Panel: State's K-12 data system on 'verge of collapse'
Jan. 14, 2013
The Arizona Republic reported on a Jan. 10 panel discussion regarding Arizona's vulnerable giant data system called the Student Accountability Information System, or SAIS:
Arizona's superintendent of schools, John Huppenthal, says the state's K-12 data system is on the "verge of collapse" and is seeking $35 million in state funding over the next two years to fix and improve outdated systems.
"We figure we have 200 people in the department who are essentially full-time data wranglers," Huppenthal said. "It's like monks in the medieval ages copying stuff on paper."
The state's K-12 data system was the focus of a panel discussion sponsored by Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy. The nonpartisan research group released a report the same day calling the data system "antiquated" and "patched together." The report said the lack of a fully functioning system hampers the state's efforts to improve academic performance.
Read The Republic news story: Funding sought for K-12 records (Note: Full access may require a subscription)
Read the Morrison Institute report: Good Data, Bad Data, No Data: A Critical Challenge Facing Arizona's Public Schools
