Contact: Rachel.Zaentz@widmeyer.com, 202.667.0901
Washington, DC, February 16, 2011 – Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley was named today as the winner of the Data Quality Campaign’s (DQC) annual Recognition Program Award for state policymakers leading efforts to collect and use data to improve student achievement. The award was announced at Data for Action 2010: DQC’s State Analysis release event.
Gov. O’Malley established a statewide vision and worked collaboratively to develop a plan to build and use statewide longitudinal data systems that protect data privacy and security and improve outcomes for student in Maryland.
“Gov. O’Malley’s leadership in quickly establishing a set of priorities for the state’s data systems and engaging diverse stakeholders has changed the conversation in Maryland and produced results,” said DQC Executive Director, Aimee Guidera. “Maryland has gone from three to eight Essential Elements in just two years thanks to his leadership, thereby demonstrating what is possible for all states.”
In the spring of 2010, the Governor worked collaboratively with the state legislature, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the University System of Maryland to develop a bill that would create the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center. The Governor’s vision was that the Center would help stakeholders determine how students are performing and whether they are graduating college and career ready.
To achieve this goal, the Center was established jointly by the State Department of Education, the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Using data that spans from early childhood through K-12 education to postsecondary education and the workforce will help ensure that Maryland’s students graduate prepared to succeed in college and today’s knowledge-based economy.
“It has long been a guiding principle of the O’Malley-Brown Administration that the things that get measured are the things that get done,” said Governor O’Malley. “We owe it to our students, parents, teachers and administrators to uphold the highest standards of accountability and transparency, and that starts with establishing quality education data systems to ensure Maryland students graduate high school prepared for college and highly-skilled careers. The Center will provide the data necessary for every student to recognize with their families and teachers what is working and where intervention is needed to stay on the path to graduation.”
Through his leadership, Gov. O’Malley has also set a strong precedent for the state’s role in assuring the privacy and security of student data. In July 2010, the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center Governing Board was established, which provides general oversight, ensures public transparency, establishes its policy and research agenda, and oversees privacy and security policies and implementation. Ensuring that privacy, security, and confidentiality are protected was a key aspect of the Center’s design and was important to securing the broad stakeholder support that was needed to move this initiative forward.
Each year, the DQC Recognition Program Award is given to leaders in three categories: State Policymaker, State Data Leader and District Data Leader. The other 2010 winners are: • State Data Leader: Georgia Department of Education’s Chief Information Officer, Bob Swiggum for developing an integrated, cost-effective statewide education data system that allows teachers and principals to easily access and use data to make informed educational decisions and;
For more information on the Data Quality Campaign and the Award Recognition Program, please visit our website at: https://dataqualitycampaign.org/. Interviews with Gov. O’Malley can be arranged by contacting Rachel Zaentz at rachel.zaentz@widmeyer.com or 202.667.0901.
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The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) is a national, collaborative effort to encourage and support state policymakers to improve the availability and use of high-quality education data to improve student achievement. The campaign provides tools and resources that will help states implement and use longitudinal data systems, while providing a national forum for reducing duplication of effort and promoting greater coordination and consensus among the organizations focused on improving data quality, access and use.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is DQC´s founding funder; additional support has been provided by the Casey Family Programs, the Lumina Foundation for Education, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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