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The House Public Education committee heard from teachers about their specific data needs in a hearing to consider several interim committee charges, including studying innovations and developing recommendations for a comprehensive state educational data system. The committee also considered another interim charge regarding studying best practices in instructional technology, including online course delivery, professional development and supplementary instruction and course support.
Among the teachers testifying was TCTA Board of Directors member Dori Peterson, math coordinator, Advanced Placement Statistics and Geometry teacher for Stevens High School in San Antonio (Northside ISD). Ms. Peterson was one of several teachers invited to address the committee about the specific data needs of teachers. She testified about the need to have an educational transcript for each student entering her classroom in order for her to know each student’s history in the subject she’s teaching. Ms. Peterson also made a plea for more technology funding, especially with the increasing use of online testing.
Much of the discussion during the hearing focused on the perception that Texas is “data-rich and information-poor.” Teachers and other witnesses testified about the need for more data management tools to enable them to make sense of the reams of educational data collected by the state Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). A representative from the Dell Foundation presented information on a new planning grant from Dell to develop data management tools for use at the state and district levels. A witness representing the Education Region 10 Service Center testified about their regional pilot program in which Region 10 gathered educational data directly from participating districts and stored it into a central clearinghouse for use by the districts.
Representatives from the three state-approved Education Research Centers testified about the difficulty they’ve had getting needed data from TEA - mostly related to student test results - in order to begin research projects approved by the state. Staff from TEA and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECCB) testified that part of the delay in releasing the information had to do with concerns about violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which prohibits student identifiable information from being released except in certain specified circumstances. However, in response to questions about this, the United States Department of Education apparently issued a ruling allowing the information to be released to the Education Research Centers under the direct supervision of TEA and THECB. TEA and THECB have since combined their data, which is housed at THECB, and are in the process of releasing the data to the ERCs.
Witnesses also complained to the committee about the lack of data on Texas students who move out of state. The committee discussed expenses associated with getting that kind of data from the National Student Clearinghouse, an entity that collects such data and charges customers for its use.
Posted: 07/18/08
