The purpose of the EASI is to allow longitudinal tracking of students from preschool through all levels of the public education system (elementary, middle and high schools, college and graduate school) and into the workforce. To reflect this scope, the EASI is referred to as a P-20W system. This system will collect data from a variety of disparate source systems, including the K-12 system developed by the State Department of Education, the systems in use at the various postsecondary institutions, the State Department of Labor, the National Student Clearinghouse, and others, and will transform that data into a single, coherent structure on which longitudinal reporting and analysis can be performed.

The privacy of all student level data that is collected by the EASI is protected. A list of all data fields (but not the data within the field) collected by the EASI is publicly available. Only student identifiable data that is required by law is shared with the federal government.

Roles and Responsibilities

In order to advise and make recommendation to the Board on the implementation of the EASI , the council will report to the Board through the Planning, Policy and Governmental Affairs Committee. The scope of responsibilities of the Council will include the following:

1. Data Standards and Quality
   1. Ensure that all data elements within the EASI are clearly and unambiguously defined and used consistently throughout the system.
   2. Ensure that the data within the EASI is as complete and accurate as possible and complies with the agreed upon definitions.
2. Access and Security
   1. Establish parameters for security and encryption of data uploads, data storage, user roles and access, privacy protection, and appropriate use of data.
   2. Review and approve mechanisms (technical and procedural) for implementing the required security and access rights.
   3. Establish guidelines for responding to requests for data access by various stakeholders, including school, district and college/university staff, education researchers, and the public.
3. Change Management and Prioritization
   1. Propose enhancements to the EASI , review enhancements proposed by other groups, and set priorities for the development of those enhancements.
   2. Review and approve or deny any proposed changes to existing functionality, data definitions, access and security policies, etc.
4. Training and Communication
   1. Establish guidelines for training of EASI users, and review and approve specific training plans.
   2. Ensure adequate communication concerning the EASI . In each of these areas, the Council shall develop policies and procedures for Board approval as appropriate.

For complete detail on how members are selected, see the “Membership” heading (page 2), in the Data Management Council subsection of the governing policies and procedures.