Our district collects and stores data including student performance, demographics, and identification as required by federal and state education law. We are required by state law to save this data for 20 years and to maintain a system for this purpose. This data includes:

• Achievement data -- standardized test scores, classroom-based assessments, rubric-scored writing portfolios, and class grades.
• Demographic data -- contact information, enrollment, student mobility, attendance, disabilities, ethnic background, limited English proficiency, economic status, gender, dropout rates, and behavioral problems.
• Personal notes made by teachers and other school officials that are not shared with others are not considered education records. Additionally, law enforcement records created and maintained by a school or district's law enforcement unit are not education records.

Some of this data is reported to the NYSED data warehouse, as required, to track performance data connected to state examinations. K-12 public school students are assigned a unique 10-digit identifier (NYSSIS) which is captured in the SIRS database (NYS Student Information Repository System) for the purposes of data assessment in connection with state examinations and school report card analysis from state to the local level. Over a dozen software applications for reporting are supported, in whole or in part, by the NYSED Office of Information and Reporting Services.

When student test results are analyzed and checked for accuracy, the data warehouse system allows certain data characteristics to be collected and processed for further school improvement and decision-making at the local and the statewide level.

• Level 0 (regional) represents the regional or local level where individual schools, at the district level, input state assessment results and check for accuracy in data reporting (for example, school district level). Schools often use software utilities and online analytical tools to make school improvement decisions and examine changes in overall curriculum planning at a district-wide level.
• Level 1 (regional) represents a second regional or local level where data is placed after Level 0 data has been submitted for aggregate processing, for example, New York State BOCES Regional Information Center (RIC) or large city level.
• Level 2 (statewide) represents a statewide repository where data is moved. Includes name and unique identifier for comparative and independent school performance and analysis.
• Level 3 (statewide) represents locked assessment data used for state use, such as school report cards and decisions involving accountability. For privacy reasons, no names are used and unique identifiers are encrypted.

If a school falls short of reaching state standards, it is given a state designation of SURR (Schools Under Registration Review) and has two years to turn around its rating according to the accountability division of NYSED. 

Data privacy and security are covered on the next page.