Superintendents should be aware that several federal funding sources, from ESSA to ESSER, allow state education leaders to invest in the collection and analysis of district data.
Funding supports data related to everything from academic performance to professional development to special education.
Here’s the Data Quality Campaign’s breakdown of ongoing and one-time funding sources that can be used on student data collection and analysis:
Every Student Succeeds Act
Title I: States can use Part A funds to report data, target supports and evaluate local education agencies. Part B funds can be used to design state report cards and develop systems to effectively use assessment data.
Title II: Part A funds can support professional development related to data use and privacy, particularly to equip school leaders to use achievement data to inform professional evaluations.
Related DA story: 4 actions drive educators student data collaborations
Title IV: Part A funds can be used to monitor and provide technical assistance that increases school leaders’ capacity to use data to improve and personalize instruction, and to share best practices regarding data security and use.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Part B funds are reserved by the secretary of education to provide technical assistance to states to improve the collection of data related to IDEA reporting requirements.
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for 21st Century Act (Perkins V)
Perkins V State Leadership Funding: A portion of all these funds must be used to report on learner performance within the
law’s accountability system.
A key use of these funds is enhancing data systems that track secondary and postsecondary academic and employment outcomes.
ESSER I and II/American Rescue Plan
Funds from all three COVID stimulus packages can be used to invest in data systems, data-oriented professional development, and other data activities.
Read more from the Data Quality Campaign: Federal Funding for Education Data