEA) is a federal grant program that assists states in operating a comprehensive statewide program of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities, ages birth through age 2 years, and their families.

EDFacts: A U.S. Department of Education initiative to centralize performance data supplied by K-12 state education agencies with other data assets, such as financial grant information, within the department to enable better analysis and use in policy development, planning, and management.

Federated data model: A data model in which individual source systems maintain control over their own data but agree to share some or all of this information with other participating systems upon request. System users submit queries via a shared intermediary interface that then searches the independent source systems. Data are queried from source systems, and records are matched to fulfill a data requestor’s information needs. The linked data are not stored by the system, but rather are removed once cached and delivered.

Generate: A software application that improves data quality and automates reporting for state education agencies through standardization.

Hybrid data model: A data model that combines features of the centralized and federated models. For example, hybrid models may establish and maintain data linkages through common identifiers such as Social Security number, name, date of birth, and student identifier, while data such as enrollment, attainment, and assessment information to be shared with researchers or other data recipients are kept separate.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Federal legislation that makes available a free, appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities and ensures special education and related services to those children. Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Integrated Data Store: The CEDS Integrated Data Store (IDS) includes the complete set of CEDS elements, entities, and attributes with standard technical syntax and third-normal-form database normalization. The IDS model provides a standard framework for integrating P-20W+ data systems through a well-normalized operational data store. It can be used for transactional education data systems, to perform near real-time reporting, and as a standard staging area to load the CEDS Data Warehouse.

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS): A system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Interoperability: The ability for different systems to communicate, exchange data, and use information that has been exchanged.

Kindergarten entry assessment: An assessment used to determine children's skills and abilities at the time they enter kindergarten. The assessment informs instruction and services in the early elementary grades.

Link: An established technology solution that allows for data to be brought together in a replicable and useful way.

Match process: The protocol or series of steps used to analyze all the information relating to individuals and/or entities from multiple sources of data to determine whether the same individual or entity exists in more than one database. The process may use Social Security numbers (SSN) as an example.

National Student Clearinghouse (NSC): A national repository of postsecondary enrollment data.

Occupation code: Occupational identifiers within the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system used by federal statistical agencies.

Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE): The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins CTE) provides federal support for CTE programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories. The law focuses on the academic and technical achievement of CTE students, strengthening the connections between secondary and postsecondary education, and improving accountability.

Prekindergarten: An early childhood education program serving students before kindergarten.

Program/major: The program or major that a student completed when they earned a degree.

Recognized postsecondary credential: A credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate or certification, a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship, a license recognized by the state or by the federal government, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.

Remediation: Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and educational setting.

Research agenda: A research plan that focuses on issues and ideas that are of greatest current interest or need. A research agenda is shaped around challenges of practice, policy, and implementation; helps orient internal staff and stakeholders toward short- and long-term goals; guides priority areas, research project selection, and reporting needs; and changes over time as interests, priorities, and needs shift, and as knowledge grows and as new research questions emerge.

School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED): A voluntary, common classification system for prior-to-secondary and secondary school courses. It can be used to compare course information, maintain longitudinal data about student coursework, and efficiently exchange coursetaking records. SCED is based on a 5-digit course code that provides a basic structure for classifying course content. Additional SCED elements and attributes provide descriptive information about each course.

Special Education, IDEA Part B Section 619: Specially designed instruction provided to preschool children ages 3-5 with disabilities as defined in IDEA.

Student records exchange (SRE or SREx): A system and process for exchanging electronic versions of students' academic records among education agencies to facilitate the registration, course placement, and provision of services when students transfer.

Summative or end-of-course assessment: An assessment given at the end of a unit of time (such as a semester or school year) to evaluate students' performance.

Trade Adjustment Assistance: A federal entitlement program that assists U.S. workers who have lost or may lose their jobs as a result of foreign trade. This program seeks to provide adversely affected workers with opportunities to obtain the skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become reemployed.

Unemployment Compensation (UC): A program that provides benefits for eligible unemployed former employees.

Unemployment Insurance (UI): A program that provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own and meet certain other eligibility requirements.

Wagner-Peyser: The Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933 established a nationwide system of public employment offices known as the Employment Service. The system provides universal access to an integrated array of labor exchange services so that workers, job seekers, and businesses can find the services that they need in one stop and frequently under one roof in easy-to-find locations.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers that they need to compete in the global economy. WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner-Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

To provide feedback or suggestions about the SLDS Survey, please contact Kristen King (Kristen.King@ed.gov).

APPENDIX E, Section 3 – Explanation of SLDS Survey Changes by Question

Please see accompanying Excel spreadsheet, “2021 SLDS Survey Edits by Question”.

1 Underlined terms are defined at the end of this document.