Longitudinal Data system Governance: Status Report

1. Longitudinal Data system Governance:Status Report April 2, 2013 Alan Phillips Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs, Budgeting and IT Illinois Board of Higher Education

2. The LDS Act • The LDS Act requires ISBE, ICCB, and the IBHE to establish a longitudinal data system “LDS” by entering into agreements that link early learning, elementary, and secondary school student unit records with higher education student unit records.

3. LDS Requirements, Functions, and Expectations • Establish a set of tools, systems, and processes internal to agencies and shared across agencies to: • Meet the expectations and requirements of the P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System Act. • Support analysis and understanding of lifelong education and workforce policies and programs.

4. LDS Requirements, Functions, and Expectations (cont’d) • Provide robust protections for individual privacy and compliance with law. • Effectively and efficiently address audit, evaluation, and research needs that require data inputs from multiple agencies. • Support and advance sound, research-based decision-making. • Effectively address common issues such as data access, use, and security. • Establish the expectation that agencies share data in accordance with established procedures and protocols, subject to applicable legal restrictions. • Develop a common process to plan and budget for LDS implementation.

5. Objectives for Interagency Process • Propose a longitudinal data system (LDS) governance framework to the Governor’s Office, state agency leadership, the P-20 Council, and interested outside stakeholders • Execute an intergovernmental agreement to implement this framework • If necessary, legislation could also be drafted to support implementation of the framework

6. Activity Timeline

7. LDS Governance Entities • Governor’s Office • Lt Governor’s Office • LDS Agencies • IBHE • ICCB • ISBE • ISAC • DCEO • IDES • IDHS

8. Proposed Governance Structure State Agency Decision-makers External Advisory: Engage with JELC and the P-20 Council State Agency & External Members

9. Proposed Governance Structure (cont’d) • Committees: • Derived from IL Higher Ed. Consortium (IHEC): • Data Elements and Collection • Data Access and Use • Technical Architecture and Data Security • Performance Measures and Reports • Legal Controls (Not an IHEC Committee) • Committees will include members who are not employed by the LDS agencies, the Governor or the Lieutenant Governor (e.g. IHEC, IERC).

10. Data Elements and Collection • Create an inventory of data available in the LDS Agencies’ systems; • Recommend consistent data standards and definitions across the LDS Agencies; • Recommend data elements for inclusion in the Centralized Demographic Dataset (CDD); • Recommend the elimination of duplicative or unnecessary data collections by the LDS Agencies; • Recommend procedures for masking Restricted Data for the purpose of certain types of data disclosures; and • Recommend procedures and methods for distinguishing between Restricted Data and data that may be publicly disclosed.

11. Data Access and Use • Working in coordination with the Legal Controls Committee, recommend intake, tracking, and review procedures for External Data Sharing Requests; • Recommend methods and criteria for prioritizing the review and processing of External Data Sharing Requests; • Recommend to the LDS Agencies, policies and criteria for approving or disapproving External Data Sharing Requests; • Interfacing with the Illinois Collaborative for Education Policy Research (ICEPR) and the Illinois Education Research Council (IERC) to facilitate access to Restricted Data to support overall State research priorities; and • Providing technical expertise and consultation upon request of the LDS Agencies on External Data Sharing Requests.

12. Technical Architecture and Data Security • Recommend the configuration of systems, hardware, software, networking, and other technical specifications necessary to carry out the LDS Functions; • Recommend hardware, software, and network infrastructure solutions to establish an electronically secure environment for the LDS Functions; • Provide technical expertise and consultation on data file construction for the LDS functions; and • Provide technical expertise and consultation on delivery of data to and from the CDD and any other Interagency Datasets.

13. Performance Measures and Reports • Recommend and prioritize performance measures requiring data from multiple LDS Agency systems. • Recommend standardized reports to be made available as the result of the LDS Functions; and • Advise on the development of a web-based interface to provide access to Unrestricted Data.

14. Legal Controls • Develop and recommend agreement forms for sharing Restricted Data (“Data Sharing Agreements”) for use by the LDS Agencies for both Interagency Data Sharing and External Data Sharing; • Recommend intake, tracking, and review procedures for External Data Sharing Requests; and • Ensure consistent and appropriate interpretations of legal restrictions applicable to Interagency Data Sharing and External Data Sharing.

15. Centralized Demographic Dataset and Other Interagency Datasets • Centralized Demographic Dataset (CDD): Subject to availability of funding, Governing Board may authorize the establishment of a CDD that includes record locators and key demographic variables to facilitate unit record matching. • Governing Board to designate a CDD Administrator responsible for development and administration of CDD • Must be an LDS Agency, Illinois public university, or Illinois community college. • Interagency Datasets: May be established for specific purposes; subject to agreement among participating agencies.

16. Other Key Proposed IGA Terms • 10-year term of Agreement • Initial LDS plan within 3 months of IGA execution; annual report, plan, and budget by January 15 of each year. • IGA includes standard data access, use, and security terms. • Participating agencies agree to submit data to CDD, use standard forms and procedures, and participate in dispute resolution process. • Scope exclusions: existing IGAs, some specified arrangements, if necessary to meet federal/state requirements, single agency arrangements.

17. Next Steps • Gain final approval from the participating agencies, which may require approval by the boards of some agencies. • Convene the Governing Board and Sub-Committees. • Begin the planning necessary to carry out the ILDS functions (particularly the CDD).

18. Questions?