Recommendations for Incorporating Postsecondary and Workforce Data into Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems

In this CLASP report, the authors discuss the importance of states having the ability measure and assess student progress and success as well as the outcomes of publicly funded educational and skills-development programs intended to prepare Americans for the labor market through statewide longitudinal data systems. The authors conclude that these data systems should go beyond the k-12 and provide four recommendations for what data systems should have the capacity to do: 1) follow the educational progress and labor market outcomes of all adult students and workers; 2) track and measure the educational and skills development progress, completions, and outcomes of all participants; 3) track and measure the labor market outcomes of all participants; and 4) respond to additional challenges.