Policy Research and Analysis
Main Tasks (Continued)
Establish Common Data Standards
Comparable information should be available from both DCPS and public charter schools to effectively understand and report on education in the District. To the extent possible, this information should also be obtained from independent schools, private schools, and parochial schools, and should include information about students who are home schooled. The establishment of rules concerning the type of data that must be reported and consistency in the format used for reporting is essential to improving a system of collecting and reporting student/school data. A repository of common data elements is necessary to facilitate District-wide reporting and research purposes. To this end, the OSSE is working with education stakeholders and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) to establish a statewide set of common information (including data elements and definitions) necessary for reporting and sharing information.
 
Ensure Data Accessibility
The OSSE is committed to developing a data architecture that will ensure that data (as appropriate) can be received from all entities that produce it and shared with all entities that have a need for it. Our office is working to create a data warehouse that links student records over time and across databases and enables users to access the data easily. We will ensure that the data can be accessed and utilized by a variety of software and systems, is portable, and can be shared easily within the District and across states. We are committed to making longitudinal student data available to researchers, while ensuring that privacy considerations are addressed.
The OSSE is also working on streamlining and leveraging its website to serve as a portal for longitudinal student data. We will also provide general information such as school schedule information, financing information, legislation and rules, and guidance for federal and outside sources. Finally, DC School Search provides education consumers with access to information on individual schools, such as the characteristics of their student bodies, teachers and staff; programmatic offerings; student achievement over time and in comparison to other schools; and information on school facilities.
Conduct Education Research
The OSSE conducts its own research and invites or commissions local and national experts to conduct occasional research, prepare policy papers, analyses and reports. These documents inform the public, support school improvement, and stimulate public discussion and debate on educational issues. To define and implement a research agenda, the OSSE seeks guidance from and develops formal partnerships with universities, research centers, and community-based groups.
Lead Public Dialogue on Education
The OSSE has created frameworks and tools that enable groups of residents and decision-makers to explore education issues in-depth. Through these groups, the OSSE conducts research, facilitates and convenes meetings, collects and disseminates information, and uses feedback from constituents to improve key aspects of public schooling in the District. The first of such public discussions, the "Residency Verification Roundtable" was held in November 2001. Subsequently, PR&A has organized the Technical Working Group. Other opportunities for public dialogue exist through the Policy Breakfast Forums. To learn more about these programs, select from the items below.
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