PreK-12 State Longitudinal Data Systems

FCD's newest Policy to Action Brief, PreK-3^rd: Next Steps for State Longitudinal Data Systems by Donald J. Hernandez, recommends that the federal government convene a national advisory group to develop guidelines that will assist states in developing fully integrated PreK-12 longitudinal data systems. The recommendation is a critical first step in assessing children's early education experiences and the impact of early education on later school success.

Additional recommendations include:

• Start by integrating PreK data into state longitudinal data systems.
• Create a microdata portal to meet PreK-12 research and evaluation needs.
• Create a system-indicators portal for decision-making by parents, schools, and policymakers.
• Create a student-indicators portal for instructional planning by teachers, principals, and parents.
• Maintain confidentiality while ensuring easy and timely access. 

Additional Resources

• Many Missing Pieces: The Difficult Task of Linking Early Childhood Data and School-Based Data Systems