DQC Founder and Executive Director Aimee Rogstad Guidera issued the following statement:
On Monday, inBloom, a nonprofit developed to provide a technical data solution to states looking to improve access to data, announced plans to wind down over the next several months.
At the Data Quality Campaign (DQC), without a doubt we know that data can empower teachers and parents to make the best decisions for their kids, including what they can do to meet their child’s unique educational needs and ensure their future ability to succeed in college and be prepared for productive careers. Regardless of what technical solution states choose to use, they have a responsibility to get data into the hands of teachers and families in a timely and useful manner that leads to better decision-making and improved student achievement.
The challenges surrounding inBloom, which partly stemmed from public unfamiliarity with cloud technology and confusion about the use and security of student data, illustrates the importance of helping the public, and especially parents, understand how increased access to data helps their children succeed. Our Data for Action 2013 state analysis found that only 14 states provide parents with access to their own children’s data that follows that child’s progress over time. All parents, regardless of where they live, should have access to their child’s educational data and information to help them succeed. This is valuable information that gives parents the ability to understand their children’s strengths and needs. It is critical we work to ensure all parents have access to this quality, secure education data.
DQC is committed to continuing to work with our state partners, educators, policymakers and school leaders to build a culture that values and uses data for continuous improvement and works to get helpful information into the hands of parents and teachers. It is essential that we prioritize protecting the privacy, security and confidentiality of individual student’s data, and we must do that with a focus on enhancing the quality of education our children receive today as a whole. We cannot afford to fail at either of these, as we must prepare each and every student for the demands of the 21st century.
Contact: Dakarai Aarons, daarons@dataqualitycampaign.org, 202-393-7192
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The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, national advocacy organization committed to realizing an education system in which all stakeholders—from parents to policymakers—are empowered with high quality data from early childhood, K–12, postsecondary, and workforce systems. To achieve this vision, DQC supports state policymakers and other key leaders to promote effective data use to ensure students graduate from high school prepared for success in college and the workplace. For more information, visit dataqualitycampaign.org.
