If you want to know more about this P20 Longitudinal Database that tracks 400 data points on our students, you might want to send this letter.
Dear School Board Members,
As a parent and taxpayer, I would like for you to provide me with a copy of the list of ALL of the data points that are included in the NH State P20 longitudinal database? The creation of this database was a required “assurance” in NH’s application for State Stabilization Funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Its purpose is to collect and share data on all public school students in NH.
As a parent, I have a right to know what data is being collected on my children.
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND ASK WHERE IS THE NH DoE?
WHY HASN’T THIS INFORMATION BEEN GIVEN TO THE LEGISLATURE, SCHOOL BOARD AND PARENTS?
Here is another VIDEO to watch on what is done with individual student data.
The US Dept. of Education Requires “TImely and Complete Access to Any and All Data Collected” from Students on “an Ongoing Basis” via Smarter Balance Assessments
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT Between the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and theSMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT CONSORTIUM
and theSTATE OF WASHINGTON (fiscal agent)
In 2011 the U.S. Department of Education: contracted with Smarter Balance to create the student assessments; funded Smarter Balance with $175 million of taxpayer money; required U.S. DoE approval for any changes made to these assessments; required all student outcomes / scores which may be scored via computer, i.e. robo-scored, must be made available to the U.S. DoE.
The U.S. DoE claims that “We the People” through our states somehow crafted these Smarter Balance assessments on our own. The federal Department pretends that these assessments are not a federal takeover of public education.
When confronted at the Alton School Board on August 8th, 2013 about parental concerns about invasive data miningof private student information through the Smarter Balance assessments, Heather Gage, Division of Instruction Director with NH Department of Education denied all such claims.
Heather vehemently denied that there is any data mining of student records in violation of the law, and if there were, she would pack her bags and move out of this state immediately.
Well, pack your bags, Heather!
From the US DoE’s Cooperative Agreement with Smarter Balance and all those states in the Smarter Balance Consortia, such as New Hampshire:
“The Grantee must provide timely and complete access to any and all data collected at the State level to ED [U.S. Education Department] or its designated program monitors, technical assistance providers, or researcher partners, and to GAO, and the auditors conducting the audit required by 34 CFR section 80.26.” pg. 10
“Work with the Department to develop a strategy to make student-level data that result from the assessment system available on an ongoing basis for research, including for prospective linking, validity, and program improvement studies;” pg. 11
“Producing all student-level data in a manner consistent with an industry-recognized open-licensed interoperability standard that is approved by the Department during the grant period;” pg. 11
Under the existing FERPA law, the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, parental consent is required to disclose any private information in a student’s record.
However, in 2011, the U.S. Department of Education drafted new regulations changing the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Yes, rules written to change a federal statute. That’s illegal on its face!
These new regulations removed limitations prohibiting educational institutions and agencies from disclosing student personally identifiable information, without first obtaining student or parental consent.
For example, the new FERPA regulations reinterpreted FERPA statutory terms “authorized representative,” “education program,” and “directory information.” This reinterpretation gives non-governmental actors increased access to student personal data.
The federal Department is currently facing a lawsuit in court over their usurpation of the law. However, in the meantime, private NH student data is being shared without parental consent.
This is how private NH student data is being data mined by the US Department of Education without parental consent, but with the approval and blessing of the NH Department of Education Director Heather Gage.