Nebraska Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS)

The Nebraska Statewide Longitudinal Data System allows Nebraska to continue efforts to provide schools and districts with necessary data to inform instruction and ensure every student receives the most appropriate education possible.

General Information

• The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) began development of a student- and staff-level data warehouse known as the Nebraska Student and Staff Record System (NSSRS) in 2004
• The NDE has reported aggregate data to the federal government since the 1970s
• The Common Core Standards do not contain requirements related to data collection or data reporting. The Common Core Standards have no impact on data collection or reporting in Nebraska
• The NDE collects a variety of information on Nebraska students, including such things as name, date of birth, race/ethnicity, gender, special education, performance on state assessments, status related to English language proficiency, students who qualify for free/reduced price meals, grades, credits, enrollment dates, school and district
• The NDE does not collect information on political affiliations or beliefs, sexual behavior or attitudes, religious practices, psychological or behavioral testing, DNA, student address or e-mail, or income of the student or family
• Required data reports are only provided in the aggregate, meaning only state, district, school and grade-level data is provided, not student level data
• NDE uses industry standards for the collection, transfer, storage and reporting of data. All data are stored in secure, encrypted databases. NDE’s Data Governance Plan includes policies and procedures that meet industry standard requirements for the security and protection of student-level data. The NDE Research and Review Board reviews all research requests and approves only those requests that are appropriate and meet the requirements identified in NDE Administrative Memorandum #711
• NDE received a federal SLDS grant in 2007 to enhance the N-SLED through: incorporation of Special Education and Curriculum segments, implement the Data Quality Curriculum, create an electronic transcript facility, install a decision support system, and supplement existing training with the addition of staff at Educational Service Units
• NDE received a federal SLDS grant in 2012 to enhance the N-SLED through: the development and implementation of a data analysis tool for districts that uses multiple local and state data sources to produce reports for local decision-makers, providing a statewide system of professional development training for data analysis to reach every district, building a research and evaluation operation in NDE, and expanding and enhancing the N-SLDS for sustainability

Detailed information about the data collected and reported at NDE is available on NDE and USDE websites:

NSSRS Resources

http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/edfacts/index.html