TSDL Discussion Questions
Questions to help states determine their readiness for and next steps toward connecting teachers and students and establishing a definition for Teacher of Record:
- Purpose and Use of a Teacher/Student Data Link
- Is this link being established for high-stakes purposes, such as rewarding high-performing teachers based on student results?
- Will the link be established through the course-section scheduling?
- Does the state foresee a more nuanced connection being established through a learning management system to standards taught?
- Courses and Schedules
- Is there a statewide common course catalog?
- Does it cover elementary as well as secondary grade levels?
- Is it aligned to state content standards?
- Do school districts have the ability to add local courses?
- Is there a course roster verification process for teachers?
- Is there a course roster verification process for principals?
- Unique Student Identifier
- Is there a unique student ID?
- Is it the student's SSN?
- Are there established protocols to link to the unique student ID?
- What student profile data is collected?
- Where is the student profile data housed?
- Unique Educator Identifier
- Is there a unique educator ID?
- Is it the educator's SSN?
- Are there established protocols to link to the unique educator ID?
- What educator profile data is collected?
- Where is the educator profile data housed?
- Daily Attendance/Membership
- Is attendance data recorded for individual students by course section down to elementary?
- Is attendance data recorded for individual teachers by course section down to elementary?
- Teacher of Record
- Does the state have a documented definition of Teacher of Record?
- What data elements are used in determining the Teacher of Record?
- Will multiple teachers of record be connected to a student for a specific course?
- Assessment and Outcomes Data
- What individual student assessment data is included in the state data system?
- What individual student assessment data is included in school district data systems?
- What other individual student outcome data is included in the state data system?
- What other individual student outcome data is included in school district data systems?
- Data Linkages, Flow and Integration
- Does the state have access to longitudinal achievement data for students?
- Do school districts have access to longitudinal achievement data for students?
- Do schools have access to longitudinal achievement data for individual students?
- Do teachers have access to longitudinal achievement data for individual students?
- Does the state have a learning management system?
- Are student records electronically transferred from school district/school to school district/school?
- Data Governance Structure
- Does the SEA have a formal data governance structure?
- Do LEAs have formal data governance structures?
- Interagency Data Systems
- What data system links are there between the K-12 public education system and early childhood programs?
- What data system links are there between the public education data system and postsecondary/higher education?
- What other agencies does the public education data system link to?