Program Overview

The Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Grant Program, as authorized by the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002, Title II of the statute that created the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is designed to aid state education agencies in developing and implementing longitudinal data systems. These systems are intended to enhance the ability of States to efficiently and accurately manage, analyze, and use education data, including individual student records. The data systems developed with funds from these grants should help States, districts, schools, and teachers make data-driven decisions to improve student learning, as well as facilitate research to increase student achievement and close achievement gaps.

These competitive, cooperative agreement grants extend for three to five years for up to twenty million dollars per grantee. Grantees are obligated to submit annual reports and a final report on the development and implementation of their systems. All 50 States, five territories, and the District of Columbia are eligible to apply. In November of 2005, the first year of the grant program, IES awarded SLDS grants to 14 States. SLDS grants were awarded to 12 additional states and the District of Columbia in June 2007 (FY 2007 Grantees), 27 states - including 15 new states - in March 2009 (FY 2009 Grantees), and 20 states in May 2010 (FY 2009 ARRA Grantees).

Lessons learned and non-proprietary products/solutions developed by recipients of these grants will be disseminated to aid other State and local education agencies in the design, development, implementation, and use of longitudinal data systems.

For more information on the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant Program, contact Tate Gould or Emily Anthony at the National Center for Education Statistics.