CTE Accountability and Reporting Data

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Secondary Accountability and Reporting Data

In Minnesota, there are over 340 secondary districts of various types, including charter schools, Intermediates, and Education Districts, among other official entities serving 9th-12th grade students who implement state-approved CTE programs. State-approved CTE programs are those which:

  • Provide evidence of student leadership, career development, experiential learning, and safety (Minn.R. 3505.2550)
  • Teacher of record holds an appropriate CTE license (Minn.R. 3505.1100)
  • Courses are selected from an existing list of programs and courses (Table C). Syllabi content within each course aligns with career field frameworks. A sequence of courses is offered within a program. (Minn.R. 3505.1000)
  • Establishment of a local Program Advisory Committee (3505.1000, 3505.2500, 3505.1400)
  • A signed statement of assurances is provided by current district Superintendent or licensed CTE Director, and Special Education Director, as appropriate (Minn.R. 3505.2550)

Although all 9th-12th grade CTE programs are welcome to submit a Program Approval form for review, only those districts and entities which are part of a Perkins consortium are, once approved, eligible to receive federal funding through their respective Perkins consortium, and/or are eligible to access CTE levy resources (Minn.Stat. §124D.4531). The one exception to this are the Work-based Learning ACTE-SPEC programs which do not need to be part of a Perkins consortium in order to, once approved, access ACTE-SPEC funding resources.

Each Perkins member district or entity must annually submit student enrollment data for each state-approved CTE program offered during the most recent school year within their district to MDE (Minn. Stat. §124D.452; Minn. R. 3505.1800). These student enrollment records, otherwise known as Perkins (P-file) data, are uploaded to MDE via a secure web-based software application system. The Authorized User(s) responsible for reporting the Perkins (P-file) data to MDE are annually given access to “Carl Perkins” by their district’s Superintendent, or IoWA proxy, through the EDIAM system. The secure, Carl Perkins web-based software application system is open for data submission from end of May to mid-September; official announcement and training materials are communicated out to district Authorized Users upon the system’s opening. Student enrollment data are summed across 9th-12th grade students’ high school experience in order to determine level of engagement and CTE status. Any student at or above the status of CTE Participant (successfully completion of 1 or more state-approved CTE courses) is then included in the federal funding formula for state and local allocations, as well as being included in federal accountability reporting.

There are a number of ways in which the secondary data are systematically verified. 

Once a district submits their P-File data through the secure web- based software application, the software application performs an automated verification of each of the data elements within the P-File. For a list of all the data elements included in the P-File, please see the Carl Perkins Record Layout document listed within MDE’s data reporting website. 

The primary function of this automated process is to verify that: 

  1. Each student identification (SSID) number listed within the P-File also exists within the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS) database. 
  2. Each school building listed in the P-File matches the district number it is reported under according to the information in Minnesota Department of Education-Organization Reference Glossary (MDE-ORG).
  3. The program and course code combinations listed within the P-File align with the program and course code combinations listed in Table C (the Table C document lists all possible program and course code combinations, as well as teacher licensure information) found on the MDE Program Approval web page. 

A district’s P-File will not be accepted by the web-based application until it is deemed “error free” according to the standards set forth in the automated verification process. The data are stored in the Carl Perkins database which is maintained by MN.IT at MDE. 

After the P-File has been accepted by the web-based application, the district-authorized users are asked to review the P-file Summary Report on MDE's secure reports website. Again, this summary report of the P-File data elements assists districts in identifying any reporting errors and verifying the accuracy of their data in alignment with the programs and courses listed within the Program Approval Database.

It is ultimately up to the district authorized user to coordinate with their district’s CTE teachers in order to verify that all approved programs and associated courses that were implemented within a given school year have been included in the P-File submission. Consortium leaders have access to the P-File Summary Report and are encouraged to assist in monitoring the accuracy of the data being uploaded to MDE for each of the districts within their consortium as well.

