Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS)

Frequently Asked Questions

• View the SLDS FAQ page

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 analyze, and use education data. 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 (not data) 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.

The CDE has been fortunate enough to secure a Grant under the 2007, 2009 and 2019 awards. Please see the specific web pages for additional details on the initiatives, outcomes and projects that were completed under the two earlier grants.  The CDE has created a previous grant fact sheet to provide an overview to the outcomes and history of those two grants.

CDE’s overall initiative, called RISE (Relevant Information to Support Education), includes many programmatic strategic goals that were put in place through the CAPTURE, LINK and PROVIDE related outcomes and supporting projects: RISE Program Site

Questions? Feedback? Email us at [email protected].

SLDS Federal Department of Education