Maximizing the Benefits of Common Education Data Standards -- The Kansas Story

1. Maximizing the Benefits of Common Education Data Standards -- The Kansas Story Presented by: Kathy Gosa Andrea Hall Kansas State Department of Education 26th Annual Management Information Systems (MIS) Conference February 14, 2013

2. Overview • Background • Current Status • Process • Plans • Challenges

3. Background • KSDE has been part of the CEDS initiative from “the beginning.” • Drivers • Facilitate cross-organization collaboration (e.g., early childhood). • Facilitate interstate initiatives (e.g., MEICIDEX) • Provide a resource for data definitions/codes that could be used by Requirement Analysts • Provide a resource for database design that could be used by developers • Provide a solution to our issues with metadata

4. Background • Kansas was part of the initial 14 states that mapped to the State Core Data with the help of PCG (CCSSO sponsored initiative) • Successes • Jumpstarted data alignment • Provided a model for integrating CEDS in our requirements gathering process • Identified data most commonly collected and used in other states • Helped business analysts to determine new elements/code sets for collection and to refine existing definitions • Challenges • Incorrect alignments • Incomplete

5. Current Status • The Kansas student data collection (KIDS Collection) was the first CEDS map Kansas published • Since then, Kansas has published the following maps • K12 Domain • Kansas Directory Data • Kansas UID Elements • MEIC IDEX Enrollment History • MEIC IDEX Master Table (DX_Mart) • Early Learning Domain • Kansas Early Learning • Postsecondary Domain • Kansas Postsecondary Database Data Dictionary

6. Current Status • Connect Tool • IDEX (Interstate Data Exchange) Project Connection • Web-based system that allows interstate searching capabilities

7. Current Status • Researchers • We encourage researchers to use the CEDS website • Review Maps to determine data elements for requests • Creates a common language • Use the Connect Tool • Review Existing Connections • Create New Connections

8. Metadata Challenge • Metadata provides the biggest challenge with aligning and mapping our data to CEDS • Incomplete Metadata Repository • Rapid implementations • Resources • Difficulty in keeping metadata up to date

9. Process • Requirements Analysts (RA) • Identify and define data elements • Compare and align the State’s data elements and definitions with CEDS • Include alignment in requirements documentation Word is getting out!

10. Process • Data Stewards • Involve them • Educate them • Encourage them • Review CEDS website • Review data elements, maps, connections • Use Connect Tool for collaborating with other states and agencies As stewards of the data, their participation in the CEDS process is imperative to its success!

11. Process • Program Area Involvement • KSDE Early Childhood Program • CEDS and the School Readiness Data Initiative School Readiness Data Initiative Vision: “Informed decision making on behalf of young children’s healthy development and school readiness. Focused on young children from birth to the start of kindergarten, this Initiative will lead to increased availability of valid and reliable data that can inform effective state and community policy decisions on children’s behalf.”

12. Process • The School Readiness Data Task Force • K12 Longitudinal Data System • Identify data elements associated with children’s school readiness “Create shared data standards, including common data identifiers and collection definitions, so data can be coordinated across programs, organizations, and agencies.”

13. Process • Information Technology and Early Childhood Program • Discussed needs • Helped navigate CEDS website • Determined next steps • IT did the initial comparison of elements • Early Childhood Program reviewed the findings

14. Process • Download CEDS Early Learning Data Elements • Compared CEDS Elements with Elements from the Early Childhood Applications • Foundations for School Success • Success in Schools

15. Process • Define Data Elements • Numerous data elements without documented definitions • Metadata repository • Requirements documents • Technical Design documents • Training documents • KSDE program website

16. Process • IT and Program Staff Meet Again • Reviewed Every Early Childhood Data Element • Updated existing definitions • Defined what was missing or incomplete

17. Process • CEDS Version 3 Release - September 2012 • CEDS Version 3 Draft released for public comment • Information Technology and Early Childhood Program staff met again • Reviewed each Early Learning data element • Submitted comments in September 2012

18. Process • Alignment • Alignment Tool in CEDS used to align data elements • Once the alignment was complete • Early Childhood program area review draft • IT Director approval • Map Publication • The Kansas Early Learning Map was published in December 2012

19. Cross Team Collaboration • Challenges • Different Languages • Technical vs. Non-Technical • Element Names and Definition Discrepancies • Denied vs. Declined • Incorrect analysis of data • Incorrect reporting of data

20. Cross Team Collaboration • Successes • Everyone had an opportunity to provide input • Everyone was hearing the same thing • Everyone was working toward the same goal “… increased availability of valid and reliable data that can inform effective state and community policy decisions on children’s behalf.”

21. What’s Next? • Expand Stakeholder Involvement • Requirements Analysts • Include CEDS alignment in documentation • Ensure program involvement • Ensure accurate data • Comprehensive metadata • Data Stewards • Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) • Promote the Common Education Data Standards • Master Data Management

22. What’s Next? • Focus on Alignment and Mapping • Promote the Use of CEDS • Integrate CEDS into our metadata strategy • Capitalize on mapped data

23. What’s Next? • Connect Tool • Further Exploration of the Tool • Demonstrate its Usefulness • Program Staff • Researchers • Data Analysts

24. Challenges Moving Forward • Data Sharing • Which datasets do we map? • Consideration of which data set is “shared.” • Operational Systems • Data Warehouse • Data Marts

25. Challenges Moving Forward • Early Childhood • Defining a system that encompasses multiple agencies and organizations • Workforce data • KSDE has not yet integrated workforce data into our SLDS • Maintaining what we’ve built

26. Questions? www.ksde.org Kathy Gosa: kgosa@ksde.org Andrea Hall: ahall@ksde.org