Keep in mind that districts are able to submit updated P-Files as needed until the web-based system closes. The web-based application only retains a copy of the most recently submitted P-File. MDE Results Measurement staff assist in monitoring and verifying the accuracy of the P-File data submissions in alignment with the programs and courses listed in the Program Approval database, and contact district authorized users for any updated or edits, as needed.

It is important that the Perkins data have a high degree of accuracy and integrity because elements from the Perkins database are linked with four additional data sources and are summed across multiple years of data. 

All current year P-File data are verified against the SSID information in MARSS, specifically: student identification number, date of birth, and name. 

After all student level data have been verified, flags for participants and concentrators are created by summing the number of successful CTE course hours within one career field across a student’s entire high school experience until age 21 and prior to graduation. 

Finally, data from the Perkins database are linked with the following sources: 

  1. MARSS: This system contains student demographic information and high school completion codes. 
  2. Migrant Flag: This system is used to identify students who are documented migrant students. This information is used to link demographic data to assessment data and to report data to the U.S. Department of Education through the state’s CAR. It is not part of MARSS. It is stored in its own database. 
  3. MCA/MTAS: These achievement test results are necessary for reporting academic achievement (2S1 and 2S2). 
  4. SLEDS (Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System): This system contains information from both the Minnesota State system as well as from the National Clearinghouse (see Postsecondary Data sources for a description of the National Clearinghouse). This information allows MDE to fulfill the federal reporting requirements for 3S1 Post-Program Placement. 
  5. Foster Care: A data sharing agreement allows MDE to fulfill the federal reporting requirements and provide student counts for this subgroup.

All reports are created at the state, consortium, district, and individual school level. In order to access the Carl Perkins report on MDE’s secure reports webpage, superintendents are required to annually give permission to their staff through the Education Identity & Access Management (EDIAM) system. Consortium leaders who do not already have access should email the secondary Results Measurement data specialist to be given access. A number of data reports are currently available with more being added all the time. Secondary data reports fall into two broad categories: 
  1. Accountability
    • Enrollment: These reports display the number of CTE participants and concentrators, by career cluster. These reports are organized according to the federal reporting structure.
    • Performance Indicators: These reports align with the operational definitions listed at the beginning of this section (1S1, 2S1, 2S2, 3S1, 4S1, 5S3) and are organized according to the federal reporting structure. These are the reports to use when determining whether local levels of performance have been met and where gaps in performance for individual student groups might exist.
  2. Continuous Improvement 
    There are a series of data reports within this category which were developed for all audiences vested in assisting CTE students toward realizing their potential, as well as implementing strategies to the benefit of CTE programs and align with CLNA needs.

Secondary Perkins Accountability and CTE Data - Useful Links

Postsecondary Accountability and Reporting Data

All twenty-five postsecondary institutions in Minnesota that receive funding under Perkins V are two-year colleges that are part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Postsecondary colleges do not make separate Perkins data submissions to the state. Instead, Perkins performance and enrollment data are processed using existing statewide record  systems as the primary data source and supplemented with additional statewide record systems/data as needed. 

The Perkins V data tables are currently available to directly query by institution and system staff who have submitted Operational Data Security Request forms requesting access to those tables and have SQL, Microsoft Access or other local querying capabilities. In addition, a collection of paginated and Power BI reports are available to consortia leaders who have been granted security rights to access the data.

Using the Integrated Statewide Record System (ISRS) and other statewide record systems as the sources of data for reporting, an automated system was created to extract the data and calculate the postsecondary accountability indicators. This process concludes with the creation of two standard, censused reporting tables that are used by both the system office and institutions to produce Perkins V accountability and enrollment reporting. In turn, this means all colleges, consortia and system office staff are using the same standards and definitions for reporting related to accountability.  The sources of data used to produce the Perkins V reporting tables are listed below:

Integrated Statewide Record System (ISRS): ISRS is Minnesota State’s student record system. It includes data on student enrollment, majors, degrees and awards, courses, financial aid, the results of graduate follow-up surveys, etc., for all system institutions. ISRS data serves as the primary data source for identifying Perkins students within a cohort, special population classification, and most of the specific data points necessary to assess performance. Since ISRS contains the student’s official record and transcript information, significant system resources and effort are undertaken to ensure accuracy of this data.

