SLDS Site Visit Report: Wisconsin May 30,

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2 INTRODUCTION The Statewide Lngitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Grant Prgram cnducts site visits t its grantee states t assess prgress n SLDS grant-funded wrk, prvide technical assistance, and learn best practices. The SLDS team visited the Wiscnsin Department f Public Instructin (DPI) n May 30, 2012 t review the state s FY09 and ARRA SLDS grants. HISTORY Wiscnsin received its first SLDS grant in February The purpse f the grant was t cnstruct a lngitudinal data system t better infrm curriculum, assessment, and schl peratinal decisins. With the first grant award in 2006, DPI built its first student-centric data warehuse t link student and schl data frm a variety f surces ver time fr analysis and reprting. Matching prgrams are used t match data and an LDS Student Key is assigned t link the student data acrss the data surces. Wiscnsin received a secnd SLDS grant in May 2009 t cntinue the develpment f its lngitudinal data system. Wiscnsin has several central educatin pririties: clsing the achievement gap, building 21 st century skills, and mving tward a P-20 mdel in which all stakehlders educatrs, students, business, and gvernment can make infrmed decisins based n sund lngitudinal data. Using the FY09 funds, DPI has built a data warehuse that satisfies federal requirements and reprting while als supprting schl and district imprvement by enabling lngitudinal research and tracking student perfrmance ver time. DPI has upgraded its SLDS fundatin t supprt additinal student-level data cllectins and ther incrprated data sets; has built dashbards, reprts, and analysis tls; and is wrking t create a cmprehensive educatin prtal. Each f these effrts has helped DPI mve frward with defining and develping Wiscnsin s P-20 system. Wiscnsin als received an FY09 ARRA grant in July The grant is primarily used t implement additinal capabilities, which prmte a mre rbust, sustainable, and interperable PK-16 data system. DPI plans t fcus n three majr gals: imprvement f pstsecndary alignment effrts, incrpratin f teacher licensure data int the SLDS, and study f early childhd data cllectins. Fr the first bjective, DPI will prvide sub-grants t pstsecndary partners t implement system updates. DPI will als create cmmn, aligned data elements and standards, as well as an interperable data exchange fr research and reprting. Fr the secnd bjective, DPI will create a web mdule t manage and SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

3 prcess bth initial and renewal license applicatins as a part f the Teacher, Educatin, Prfessinal Develpment, and Licensing (TEPDL) prject. Lastly, DPI will cmplete a feasibility study t evaluate current early childhd educatin data cllectins and create a plan fr eventual data sharing between DPI and partner agencies. With the FY09 grant, DPI has increased transparency and incrprated stakehlder feedback int the SLDS prject. Wiscnsin has wrked t identify the gals f the data warehuse, and mre imprtantly, t cmmunicate these gals t bth internal and external stakehlders. DPI has als generated mmentum arund the field f educatin data and the use f data t prmte educatinal success. Wiscnsin recently launched the Cursewrk Cmpletin System, an additinal cllectin mdule within the Individual Student Enrllment System, and cmpleted the first statewide cllectin f curse data. This new system prvides the link between a teacher, curse selectin, and student. The Cursewrk Cmpletin System will prvide data abut curse taking patterns, prgram participatin, and trends that supprt high schl graduatin and later success in pstsecndary educatin and the wrkfrce. With the help f the SLDS grants, Wiscnsin has made cnsiderable prgress in cllecting data, designing and building a data warehuse, and creating tls fr stakehlders t access the data fr analysis and reprting. While Wiscnsin had made great prgress in prviding tls fr districts t access data fr decisinmaking (Multi-Dimensinal Analytic Tl (MDAT), Secure Access File Exchange (SAFE)), Wiscnsin felt that it made sense t purchase a slutin t help create dashbards and reprts in a mre timely fashin fr users instead f having t build a new applicatin t visualize each dataset. In February 2011 DPI purchased a suite f data, dashbard, and reprting tls that eventually became WISEdash, DPI s dashbard and reprting tl. WISEdash is currently being pilted t a limited number f districts. DPI has increased cllabratin with pstsecndary grups, early childhd partners, and Reginal Cperative Educatin Service Agencies (CESAs). DPI has als established partnerships with external stakehlders t prvide prfessinal develpment related t WISEdash user capacity. Recent prgress in Wiscnsin has als fcused n DPI s three primary bjectives fr the ARRA grant: pstsecndary alignment effrts, teacher licensure data in the SLDS, and study f early childhd data cllectins. Fr the first bjective, DPI has used ARRA grant funds t slidify partnerships with higher SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

