Integrated Data Systems and Student Privacy

From the author(s): Educational authorities and policymakers are increasingly focused on protecting student privacy while using data to inform program and policy decisions. Data from more than one government agency is often analyzed to more holistically inform these decisions. This has led to the development of integrated data systems (IDS) that allow linkage of administrative data from multiple government agencies. IDS can be used for multiple purposes; this document discusses how educational authorities can use an IDS for program evaluation and research, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and privacy best practices. In some cases, an educational authority hosts the IDS (e.g., statewide longitudinal data system). The primary focus of this guidance, however, is on those cases in which an educational authority does not host the IDS.