Summary of testimony received in support:

• This statewide database of students would assist in implementing the federal No Child Left Behind Act as well as assisting with public reporting and assessments.
• The Department of Education testified that last year 300 students were lost in the reporting system. A statewide database could help prevent that. They also made it very clear that confidential information is not needed.
• This would allow schools to see gains that students make from year to year. There is currently no way to do this.
• A student may be categorized up to four different ways: they may be counted as a typical student first, and may be additionally categorized for free and reduced lunch, English as a Second Language (ESL) and Special Education. This database can eliminate this confusion and it will be clear that even though a student is counted as many as 3 times, it is still one student.
• Currently students are assigned a lithicode every year to which names are not attached. This would be very similar except the lithicode would be consistent and not assigned each year.
• Sen. Green asked at what level is the students' name and number known. Lorraine Patusky explained that that is only known at the school level, not at the state level.
• Sen. Green asked if this database could be used for other functions. Lorraine said that other people may have access to the code but not the name. He also asked if this system could be used to help determine the accuracy of student counts in regards to adequacy grants. Lorraine said that the database should help with this but she reiterated that confidential informaiton will not be given out.
• A student enrollment count is taken at the beginning of the school year and two days later an ESL count is taken. The two numbers, however, are not consistent. The database will help remedy this.
• Sen. Green asked if this number was similar to a Social Security Number. Lorraine replied that this information will have extremely limited access and will be highly guarded. Sen. Green commented that Social Security was originally the same way.
• Sen. O'Hearn asked how they will handle a situation where a student may be identifiable. For example, a student might qualify for free and reduced lunch, ESL and may also be blind, which would possibly make that student identifiable.
• Lorraine said that anything that identifies a student will not be publicly reported.
• The Department of Education testified that teachers currently bubble in information about their students, while being subject to many distractions in the classroom. While schools do their best, it is a very cumbersome task and is difficult to be accurate.
• There is federal money available for this but the Department is unsure as to how much can be paid for.

Funding: See fiscal note.

Future action: The committee took this bill under consideration.

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file: SB 333
Date: 02/09/04