National Student Clearinghouse (NSC): Since 1999, records from NSC have been loaded into the system’s data warehouse each semester for all students enrolled in the system. This is an existing data transfer process that results in a data file used for a variety of system and institutional reporting, including identifying students who have completed a Perkins program and are continuing their education at colleges or universities within and outside the Minnesota State system. The NSC data provides information on transfer to institutions outside the system and supplements the information available on transfer to institutions within the Minnesota State system that is available using ISRS.

Department of Employment and Economic Development - UI Wage Data: Through a data-sharing agreement with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), system research staff are able to obtain summary Unemployment Insurance wage detail data. The DEED wage detail data contains quarterly wage and employment information of all individuals working in covered employment in Minnesota. This information is used as the primary source for reporting on student employment following program completion, supplemented by graduate follow-up survey data from ISRS, as needed.

Perkins V summary data reports, at the state, consortium and institution level, are available through Power BI and are accessed through the System’s Office365 site using the Perkins V Reporting app. Only system office CTE and research staff, consortia coordinators and other limited institution staff are granted rights to access the data reports. All users must be approved to access the data reports by the System CTE Director.

To access the Perkins V Reporting app, users must log in to the System’s Office365 site with their StarID and StarID password, then navigate to the Power BI app/home page using the app launcher in the upper left corner of the screen.

The reports included in the Perkins V Reporting app include data on participant and concentrator enrollment, performance on core indicators, and disparities (or gaps) in performance on core indicators compared to the established performance levels or compared to the performance of the total population. Some of the reports also provide trend information and/or data disaggregated by demographic, special population, or career cluster/program.

Student Data Privacy 

Consortia, district and college staff may be given access to data and data tools that allow viewing of student-identifiable data. Staff are legally obligated to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of this data. Data privacy rules fall under the umbrella of both the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and must be followed accordingly. 

In short, these acts exist to ensure that personal and private student data are not disseminated publicly. It is the responsibility of consortia staff to be familiar with these acts and to share private (disaggregated) data in an appropriate manner with authorized personnel only. 

Student-identifiable data includes any data or information that, alone or in combination, would generally allow a person to identify a student with reasonable certainty and may include, but is not limited to: 

  • Student demographic information 
  • Immunization and health records 
  • Disciplinary records 
  • Student progress reports 
  • Grade point average 
  • Assessment results 
  • Attendance records 

Summary data can be released, but only if aggregated to a level where the privacy of individuals is protected. This includes the release of directly identifiable data as well as data where the identity of individuals could be reasonably inferred through calculation. 

Printed reports with student-identifiable data should be avoided as much as possible. When necessary, hard copies should be collected after their use and stored securely or destroyed. 

Student-identifiable data should not be included in presentations or publications shared with groups where the members do not have authority to view this data (e.g., advisory committees, workgroups that include members external to the institution, etc.). This includes the sharing of data within the consortium between secondary and postsecondary partners. 

Care should be taken in preparing any public reports of data to ensure student-identifiable data are not being shared. This includes reports like the APR, the local application, etc. 

Any computer that receives, houses, or is used to manipulate student identifiable data must meet basic security requirements to ensure that private data is not released publicly. 

  1. Private data should be stored behind a secure firewall with password-protected access to only approved personnel. 
  2. Private data should never be stored or copied onto a transportable flash drive or other media. If regularly accessed via a local area network, copies should not be saved to desktop hard drives. 
  3. Data sharing, where required, should be parsimonious in that only relevant data fields are transmitted. 

The consortia staff should have readily available contact information for their institution’s data privacy personnel in the event of the release of student identifiable data. This person should be made aware in the event of the inappropriate release of private data so that necessary action can be taken.