WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to strengthen Rhode Island's education system, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that Rhode Island will receive a $1.6 million federal grant to expand its statewide data tracking system. Schools and school districts use this longitudinal data system to accurately and efficiently collect, analyze, and use education data to facilitate research and reporting. This data will help teachers tailor instruction to improve student learning in the classroom and close achievement gaps.

"This federal funding will help strengthen Rhode Island's educational data system by expanding its ability to track student progress from kindergarten through high school and into college. With so much attention rightly focused on making sure our education system meets the needs of students, families, and our economic development efforts, this information is critical to creating a seamless and integrated system that can be used by teachers and agencies to improve curriculums, enhance student learning, and ensure our students are well equipped to join the workforce," said Reed, a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, who helped craft the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002, which authorized this federal grant program. "The need for a responsive, high quality, and data-driven instruction and decision making is greater than ever. This federal funding is a wise investment in our education system and the academic success of our students."

Reed also helped secure $250 million for educational data system funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that was signed into law last month.

"In Rhode Island, our school-improvement efforts are based on the principle that schools should use data and information for planning and accountability," said Peter McWalters, R.I. Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. "We have developed an extensive set of annual reports about school performance, but until now we have not had the tools to track and to analyze how data sets change over time. This grant will enable us build a system to do that analysis, which will help schools and districts across the state."

Rhode Island's longitudinal data system allows for universal electronic transcript exchange; links and merges data from existing education data systems; and fully integrates analysis and reporting. This federal award will also be used to improve Rhode Island's data system by expanding the current K-12 data into post-secondary education and improving the efficiency of transferring and sharing critical data among schools, districts, institutions of higher education, and state agencies such as the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.