History of the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS)
Senate Bill 909 (2011) established the Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB), along with the directive to establish a statewide longitudinal data system in order to provide policy makers and educators a tool to direct funds and methodologies to support continuous improvement within the Oregon educational system.
This directive was reaffirmed by Senate Bill 215 (2015) when the OEIB was redefined in its focus and mission to become the Chief Education Office (CEdO). The key elements for the Oregon Statewide Longitudinal Data System P-20W (OR-SLDS P-20W) have not changed.
After receiving approval from the State Chief Information Office Stage Gate process in early 2016, the Legislative appropriated about $6 million in funding for the Chief Education Office to complete the project.
The Chief Education Office completed development of the SLDS IT project in July 2019 and moved into implementing a data and research program. Existing project governance structures were modified to focus on program governance by forming four committees comprised of content experts from each of the SLDS data partners: the Executive Committee and the Data, Research and Privacy sub-committees.
The system currently connects data from the Oregon Department of Education, Higher Education Coordinating Commission, Oregon Employment Department, GED Testing Service, and the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.
The Chief Education Office sunset in 2019, and the administration of the SLDS was transferred to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, effective July 1, 2019.