4 educatin partners and t strengthen the cnnectin between P-12 and higher educatin data. In Octber 2011, DPI made ne-year sub-grants t higher educatin partners, including the University f Wiscnsin System, the Wiscnsin Technical Cllege System, and the Wiscnsin Assciatin f Independent Clleges and Universities. The prject nw has a dedicated team t assist with data analysis, data plicy, and technical infrastructure. In the past year, DPI als decided t use the Wiscnsin Student Number (WSN) t link K-12 data t higher educatin, and DPI is in discussins abut whether t use the WSN fr pre-kindergarten. T accmplish this gal, DPI is wrking t add the WSN t high schl transcripts (including e-transcripts) and t create a secure web service that matches student names t WSN. Fr the TEPDL bjective, DPI has established an perable prject team with a Prject Charter. DPI analyzed prgrams in 48 ther states t explre the pssibility f using a licensing system that already exists, versus creating a unique system fr Wiscnsin. DPI will finalize the apprach fr the licensing system by September Lastly, the prject steering cmmittee fr early childhd has partnered with the Gvernr s State Advisry Cuncil n Early Childhd Educatin and Care. The cmmittee includes representatives frm three main state agencies: Department f Children and Families, Department f Health Services, and Department f Public Instructin. GRANT STATUS Wiscnsin received $5,552,270 in federal funding fr the FY09 SLDS grant. In Year 1, Wiscnsin claims t have spent 71 percent f its Year 1 budget ($1,016, f $1,430,959.00). Hwever, the award histry reprt in GAPS indicates that Wiscnsin drew dwn $816, during this same perid. This discrepancy is due t funds that were expended and bligated by March 31, but nt yet drawn dwn. The under-spending is partially due t the fact that the annual reprt prject Year 1 end (3/31/2010) is ne mnth befre the budgeted prject Year 1 end (5/1/2010) and partially due t the delays Wiscnsin experienced hiring new team members. In Year 2, Wiscnsin spent apprximately 81 percent f its Year 2 budget ($1,885, f $2,319,249.00). Again, there is a discrepancy between the amunt listed in Wiscnsin s annual reprt budget ($1,885,720.00) and the amunt listed in the G5 award histry reprt ($1,645,619.35) due t funds that were expended and bligated by March 31, but nt yet drawn dwn. The under-spending is partially due t shifts in the reprting perid and partially due t the delays Wiscnsin experienced in VersiFit cntracting and implementatin effrts fr the sftware and hardware t supprt the business intelligence slutin. In Year 3, Wiscnsin spent $1,665,208.24, which SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

5 was mre than the prjected year 3 expenditure ($1,593,033.00). The ver-spending is due t greater csts t implement the VersiFit Edvantage slutin than initially planned. Wiscnsin s grant is scheduled t end in May Federal funding fr Wiscnsin s FY09 ARRA SLDS grant ttaled $13,809, Wiscnsin spent apprximately 20 percent f its Year 1 budget ($842, f $4,275,729.00). The under-spending is mainly due t the planning phase f the FY09 ARRA SLDS grant, which invlves prcurement prcesses, hiring staff, and cnducting requirements-gathering. Under-spending is als due t reduced cntractual csts frm expenditures by the P-20 partners that have nt yet been reimbursed by the grant; purchasing delays arund the teacher licensing system since the technical architecture is nt yet finalized; and reduced persnnel csts frm delays arund the teacher licensing system and staff turnver. Wiscnsin anticipates expending the remaining Year 1 funds during the secnd and third years f the prject. Wiscnsin s grant is scheduled t end in June STRENGTHS AND BEST PRACTICES WISEdash cllabratin invlves several prgram areas, including lcal educatin agencies (LEAs), which increases the sustainability f the system. The creatin f a single pint f entry int the WISEdash system is crucial. Wiscnsin has created a secure landing page fr users t access all tls they have been set up t use. Thrugh Act 166, teacher preparatin data cnstitutes an imprtant state pririty, and this data als helps t maintain psitive relatinships with institutins f higher educatin. Wiscnsin has created the Wiscnsin Educatin Research Advisry Cuncil t establish a research agenda with varius stakehlders. Wiscnsin has incrprated stakehlder feedback thrugh the establishment f a strng and useful cllabratin with the creatin f the External Advisry Cmmittee (including cllege systems, ther early childhd stakehlders and Wiscnsin CESAs) t discuss WISEdash decisins. Wiscnsin cntinues t entice private schls t use the WSN, which prvides a crucial link between K12 and pstsecndary data fr bth public and private schl students. SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

