---
title: "To Do: Link Longitudinal Student Records"
summary: |-
  In future rounds of grant funding for statewide longitudinal data systems, Congress should require states to collect and properly link all P-20w data in their systems and make it as usable as possible.
date: "2016-11-15"
issues: ["Data Innovation"]
content_type: "Knowledge Base Articles"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2016/11/15/to-do-link-longitudinal-student-records/"
---

# To Do: Link Longitudinal Student Records

# Recommendation

Congress should require statewide education databases to properly link longitudinal student records.

# Details

Most states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, have received federal grants to develop statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) to collect and analyze student data. These systems can include data about early childhood education, K-12 education, postsecondary education, and workforce information—known collectively as P-20w information. The stated goal of the SLDS program is to create systems that fully link this P-20w data, which could help policymakers make more informed decisions about education policy and labor-market needs. But prior rounds of grant funding have not required states to implement full P-20w linkage. As a result, the completeness and quality of longitudinal student data varies widely by state. In future rounds of SLDS grant funding, Congress should require states to collect and properly link all P-20w data in their systems and make this data as usable as possible.

**Keep reading:**

- Daniel Castro and Joshua New, “Accelerating Data Innovation: A Legislative Agenda for Congress” (ITIF, Center for Data Innovation, May 2015), [https://www.datainnovation.org/2015/05/accelerating-data-innovation-a-legislative-agenda-for-congress](https://www.datainnovation.org/2015/05/accelerating-data-innovation-a-legislative-agenda-for-congress/).

- Joshua New, “Building a Data-Driven Education System in the United States” (ITIF, Center for Data Innovation, November 2016), [https://www.datainnovation.org/2016/11/building-a-data-driven-education-system-in-the-united-states](https://www.datainnovation.org/2016/11/building-a-data-driven-education-system-in-the-united-states).

---
*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2016/11/15/to-do-link-longitudinal-student-records/*