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Data Inventory

The MLDS Data Inventory is a comprehensive list of the data elements contained in the Maryland Longitudinal Data System. Under Maryland law (Education Article § 24-704(g)(6), Annotated Code of Maryland) the MLDS Governing Board is required to create an inventory of the individual student and workforce data maintained, proposed to be maintained, or removed from the System.

The data in the Data Inventory are categorized by the agency that provided the data element to the MLDS. The agencies providing data include: MSDE, MHEC, Labor, DJS, and DHS.

To better understand the data inventory and the information provided about the data elements, please review the Glossary of Data Inventory Terms below.

View the MLDS Center Data Inventory.

Page Navigation

  1. Substantive Changes to the MLDS Data Inventory
  2. Process
  3. Student Data
  4. Workforce Data
  5. Data Gaps
  6. Data Limitations
  7. Glossary of Data Inventory Terms

Substantive Changes to the MLDS Data Inventory

The MLDS Governing Board annually reviews the MLDS Data Inventory for data elements identified for inclusion or removal. The MLDS Data Inventory is also reviewed when any substantive changes are approved.

The following is a list of substantive changes to the data inventory.

Click here to see the Substantive Changes Archive.


Process

The development of the Data Inventory is a collaborative process between DJS, Labor, MSDE, and MHEC, and the Data Governance Advisory Board. The MLDS Data Advisory Board annually reviews the Data Inventory and identifies what data elements to propose for inclusion or remove from the System. All data must be relevant to answering one of the questions in the Research Agenda or generally identified as necessary for evaluating federal or State supported education programs. Data elements identified for inclusion or removal in the System are presented to the Governing Board for approval. Once approved, the requirements are developed with the agency and included in the data collection calendar.

Student Data

State law (Education Article § 24-701, Annotated Code of Maryland) defines student data to mean data relating to student performance, including the following:

  • State and national assessments;
  • Course-taking and completion;
  • Grade point average;
  • Remediation;
  • Retention;
  • Degree, diploma, or credential attainment;
  • Enrollment;
  • Demographic data;
  • Juvenile delinquency records; and
  • Elementary and Secondary school disciplinary records.

The law specifically prohibits the MLDS Center from collecting data on students from criminal and Child In Need of Assistance records and medical and health records.


Workforce Data

State law (Education Article § 24-701, Annotated Code of Maryland) defines workforce data as data relating to:

  • Employment status;
  • Wage information;
  • Geographic location of employment; and
  • Employer information.

There are specific legal requirements affecting whether certain workforce records can be maintained and for how long they can be linked to an educational record. The MLDS Center has established procedures for managing those requirements.


Data Gaps

The MLDS contains a wealth of valuable information for reporting and analysis. Nonetheless, there are gaps in the data that impact the Center's reporting and research capabilities. The most recent Gap Analysis documents are listed below.


Data Limitations

As with all types of data, longitudinal data like those in the MLDS are subject to various limitations. These limitations may be for a particular data collection during one year or may be related to multiple collections that cover many years.


Glossary of Data Inventory Terms

  • CEDS Element ID: The Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) unique identifier. CEDS is a national effort to develop common data standards for education data.
  • Sector: Sector identifies the category of the data element. The six sectors are: Early Childhood Education; K-12 Education; Adult Education; Juvenile Delinquency; Postsecondary Education; and Workforce.
  • Source: Indicates the origin of the data element from the specific partner agency providing the data to the MLDS. This may be the name of the data collection administered by the agency or the table name.
  • Element Name: Describes the given name for a data element provided to the MLDS. This may be the name used by the partner agency or a standard name used by CEDS. Note: The same element name may appear multiple times, as we receive the same element from multiple sources.
  • First Available Collection Year: The first year the MLDS Center obtained the data for the MLDS. The year is indicated by the ending year of the data for the collection year. 2008 is considered the 2007-2008 collection year, but the months covered may differ by collections.
  • Last Available Collection Year: The most recent year the MLDS Center obtained the data for the MLDS. This may also indicate the end of a data collection. The year is indicated by the ending year of the data for the collection year. 2008 is considered the 2007-2008 collection year, but the months covered may differ by collections.
  • Data Usage: An indication of a data element's availability. The data element is either available for use in research or only used by internal IT staff for identity resolution.
  • Description: A statement about the data element that provides additional information related to how the data element is collected, used, or defined in the MLDS.