6 The Wiscnsin data system has three unique psitins that have aided in the success f the different prjects assciated with the SLDS grants: Data Gvernance Lead, Cmmunicatins Lead, and Research Analyst. The Data Gvernance Lead cntinues t imprve data gvernance arund the data system by fcusing n implementatin rather than plicy and rule creatin. The Cmmunicatins Lead assists in the successful cmmunicatin between internal and external partners, and brings stakehlders tgether t cnnect the dts between all strategic prjects and initiatives. Ultimately this level f increased cmmunicatin will help with sustainability. The research analyst prvides valuable infrmatin and statistical analyses in rder t cntinue t imprve educatin in Wiscnsin. The Wiscnsin SLDS staff is very integrated. The large size f the steering cmmittee ensures that many stakehlders remain up-t-date with LDS prgress. The cmmittee als maintains supprt and interactin between different ffices. The Office f Educatinal Accuntability is included in discussins abut the prject, which ensures that they have the necessary infrmatin. Wiscnsin presents brwnbag presentatins n the LDS and WISEdash fr state educatin agency emplyees. Wiscnsin priritizes sustainable and efficient practices. The statewide student infrmatin system has recrded $30 millin in savings. Wiscnsin relies n pen surce tls when pssible and is cnsidering the use f identity management tls frm ther states in rder t cut expenses. Wiscnsin is als cnsidering using these tls t cnslidate effrts and becme mre efficient with matching and identity management. Wiscnsin aims t use the Cmmn Educatin Data Standards (CEDS) t align variables frm different sectrs. Wiscnsin is pen abut prject challenges. Presentatins fcus n these bstacles in rder t spread knwledge t ther states. The prject embraces relatinships in rder t mve frward. SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

7 AREAS OF CONTINUED FOCUS AND ACTION ITEMS Belw are areas f cntinued fcus and assciated recmmended actin items fr Wiscnsin s data system effrts. Fcus Area 1: The Wiscnsin DPI understands the imprtance f the SLDS system and the wrk invlved in this prcess; hwever, the state must cntinue t intentinally and actively prmte the significance and value f lngitudinal educatin data. Recmmendatins: Cntinue t dcument return n investment. Cntinue t utilize state funds t maintain and enhance the data system when pssible. Eventually cnsider the SLDS prject as a state effrt this culd ptentially assist in receiving mre funds frm the state. Create a dcument that prvides infrmatin n additinal state funding surces fr SLDS (e.g., Title I, Perkins, and special educatin). Fcus Area 2: Wiscnsin must prmte a culture f cperatin and cllabratin between all partners invlved in the P-20 SLDS prject. Recmmendatins: Take advantage f wrk cmpleted by ther partners, and mre imprtantly, cntinue t build upn this strng fundatin particularly the elements related t pstsecndary and early childhd bjectives. Learn frm the diverse array f challenges and prcesses experienced by different members f the P-20 prject. Use the P-20 data t present analysis similar t the existing analysis f the K12 data. Fcus Area 3: Althugh Wiscnsin has initiated interactin with LEAs, few LEAs participated in the 2012 site visit. It is imprtant t cntinue lcal utreach and t slicit LEA feedback n the SLDS prject. Cnsider additinal reprts fr LEAs, expanding the existing reprts being created fr LEAs that demnstrate hw the SLDS prject reduces burden. By prviding these key pints, this reprt wuld serve as a valuable asset t state legislatrs. SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,

8 Prvide mre cnsistent cmmunicatin with LEA stakehlders regarding WISEdash and data cllectin and use mre bradly. Cnsider hsting an LEA cllabrative cnference t assist in crss-district cmmunicatin, which was an identified need amng district staff. Fcus Area 4: Update the data gvernance plicy, and put P-20 data gvernance structures and prcesses int peratin agency-wide t unify K12 and pstsecndary standards. Recmmendatins: Dcument and implement effective, statewide gvernance plicies and prcesses, including key rles, respnsibilities, and decisinmaking authrity. Once the plicies and prcesses have been vetted with agency stakehlders, disseminate them t all applicable agency staff and create an implementatin plan fr putting them int practice. DOCUMENTS AND TOOLS FOR THE PUBLIC DOMAIN CLEARINGHOUSE (PDC) The fllwing dcuments and tls are recmmended fr inclusin in the PDC: Data Exchange Charter Student Grwth Percentile & Value-added infrmatin Guided Analysis Example SLDS Site Visit Reprt: Wiscnsin May 30,