Education Commission of the States • 700 Broadway, Suite 810 • Denver, CO 80203-3442 • 303.299.3600 • Fax: 303.296.8332 • www.ecs.org
State Data Systems

Longitudinal student-unit databases provide the most accurate information for both policy decisions and decisions at the district and school levels. They can provide information about student growth over time that can then be linked with the teachers, programs and schools that have served those students. They also can provide fairer comparisons of schools than data systems that rely on cohort comparisons, because they ensure school performance is based only on students who have been continuously enrolled in that school. Finally, because they can match student records over time, they offer a way to follow student progress statewide and to verify the accuracy of district information – particularly about student transfers and dropouts. However, less than one-fifth of the states are even close to implementing systems that are robust enough to provide this level of information.

The following elements are important:
  • Unique student identifiers make it possible for value-added assessment systems to determine growth in individual student achievement.
  • The use of social security numbers as unique identifiers has raised significant concerns about student privacy. States that have moved ahead with the use of unique identifiers even though the use of social security numbers is prohibited by law could be tapped for model language to help provide solutions in other states.
  • Unique teacher identifiers allow integration of teacher data into school-level analysis of trends in classroom performance. This level of data can help district and building leaders identify, for example, where professional development is needed and can help evaluate the impact of such training.
  • State policymakers have demonstrated an increasing level of interest in value-added analysis, and a small but growing number of states are explicitly addressing this element in policy.
  • The ability to analyze data across K-12 and higher education allows state policymakers address issues such as reducing the numbers of high school graduates needing remediation. The proposal to create student-unit records as part of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) could impact these emerging systems, for it changes the nature of the conversation to one that includes the potential for assignment of identifiers that are unique ACROSS the states rather that within states -- and increasing the debate related to issues of student privacy.
The information in this database will be updated as new state policies are enacted.

Last updated: Spring 2006

Please contact Kathy Christie at 303.299.3613 or kchristie@ecs.org with questions or comments about the database.
Statewide student data system uses unique student identifiers State law prohibits use of social security number Unique teacher identifiers State data system includes explicit value-added analysis component State K-12 data system linked to higher education system (accountability at P-16 level) Source
Alabama
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  ALA. CODE Sec. 16-5-7. Alabama State Department of Education Webpage, Unique Student Identifier Presentation.
    Alaska
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  ALASKA ADMIN. CODE tit. 4, sec. 07.060. ALASKA ADMIN. CODE tit. 4, sec. 06.700 et seq.
    American Samoa
  • No
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
    Arizona
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  ARIZ. REV. STAT. Sec. 15-1041. ARIZ. REV. STAT. Sec. 15-1042. ARIZ. REV. STAT. Sec. 15-1043. ARIZ. REV. STAT. Sec. 15-1822. ARIZ. REV. STAT. Sec. 15-1823.
    Arkansas
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: Value-added computations are to be compared to similar national data.
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  ARK. CODE ANN. Sec. 6-15-402. ARK. CODE ANN. Sec. 6-15-433. ARK. CODE ANN. Sec. 6-15-435. ARK. CODE ANN. Sec. 6-61-127.
    California
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  CAL. EDUC. CODE Sec. 60900. CAL. EDUC. CODE Sec. 49084. CAL. EDUC. CODE Sec. 52052.5. CAL. EDUC. CODE Sec. 66903.
    Colorado
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  COLO. REV. STAT. § 22-7-603.5, 23-5-127, 23-1-109.3, 22-2-106.5
    Connecticut
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    Notes/Citation: The initial system focuses on student information, provided the system created will allow for future compatibility with financial, facility and staff data.
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•  CONN. GEN. STAT. § 10-10a
    Delaware
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: The Delaware Higher Education Commission must enhance the capacity for quality data collection and reporting to meet federal mandates, regional and interstate contractual agreements, and national data sharing requirements.
    		•  Delaware Student Information System (DELSIS)

    DEL. CODE ANN. tit. 14 § 181 (Delaware Higher Education Commission)
    District of Columbia
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  D.C. CODE ANN. § 38-1800.02 (definition of the "electronic data transfer system")

    D.C. CODE § 2-213.02
    Florida
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  FLA. STAT. ANN. § 1008.345, .385, .37 .43, .31
    Georgia
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: GA. CODE ANN. 20-2-320
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
    		•  GA. STATE BD. RULES 160-5-1-.07

    GA. CODE ANN. § 20-14-8
    Hawaii
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  A Report to the Legislature and the Governor on the Department of Education’s Response to Act 51 (December 2004)
    Idaho
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  H.B. 367 (2003)
    Illinois
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•  Illinois State Board of Education Student Information System
    Indiana
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  IND. CODE § 20-1-1-6.5
    Student Test Number
    Iowa
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•  IOWA CODE § 256.9 (52)
    Kansas
  • Yes
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•  Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS)
    Kentucky
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: Developing
    		•  KY. REV. STAT. ANN. § 158.6453

