It's Not Just K-12: Improving Academic Performance with Big Data

HARTFORD, CT, March 27, 2014 (Press-News.org) With over 55 million students in grades K-12 this year, how do administrators make sense of what really impacts student achievement? Data Ladder's new whitepaper, It's Not Just K-12: Understanding Data-Driven Decision Making with SLDS and P-20 Initiatives, explores how data quality tools are making an important impact on the future of education.

Understanding the role of data quality and record linkage tools is fundamental in evaluating a smart data quality program, and will be helpful for government entities in developing programs for improved academic achievement. The whitepaper delves into Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM) as well as the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Grant Program, which provides grants to states to design, develop, and implement data systems to capture, analyze, and use student data from preschool to high school, college, and the workforce.

Data Ladder has become a part of the solution for several entities, including the Department of Education. "We're making some serious inroads in the education industry," said Nathan Krol, founder and CEO of Data Ladder. "The states we currently work with are seeing approximately 90 percent of possible matches being found with their existing programs. After implementing our solution, the match rates have gone up anywhere from 97 to 99 percent."

Poor record linkage can lead to incorrect college attendance rates and policy decisions, severely limiting the effectiveness of P-20 SLDS. With comprehensive data systems, states will be able to monitor reforms and make specific changes to advance them. They will capture data on students throughout their schooling, measuring whether they are on track to graduate, and telling K-12 schools whether they are preparing their students to succeed in college and the workforce.

The whitepaper also discusses the efforts of a few states already implementing a program, as well as the benefits of data-driven decision making in the business world. For a complimentary copy of the whitepaper, visit the Data Ladder website.

Data Ladder, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, is a data quality and data cleansing company dedicated to helping you "Get the Most out of Your Data." Working with clients such as Hewlett-Packard, Hoover's, and Cardinal Health, Data Ladder's suite of data cleansing software is in use across the Fortune 500 and among small and mid-size companies. For more information, please visit Data Ladder or call 866-557-8102.