Introduction
In Indiana, data isn’t just for reports – it’s become a tool for real change. What began as a move to simplify state reporting has grown into a statewide effort to make education data faster, more accurate, and more useful at all levels.
By adopting the Ed-Fi Data Standard, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) built a modern system that supports educators, streamlines compliance, and connects the dots across programs and policies. The work is evolving beyond compliance reporting to unlock deeper insights for schools and the state, with Indiana poised to expand use of the Ed-Fi Data Standard to include financial data and teacher preparation program results. That foundation helps everyone from classroom teachers to state leaders use data to make better decisions for students.
Challenge
Indiana’s previous data system was more than 20 years old – slow to update, hard to use, and prone to errors. Educators often had to rely on outdated or incomplete information, and the system offered little value beyond meeting compliance deadlines.
Transferring data was mostly done by hand; formats varied across software providers, and the system couldn’t support emerging needs – like real-time updates or tracking students who moved across districts.
Under the old system, schools certified their data weeks or months after submission. Now we're able to certify within two weeks of the count date.
John Keller
Chief Information Officer, Indiana Department of Education
Goals
Indiana aimed to build a modern, reliable data system that could meet daily needs in schools while supporting long-term statewide strategy. The goals were to:
- Build a secure, well-governed data system with the reliability and scale to support daily school operations and long-term statewide planning.
- Support real-time, accurate data sharing to improve decisions in classrooms and at the state level
- Give educators access to tools that help students succeed academically and prepare for careers
- Move away from outdated, error-prone systems by building a reliable and adaptable platform with a focus on improving data quality
- Reduce confusion across districts by improving how software systems work together
- Build for sustainability with a system the state can manage, update, and rely on over time
Implementation Process
Planning and Partnership
Indiana partnered with technology providers and the Ed-Fi Alliance to lead the shift to a new data system built on the Ed-Fi Data Standard. These early collaborations laid the groundwork for a shared, statewide solution.
Customization and Ongoing Training During Rollout
Indiana aligned closely with the Ed-Fi Data Standard for core reporting areas like attendance, educator data, and diploma types, making extensions only when necessary to meet state-specific requirements.
Ongoing training and hands-on support helped districts and vendors transition smoothly. The Department hosted weekly office hours so districts could easily ask questions and get the help they needed. Indiana also created a knowledge hub with clear, accessible guidance for both schools and vendors. A school-based advisory council meets quarterly to keep collaboration strong between the state agency and the districts responsible for submitting timely, accurate data.
System Upgrades and Maintenance
Indiana later rolled out a newer version of the system – faster, easier to use, and a better fit for how districts actually work. Districts and vendors updated their software and joined refresher training to keep things running smoothly and make sure the system continues to meet changing needs.
Success Factors
- Strong partnerships: Indiana collaborated closely with experts and vendors to guide a smooth, coordinated transition.
- Phased rollout: The system was introduced in stages, giving districts time to adapt and allowing for continuous improvements.
- Consistent approach: Every district follows the same data submission method, ensuring fairness and clarity.
- Ongoing support: Regular training, clear communication, and hands-on guidance helped districts and vendors stay on track.
- Visible value: New data products like the GPS Dashboard, the Attendance Insights dashboard, and the Early Warning Information System repackaged data gathered for compliance purposes data into practical insights for educators, families, and the public.
Use Cases
- Student Data Backpack: A complete student profile including enrollment, demographics, special education, and program participation details – designed to give authorized users easy access to key information when students change schools.
- Graduates Prepared to Succeed (GPS) Dashboard: A statewide tool that tracks graduate outcomes, helping educators and families plan and monitor student progress.
- Special Education Integration: A more consistent way to manage IEPs – reducing paperwork and improving support for students with disabilities.
- Positive Attendance Tracking: A new approach to attendance that tracks and celebrates positive attendance trends – especially important after pandemic-related disruptions.
- Early Warning Information System: Helps school leaders identify students at risk of not graduating – or not graduating on time – by analyzing attendance, behavior, and course outcome data from both the current year and prior years.
Lessons Learned
- Real-time access builds trust: When data is up to date, educators are more likely to trust it and use it to guide decisions.
- Uniform systems work better: A single system for reporting and communication helps schools adopt new tools and stay aligned with the state.
- Local input matters: Involving district leaders ensures the system reflects the real needs of schools.
- Shared responsibility improves outcomes: Designing tools for both state and district use keeps vendors focused on serving everyone.
- Sustainable design is critical: When state staff take ownership of the system, it’s more likely to keep working well over time.
Conclusion
Indiana’s adoption of the Ed-Fi Data Standard marked a major step forward in how the state collects, connects, and uses education data. By building a modern system that serves both schools and the state, Indiana has made data reporting more accurate, more efficient, and more actionable.
Today, the state is working to take a more complete view of its data – seeking to bring together academic, financial, and, in the future, educator preparation information to better understand system-wide needs and outcomes. That integrated approach will help inform policy, guide decision making, and strengthen support for students, educators, and communities across Indiana.
