To analyze educational outcomes or evaluate operations, academic institutions need to produce high-quality data. Unfortunately, many institutions do not have accurate, timely, and useful data and information despite investments to manage technology. Furthermore, data management issues in education, including access, quality, and ownership, inhibit…

The "Forum Guide to Metadata" presents and examines the ways in which metadata can be used by education agencies to improve data quality and promote a better understanding of education data. Supported by metadata-related case studies from state and local education agencies, the guide highlights the uses of metadata from a technical point…