EdSource releases

Making California's New Data System Work:
Quality is Key

EdSource releases its second brief in a series which looks at California's student data system, also known as CALPADS.  The report looks at what information should be collected on students, and who is responsible for that data collection at the district level, but goes on to point out that the infrastructure for collection varies widely across school districts.

The report utilizes a handful of case studies to illustrate those inconsistencies and the obstacles at the local level that exist for Local Educational Agencies (LEA's), such as capacity and funding, and the systemic obstacles at the state level such as technical assistance and clear mandates.

There are several recommendations regarding data quality alone in the report as well as funding problems that have begun to surface in the shadow of the current economic crisis.

To read the full report, please go to http://www.edsource.org/pub_datasys2_quality_2-09.html.