(1)(a) In consultation with the education data center, institutions of higher education, and state education agencies, the council shall identify the data needed to carry out its responsibilities for policy analysis and public information. The primary goals of the council’s data collection and research are to describe how students and other beneficiaries of higher education are being served; to compare and contrast the state of Washington’s higher education system with the rest of the nation; and to assist state policymakers and institutions in making policy decisions.

(b) For the council, assistance to state policymakers and institutions of higher education in making policy decisions includes but is not limited to annual reporting of a national comparison of tuition and fees.

(2) One of the goals of the education data center’s data collection and research for higher education is to support higher education accountability. For the education data center, assistance to state policymakers and institutions of higher education in making policy decisions includes but is not limited to regular completion of:

(a) Educational cost study reports as provided in RCW 43.41.415 and information on state support received by students as provided in RCW 43.41.410; and

(b) Per-student funding at similar public institutions of higher education in the global challenge states.

(3) State-approved educator preparation programs must collect and provide data as required for approval by the professional educator standards board to the education data center.

(4) The education data center and the state-approved educator preparation programs as described in RCW 28A.410.210 shall enter data-sharing agreements to facilitate the transfer of data required by the professional educator standards board. The education data center must hold, analyze, and make available for research and monitoring by the professional educator standards board, state-approved educator preparation programs, and other researchers with appropriate data-sharing agreements, the data on the preparation of educators.

(5) The education data center shall be considered an authorized representative of the council and the office under applicable federal and state statutes for purposes of accessing and compiling student record data for research purposes.

Finding—Intent—2017 c 172: “The legislature finds that the entities that are approved by the professional educator standards board collect and hold valuable information about candidates for educator certification. The education data center collects data for research purposes for the student achievement council and K-12 educational agencies. The training of effective teachers and understanding of the best practices of educator preparation programs is valuable information for policymakers. The preparation programs currently approved are required to collect and hold this information, but due to federal privacy concerns, the submission of reports contains only aggregate data, and thus makes it impossible to follow the careers of state educators into the field. The education data center has legislative authority to collect this information and meets federal privacy requirements. Therefore, the legislature intends to require transfer to the entity charged with K-12 and higher education research, such data required and held by state-approved educator preparation programs, while fully respecting the privacy of students.” [ 2017 c 172 § 1.]

Findings—2015 c 244: See note following RCW 28B.118.010.

Effective date—2010 1st sp.s. c 26; 2010 1st sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 43.03.027.