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What is the history of SLDS?

In 2007 the state legislature authorized the formation of a Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Committee under the leadership of the Chief Information Officer of the Information Technology Department. House Bill 1021 revised North Dakota Century Code 15.1-02-18 to establish this committee and identified membership to include representation from the Information Technology Department, Department of Career and Technical Education, Job Service North Dakota, Department of Commerce, the Department of Human Services, the Board of Higher Education, and the Department of Public Instruction, and one person appointed by the governor. Currently, representatives from the North Dakota Council of Education Leaders, the Workforce Development Council, the North Dakota Senate and the North Dakota House of Representatives are also on the committee.

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Which agencies are involved?

Current members of the SLDS Committee include representatives from:

Information Technology Department

Department of Career and Technical Education

Department of Commerce

Department of Human Services

Department of Public Instruction

Job Service North Dakota

North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders

North Dakota Governor's Office

The Workforce Development Council

North Dakota House of Representatives

North Dakota Senate

North Dakota University System

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How is individual privacy protected?

No personally-identifiable data will be public, in compliance with all state and federal laws.  Access to private data is strictly controlled in compliance with FERPA Guidelines. FERPA is The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) and is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

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What initiatives informed the demand for a Statewide Longitudinal Data System?

Governor’s Commission on Education Improvement: 

Recommendations to build a State Longitudinal Data System comprised of K-12 student information, higher education and Job Service which would produce a comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of state education programs and workforce development initiatives 

Mandated the following K12:

ND State Scholarship and graduation requirements 

ACT for all 11th grade or WorkKeys 

Interim assessment (MAP at 90%) grades 2-10 aligned with state standards 

Career interest inventory that accompany the PLAN or Pre-SAT 

Funded Pearson PowerSchool statewide for all public school districts 

Department of Commerce Workforce Development 

In 2007 introduced an SLDS system as a means of responding to ND growing workforce demand with the following goals: 
 

Identify what workforce exists 

Where it is located 

Identify gaps in existing workforce 

Identify methods to fill these gaps 

Develop a method to disseminate to all partners and stakeholders qualitative and quantitative workforce intelligence 

State Fiscal Stabilization Funds (ARRA) Phase II 

2009 America Recovery and Reinvestment Act 

State Fiscal Stabilization Funds accepted by the state require the building of educational outcome and workforce longitudinal systems (K12, Pre-K, Higher Ed, Workforce linkages) :

Publicaly report 

High school graduates enrolling in postsecondary within 16 months 

High school graduate receiving 1 year of college credit within 2 years of PS  enrollment 

Information on graduates requiring remediation