CTE Data Quality

Thisdocumentfocuseson career and technical education(CTE)datathatall schools with state-approved CTE programsarerequiredtoreporttotheOregon DepartmentofEducation(ODE)andwhicharecompiledandreportedtotheUSDepartmentofEducation (USDOE).Thisrequired CTE datadoes not providealloftheinformationneededtoguidedecisionsabout CTE programmanagementandstudent achievement.CTEeducators andadministratorsare responsibleforobtainingtheadditionaldataandinformationnecessarytosupportefficientprogrammanagement,studentachievement, andmeetingtheCTE performancemeasures.

WhatisCTEData?

Careerandtechnicaleducation(CTE)datacomesfromnumeroussourcesatalllevels(school,district, college,region/consortium,state,national,etc.).

Examples of some of these sources include:

All types of student assessment results

Input from school partners in the community and work-based learning sites for CTE programs

Comparisons of CTE student performance to that of other students

School-collected information about what CTE students do after graduation

Inventories of facilities and equipment

Budgets, employer surveys, national research, and so on

These sources provide important data regarding CTE that can assist instructors and administrators.

ImportanceofCTEData

MostoftheusesofCTEdataarehighstakes.CTEdatareportedbyschoolsandcommunity collegesareusedbyODEandDepartmentofCommunityCollegesandWorkforceDevelopment(CCWD)to:

(1)ReporttoUSDOEconcerningthePerkins grantperformancemeasures(viaEDFacts for secondary and theConsolidatedAnnualReport(CAR) for postsecondary);

(2)PostinformationontheODEpublicwebsite;

(3)Provideinformationforlegislativerequests,research,variousreportsandcommunicating thevalue-addedofCTEprograms;

(4)Determinetechnicalassistanceand professional development needs;

(5)Informlocalandstateimprovementplans; and

(6)DeterminepossiblelocalandstateCTE planadjustmentsandupdates.

Inadditiontothislist,schools,districts,collegesandvariousindividualstakeholdersuseCTEdataina myriadofways.Therefore,thequality(accuracy,validity,reliability)ofthedataiscritical.Howaccurateis thedatathatyourschool(s)orcollegereporttothestate?

Wherethedatacomesfrom

Secondarycareerandtechnicaleducation(CTE)dataaregatheredfromthreesources: the CTE Program Update, the CTE Student DataCollection and the CTE Course EnrollmentCollection (also known as the “Spring CTE Data Collections”).

TheCTEProgramUpdatemustbecompletedinthefallandupdatesthedatabaseforthe followingspringCTECourseEnrollmentDatacollection.ItupdatestheinformationconcerningCTE coursesandprograms(coursetitles,credits,instructors,etc.).Ifnotcompletedaccuratelyandontime, the springCTECourseEnrollmentDataCollectionwillbeplaguedbyerrors,createsubmissionproblems, andtakea greatdealmoretimetocomplete.

CommunitycollegeCTEdataarereportedinitiallyinthecollege’sdatasystem(e.g.,Banner,RogueNet, Datatel,Jenzabar,etc.).ThecollegedatasystemtransmitsdatatotheOregonCommunityCollege UniformReportingSystem(OCCURS).OCCURSisacollaborativelydesignedandmaintainedbaseof datarelatingtoOregon’scommunitycolleges.OCCURSisoperatedandadministeredunderthe auspicesofCCWD.OCCURSprovidesallofthecommunitycollegedatausedbyODEfortheCAR andotherreporting.

SecondaryandOCCURSdataisalsomatchedandaugmentedbydatafrom other sources such as the National Student Clearinghouse, Department of Employment, surveys, GED records, etc.

ImprovingCTEDataQuality

TheCTEdatausedisonlyasgoodasthedatathatis input atthekeyboardofsomeoneat eachschoolandcollege.Fortunately,this means that thequalityofthedatasubmitted can beinfluenced at the local level.

Thefollowingquestions/suggestionsareintendedtoguideeffortstoimproveCTEdata quality:

Isthereaculturethatvaluesandsupportsdata-drivendecisionmakinginyourdistrict(s)orat yourcollege?Ifnot,whatcouldyoudotoencourage/modelsuchaculture?

Whoinyourdistrict(s)oratyourcollegeoverseesdata?Doyouknoweachother?

Atthesecondarylevel,thelead“dataowners”andinformationtechnologymanagersareinvited toquarterlywebinar or in-person meetingsof the Data Collection Committee hostedbyODE’sOfficeofAssessmentandInformationSystems(OAIS). Do all ofyourdistricts havepeopleattending?Aretheydistributinginformationtothenecessaryrecipientsthroughoutthedistrict(s)?Areyou“intheloop”?

Atthecommunitycolleges,whoaretheInstitutionalResearchers(IR)?Dothese peopleoversee CTE dataforyourcollege?Ifnot,whodoes?Doyouknoweachother?

TheOregonCommunityCollegeCouncilofInstitutionalResearchers(OCCCIR)isastatewide affiliationofcommunitycollegeandagencystaffwhoareengagedintheanalysisandreportingofcollegedataforfederal,state,localandinternaluses.OCCCIRholdsquarterlymeetings.Doesyourcollege’sIR staffattend?Ispertinentinformationbeingsharedtothenecessaryrecipientsat yourcollege?Areyou“intheloop”?

Isthereadatateamineachdistrict?Atyourcollege?Ifso,dotheyfunctionasateam?Ifnot, shouldateambedeveloped/improved/joined?IsCTEpartofthedatateam?

Whoactuallyinputsdata?TheCTEdata?Doyouhavealistofthesepeopleandtheircontactinformation?CanyoufindoutwhoinputsdatarelatedtoCTEateachschool or college?

Doallofthepeopleinvolvedwiththereporting,collecting,andinputtingofCTEdatagettraining andknowhowtoenterqualitydata?DotheygettrainingonCTE(definitions,performance measures,usesandimportanceofdata,etc.)?Istherealotofturnover?Doyouknowwhen therearenewpeople?

DothedatapeopleknowwhotocontactforCTEquestions?DoestheCTEcontactprovide accurateanswersrelatedtodata?

Where Is TheCTEData Submitted/Displayed?

Secondary:

CTEData Collection & Reports:

Approved CTE Programs:

Postsecondary:

Community College Viewbook:

Who Should I Contact For Questions/Technical Assistance?

Secondary:

CTE Regional Coordinator:

ODE Helpdesk:

Postsecondary:

Perkins Grant Manager/CTE contact:

Institutional Researcher:

Other Resources:

ODE District Data Collection Website (login & password required):

Community College Uniform Reporting System(OCCURS):

Oregon Department of Education | October 2012 Page 1

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