Aligning Perspectives on Administrative Data - Building Support for Data Use

1. Aligning Perspectives on Administrative Data - Building Support for Data Use Matt Greene Division of Postsecondary, Adult & Career Education National Center for Education Statistics December 5, 2012

2. Access, how we get there, what stands in the way In an ideal world, securing data access for relevant statistical use should be standard. However, a natural divergence of interests can derail the best of plans. Data Quality Data Use ? “I’m not sure we’re legally authorized” “I’m not sure I’ll like what your work will say about our program”

3. Interests may diverge, what dictates each point of view? Statistical Agency will: • Describe the nature of a thing without bias • Maintain high technical standards • Enable research Program Owner will: • Protect the program • Conduct operations efficiently • Monitor and enhance the customer experience

4. What Statistical Agencies should remember • Statistical Agencies use data to describe external things, while a Program’s data describes the program and some may be fearful of reflecting on the internal workings of the program • Program Data Owners may know where they mistrust certain data, but may not always have the means to assess data quality with rigor

5. Building trust by assessing data quality…for the program’s data owner • NCES began conversation to expand access to the Federal Student Aid’s National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) • Discussions focused on several specific data elements, but data quality issues kept surfacing without any precise observations • NCES volunteered to conduct a data quality assessment for one key data element in NSLDS, the graduation indicator

6. Quality Assessment for NSLDS Grad Data • NSLDS receives enrollment reporting data from, or on behalf of, institutions of higher education • Of the various allowable values in the enrollment status field, it was suspected that ‘G’raduated status was not used appropriately • NSLDS had no means to test data quality, but wanted to better understand what they were receiving • NCES had access to secondary sources of graduation status for past study samples

7. Findings* from the Data Quality Assessment • The graduation indicator was often used, or not used, inappropriately • Without other controls Federal Student Aid has in place, students could be put into loan repayment inappropriately • NCES could not rely on this data element at present * Precise findings confidential

8. Outcome from the work with NSLDS • Federal Student Aid released revised guidance to institutions of higher education on the enrollment reporting process and use of the graduation indicator • NCES gained broader access for NCES sample matching and continues to discuss other data initiatives as well

9. Thank you Matt Greene National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Matthew.Greene@ed.gov