    Max Enterprise Data System
    Louisiana
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    		•  LA. REV. STAT. ANN. § 17:7(2)(c)(d)(e); Profile of Educational Personnel (PEP)
    Maine
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  Maine Education Data Management System
    Maryland
  • No
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
    Massachusetts
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  MASS. GEN. LAWS ch. 69 § 1I

    Student Information Management System (SIMS)
    Michigan
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  MICH. COMP. LAWS § 388.1694a

    Single Record Student Database
    Minnesota
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•  MINN. STAT. § 125B.05, 120B.362

    Minnesota Automated Reporting System for Students (MARSS)
    Mississippi
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  MISS. CODE ANN. § 37-151-17, 19

    Mississippi Department of Education Technology Plan
    Missouri
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  MO. CODE REGS. ANN. tit. 5, § 50-350.040
    Montana
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  MONT. CODE ANN. § 20-3-106(26) - gives authority to state superintendent
    Nebraska
  • Developing
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: The unique Student ID will be computer generated and contain no embedded meaning.
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•  NEB. REV. STAT. § 79-760

    Nebraska Student and Staff Record System

    School-based Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System
    Nevada
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: The system may be used for pupils who enroll in the University and Community College System of Nevada.
    		• NEV. REV. STAT § 386.650, 386.655
    New Hampshire
  • Developing
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  N.H. REV. STAT. ANN. § 193-C:3, C:9, E:5

    Initiative for School Empowerment and Excellence
    New Jersey
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•  NJ Standards Measurements and Resource for Teaching - NJ NCLB Consolidated State Application Accountabliity Workbook
    New Mexico
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  N.M. STAT. ANN. § 22-2C-11; N.M. ADMIN. CODE tit. 6 § 19.5.8 -.9
    New York
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  New York State Student Identification System (NYSSIS) - System Overview

    Statewide Data Collection Activities
    North Carolina
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    		•  N.C. GEN. STAT. § 115C-12, 116-11

    NC State Board of Education Policy EEO-C-018

    NC Wise
    North Dakota
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: The student’s ID# is a ten digit unique identifier that is generated by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  N.D. CENT. CODE § 15.1-02-08

    North Dakota Online Reporting System
    Ohio
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: Must be implemented by July 1, 2007.
    		•
  • No
    		•  OHIO REV. CODE ANN. § 3301.0714, 3302.021
    Oklahoma
  • Developing
    Notes/Citation: Student Tracking and Reporting Pilot Program
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  OKLA. STAT. tit. 70 § 3-160

    H.B. 1021 (2005)
    Oregon
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: Developing
    		•  OR. REV. STAT. § 326.565

    Secure Student ID (SSID)
    Pennsylvania
  • No
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
    Puerto Rico Unable to locate
    Rhode Island
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  R.I. GEN. LAWS § 42-72.5-2
    South Carolina
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
    South Dakota
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  S.D. CODIFIED LAWS § 13-3-51
    Tennessee
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  TENN. CODE ANN. § 49-6-5101
    Texas
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With all 4-year institutions
    Notes/Citation: H.B. 1144 (2001) requires that records relating to student performance be coordinated and maintained in standardized, compatible formats that allow the exchange of information between K-12 and higher education and throughout each student's educational career.
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
  • Other
    		•  TEX CODE ANN. § 32.158, 42.006

    H.B. 1144 (2001)
    Utah
  • Developing
    Notes/Citation: School districts request all students to provide the district with a social security number for purposes of identification and electronic record transfer. 2006 legislation requires each public school student to be assigned a unique student identifier that does not incorporate a social security number.
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: 2006 legislation (H.B. 82) requires the state board of education and state board of regents to develop coordinated information technology systems "to allow individual student academic achievement to be tracked through both education systems...."
    		•  UTAH ADMIN. CODE R277-419-7; UTAH CODE ANN. § 53A-1-603.5
    Vermont
  • Yes
    		•  Unable to locate documentation.
    Virgin Islands Unable to locate
    Virginia
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Developing
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•
  • Not applicable
    		•  VA. CODE ANN. § 22.1-289

    Educational Information Management System
    Washington
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: State Student ID (SSID) is randomly generated.
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • With community colleges
  • With technical colleges
    		•  WASH. REV. CODE § 28A.300.130

    Core Student Record System
    West Virginia
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•  W. VA. CODE ST. R. § 126-13-1

    W. VA. CODE § 18-2-5f

    West Virginia Education Information System
    Wisconsin
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: "No personal contact information, such as addresses or phone numbers, or social security numbers will be collected or used by the system."
  • No
    		•
  • Yes
    		•
  • No
    Notes/Citation: The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents may assign to each student enrolled in the system a unique identification number. (Wis. Stat. § 36.11)
    		•  Wisconsin Individual Student Enrollment System (ISES)
    Wisconsin Student Number Locator System (WSLS)
    Wyoming
  • Yes
    		•
  • Yes
    Notes/Citation: Eight digits and assigned randomly from pool.
  • No
    		•
  • No
    		•
  • Other
    Notes/Citation: There is a community college level data system that does not link to K-12 system.
    		•  WYO. STAT. ANN. § 21-2-202(xiv), 21-18-202

    Wyoming Integrated Statewide Education Data System (WISE)


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