Are there data dictionaries published to the state website? Are data aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)?

States and territories reported on the status of comprehensive data dictionaries by sector that contain metadata such as definitions, option sets, type, or field length, as well as whether those dictionaries are published publicly to state websites (figure 7). Nearly three-quarters of states and territories (73 percent) reported having operational comprehensive data dictionaries for K–12 student data, and over half of respondents reported having operational dictionaries for postsecondary and Perkins CTE data (57 and 53 percent, respectively). Comprehensive data dictionaries for workforce and early childhood data were somewhat less commonly reported as operational and published to state websites (41 and 31 percent, respectively).

Figure 7. Percentage of states and territories that have sector data dictionaries, by operational status: 2018

NOTE: N = 51. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding. CTE refers to career and technical education.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Survey, Fall 2018.

For states and territories with comprehensive data dictionaries, one-third (33 percent) reported that their K–12 student data elements were aligned to CEDS (figure 8). Fewer states and territories reported that their postsecondary data elements (18 percent) and Perkins CTE data elements (18 percent) were aligned to CEDS. Less commonly, respondents reported having CEDS-aligned early childhood data elements (12 percent) and workforce data elements (10 percent) in a comprehensive data dictionary.

A majority of states and territories reported planning or being in the process of aligning to CEDS all data apart from workforce data. Twentyfive percent of states and territories report not planning to align K–12 student data to CEDS.

Figure 8. Percentage of states and territories with sector data that are aligned to the Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) in a comprehensive data dictionary, by operational status: 2018

NOTE: N = 51. Detail may not sum to total due to rounding. CTE refers to career and technical education.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Survey, Fall 2018.