The webinar will begin at 2:00 PM Eastern You are prepared to view the presentation

1. A Project of the U.S. Department of Education Planning for a Successful Data System • The webinar will begin at 2:00 PM Eastern • You are prepared to view the presentation • To listen by phone: • Dial: 1-888-742-8686 • Conference code: 1975567 • Dial *0 for Raindance technical assistance • To maximize view, go to ‘View: Full Screen’

2. Webinar Overview • Introduction • Larry Condelli • Planning an NRS Data System • David Hollender • Questions and Answers • A Longitudinal Data System • Steve Coleman • General Discussion

3. Planning An NRS Data System March 29, 2006

4. Dave’s “Top 3” Reasons Not To Plan • Planning costs too much and takes too long. We can skip it. • No need to plan. We’ll ask (fill in name of state) if we can use their data system. • Our programmers are really smart. They don’t need a plan.

5. Planning is Essential • Collect All Relevant Information • Meet All State & Local Needs • Assure Expertise & Infrastructure Implementing an NRS data system without proper planning is like teaching a class without a curriculum.

6. Steps to Success • Analyze Requirements • Prepare Requirements Document • Buy / Build System • Test • Rollout Over the years, software engineering practices have developed that assure the success of new systems. These approaches minimize the risk and help to manage the cost of new systems.

7. Analyze Requirements • Functionality • Usability • Technical

8. Analyzing RequirementsFunctionality • Generate NRS Tables • Day to Day Program Needs • Support Decision Making • Promote Data Quality & Completeness • State Specific Needs

9. Analyzing RequirementsUsability • Who will operate system? • What will they need to do? • What Does “Easy to Use” Mean to them?

10. Analyzing RequirementsTechnical • Timeliness • Security • Existing Infrastructure • Interoperability • Special Needs

11. Analyzing RequirementsWho Participates? • State Director • State Data Manger • State IT Department • Program Staff • Other State Staff

12. You & Your Team Vendors/Developers Review RFP Acceptance Testing Prepare Requirements Document For Whom ? For What ?

13. Requirements Document Includes • Data Items • Required Functions • Reports • Technical Needs

14. Buy / Build System • Base RFP on requirements • Evaluate responses • Ask other states • Ask local staff Buy Build • Base Technical Spec on requirements • Review design • Build toward benchmarks

15. Testing • Prepare Test Plan • Test Functionality • Realistic environment

16. Rollout • Configuration • Data Conversion • More Testing • Training • Technical Support

17. Steps to Success • Analyze Requirements • Prepare Requirements Document • Buy / Build System • Test • Rollout

18. A Longitudinal Data System What it can do for you Stephen Coleman American Institutes for Research March 29, 2006

19. What is a Longitudinal Data System? • Allows analysis across PYs. Not limited to a snapshot of adult education students. • Contains individual student records, which allows much more flexibility in analysis and tracking of students over time. • Able to produce reports which meet NRS requirements.

20. Why a Longitudinal Data System? • Better understand the adult education students in your state and therefore better serve them. • Answer important questions about adult education students in your state.

21. Questions it Can Answer • What is the relationship between intensity of instruction, length of time in adult education, and educational gain? • How many students who withdraw from adult education programs re-enroll and how long is the gap between withdraw and re-enrollment?

22. Questions- Cont. • How long do students typically stay in adult education? • What characteristics (e.g., age, EFL at entry, program type) distinguish students who stay 1 year or more from those who stay for shorter periods?

23. Benefits • Provides a more accurate and dynamic picture of adult education population. • Highlights changes across years. • Allows much more flexibility in analysis.

24. Benefits Cont. • Captures educational gain & other characteristics regardless of when students enter or leave or their length of stay. • Facilitates exploration of the relationship of instructional variables to educational gain & other outcomes.

25. Creating a Longitudinal Database • Create a relational database with a unique ID for every student. • Collect all data you need and anticipate needing. • Include students’ pre‑ and posttest scale scores. • Create mechanisms to export data by a range of dates.

26. Creating a Longitudinal… Cont. • Include dates for time dependent events, such as entering a program, testing, & goal achievement. • Cleary and completely document the variables in your database. • Clearly distinguish between missing data and a negative response.

27. Summary • While may require additional initial investment, has many benefits. • Provides more dynamic and accurate picture of adult education students in your state. • Compatible with NRS reporting requirements.

28. Additional Resources • NRS Tips Longitudinal Data Systems • Data Quality Campaign (http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org)- Creating a Longitudinal Data System and Measuring What Matters: Creating a Longitudinal Data System to Improve Student Achievement.

29. Additional Resources- Cont. • ECS: A Policymaker’s Guide to the Value of Longitudinal Student Data (http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/40/21/4021.htm). • A Better Student Data System for California (http://www-stat.stanford.edu/~rag/ed351/better_data.pdf)

30. General Discussion • To unmute your phone, dial *7 • Say your name and the state you’re from • Ask a question or make a statement • Dial *6 to re-mute your phone

31. Webinar Evaluation • Your feedback is important. Please take our short evaluation. • Select “File: Leave Meeting” • You will be automatically directed to the evaluation. • Thank you!