In recent years, education data have become both more easily accessible and more important than ever to decisions about K-12 policies and practice. Under the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA), states are required to publish data on how students, including English Learners (ELs), are performing in areas such as reading, math, and…

The Dade County (Florida) school system saved building space and money with a records management program for student and administrative records and with a modern microfilm electronic filing system. (Author/MLF)

As part of a thorough review of Illinois state and federal school regulations, this report analyzes the disclosure provisions of school records laws in Illinois and establishes their features and purposes. The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (1976) and the Illinois School Student Records Act (1976) are examined on five criteria: (1) if…

Describes ways of using spreadsheets to maintain gradebooks, including use of weighted scores to calculate a student's running average and potential for use in preparing report cards. Several spreadsheet programs currently available are reviewed, and their advantages and disadvantages for educators are indicated. (MBR)

Materials for Jefferson County (Kentucky) schools are stored in a records center and archive. The major activities of the center are processing records, responding to research requests, microfilming, and destroying records. The facility provides space and cost savings, a means of efficient retrieval, and permanent storage of historical records.…

States have made dramatic progress in the past few years in implementing longitudinal data systems (LDS) to improve student achievement. These systems collect and house student educational data that make it easy for policymakers and practitioners to access and use it for reporting, policymaking and decision making. So much has happened in states…

The Secondary/Postsecondary Transition Project for Learning Disabled Youth at the University of Minnesota-General College is a federally funded 3-year project designed to help learning disabled juniors and seniors in the Minneapolis Public Schools explore postsecondary educational and vocational options. The intervention consists of two parts: the…

This article addresses the challenge of developing new conceptual knowledge to help us make better sense of the way that higher education is approaching the "problem" of representing (documenting, certifying and communicating by other means) students' learning for the super-complex world described by Barnett (2000b). The current UK…

A portfolio assessment system is suggested to bind quantitative and qualitative data together to produce a broader reflection of the learning of special education students. The value of portfolios in communicating skills and talents and in reflecting growth is described, along with the importance of student involvement in the process. (JDD)

Argues students have misconceptions about whether they may see letters of recommendation if they do not value their right of access. Reports students incorrectly believe they may view letters of recommendation if they are not accepted and that they can see the letter before it is sent. Recommends faculty who write letters of recommendation should…

The Indiana University Expanded Grade Context Record system generates a student record that includes the elements of a traditional transcript plus additional information that places grades in a broader context, including class grade distribution data and the percentage of majors in the class. The system was developed in response to concerns about…

A computerized student record system with a testing system that allows schools to fully utilize testing data is being developed at Oakland Schools in Pontiac, Michigan. Test data are integrated with a tremendous amount of other information. Designed for flexibility, up to 1200 items can be stored within a student record for each test…

This paper describes one academic's experiences in utilizing a database management system, dBase II, with an Apple IIe microcomputer for record keeping and reporting. Initial problems created by processing data by hand or by a central computer system are described, and the selection process for a microcomputer purchase and software package (dBase…

Describes Beloit (Wisconsin) School District's systemwide policy on school-related rights of divorced parents. In 1982, a committee of divorce lawyers, clinical social workers, school administrators, and a judge designed a comprehensive policy (based primarily on "no fault" divorce provisions) governing visits during school hours,…

In Seattle, Washington, schools residential distribution of the student population is analyzed through a process known as "geoprocessing." This information enabled the district to close schools and design and operate a residence-based desegregation plan. Geoprocessing is also used for enrollment projections, transportation planning,…