States must collect, coordinate, and use K-12 and postsecondary data to track and improve the readiness of graduates to succeed in college and the workplace.
Longitudinal data systems should follow individual students from grade to grade and school to school, all the way from kindergarten through postsecondary education and into the workplace. Such systems would also provide more accurate measures of dropout and graduation rates, and provide the foundation for early warning systems.
For states to evaluate and understand the impact of particular policies around graduation requirements, assessments and preparedness for postsecondary, they must follow students through K–12 into postsecondary and the workforce and establish feedback loops to the relevant stakeholders to make informed decisions that improve policies and practices around increasing student preparedness.
Take that statement apart, and see if it raises any red flags.
"Longitudinal data systems should follow individual students from grade to grade and school to school, all the way from kindergarten through postsecondary education and into the workplace."
First, do you know what the "P" stands for here? It's preschool. These people want to begin tracking your children in preschool. Postsecondary education? Yeah, that's college - undergraduate and graduate. The workplace? You're supposedly an adult then, out of the institution of public education. Why does the government need to track you then? Does that raise eyebrows for anyone else? The idea of the government tracking my children from the time they are three until they leave the work force gives me the creeps. I cannot imagine what good will come of that, and I can easily come up with dozens of ways that can be abused.
This is a massive expansion of Big Brother. Do you even know what these longitudinal data systems will contain? Digging around a little, I haven't even been able to find out what exactly the Department of Education is mandating be in those systems. In my mind, that is something that should be fully exposed, plain as day, and readily available for anyone who wants to know what information the government is acquiring.
A father in Nevada wanted to see exactly what information was being gathered about his children and was told that the price for retrieval of such records was an astonishing $10,000.
"Such systems would also provide more accurate measures of dropout and graduation rates..."
It seems like simple enrollment - did the child attend school and was the child awarded a diploma - would be more than sufficient to provide that accurate measure of dropout and graduation rates.
"...provide the foundation for early warning systems."
One question: early warning systems for what? Notice that they don't say. Historically, what has happened when the government is able to amass large databases on its citizenry? This raises a huge red flag for me.
"For states to evaluate and understand the impact of particular policies around graduation requirements, assessments and preparedness for postsecondary, they must follow students through K–12 into postsecondary and the workforce..."
Why, exactly, must students be followed into postsecondary and the workforce in order for states to evaluate and understand the impact of particular policies around graduation requirements, assessments and preparedness for postsecondary? And, what particular policies are they talking about?
"...and establish feedback loops..."
Mmm-hmm...Anyone else have any concerns about the security of these feedback loops?
"...to the relevant stakeholders..."
One simple question: who are these relevant shareholders exactly? Notice that they don't say. Anyone else concerned? Let's sweeten the pot even more...since the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act was gutted in January 2012 by a stroke of the executive branch's pen without Congressional approval, your child's personally identifiable information is no longer secure.
"...to make informed decisions that improve policies and practices around increasing student preparedness."
What kind of information do these relevant stakeholders need in order to make informed decisions? Should American citizens have the right to control and approve of whatever information about themselves may be distributed? You have no control. Your approval doesn't matter.
This is sick, sick stuff. Orwellian, for sure. Call me a barbarian, but I will not be silent.
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