§ 53E-3-526 — Student data systems and reporting study.

(1) As used in this section:
(1)(a) "Advisory committee" means the Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee created in Subsection (3).
(1)(b) "Data retention schedule" means a schedule for maintaining and disposing of student data in accordance with Section 63G-2-604.
(1)(c) "Legacy system" means a student information system that:
(1)(c)(i) was implemented before May 1, 2025; and
(1)(c)(ii) may require manual data transmission to the state board in varying formats.
(1)(d) "Manual data transmission" means a process that requires LEA staff to:
(1)(d)(i) extract data from a student information system;
(1)(d)(ii) modify the data format; or
(1)(d)(iii) manually enter data into a separate system.
(1)(e) "Reporting requirement" means any obligation that requires an LEA to submit data or information to the state board or another governmental entity established in:
(1)(e)(i) statute;
(1)(e)(ii) state board rule; or
(1)(e)(iii) state board policy.
(1)(f) "Student information system" means a computer database that:
(1)(f)(i) provides the functions described in Section 53E-3-518; and
(1)(f)(ii) maintains student records and data over time.
(1)(g) "Student personally identifiable information" means student data that:
(1)(g)(i) identifies a student; or
(1)(g)(ii) is used by the holder to identify a student as defined in Section 53E-9-301.
(1)(h) "System modification" means a change to a student information system required or caused by:
(1)(h)(i) statutory amendments;
(1)(h)(ii) administrative rule changes; or
(1)(h)(iii) state board policy updates.
(2) The state board shall:
(2)(a) conduct a comprehensive study of LEA data practices, systems, and reporting;
(2)(b) coordinate with the advisory committee throughout the study process;
(2)(c) seek input from relevant stakeholders, including:
(2)(c)(i) school district superintendents;
(2)(c)(ii) charter school administrators;
(2)(c)(iii) LEA technology directors;
(2)(c)(iv) LEA student data managers;
(2)(c)(v) the Utah School Boards Association;
(2)(c)(vi) the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools;
(2)(c)(vii) student information system vendors; and
(2)(c)(viii) other parties the state board determines necessary; and
(2)(d) establish working groups as needed to examine specific study components.
(3) The state board shall create a Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee that:
(3)(a) includes representatives from:
(3)(a)(i) urban school districts;
(3)(a)(ii) rural school districts;
(3)(a)(iii) charter schools;
(3)(a)(iv) the state board;
(3)(a)(v) the Department of Administrative Services with expertise in regulations related to government records; and
(3)(a)(vi) other stakeholders as determined by the state board;
(3)(b) provides guidance on study scope and methodology;
(3)(c) reviews preliminary findings and recommendations;
(3)(d) meets at least quarterly during the study period; and
(3)(e) assists in preparing the final report.
(4) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student data retention examines:
(4)(a) types of student personally identifiable information collected by LEAs, including:
(4)(a)(i) information required by federal law;
(4)(a)(ii) information required by state law;
(4)(a)(iii) information required by administrative rule;
(4)(a)(iv) optional information collected by an LEA; and
(4)(a)(v) retention requirements for each type;
(4)(b) methods used by LEAs to:
(4)(b)(i) store student personally identifiable information;
(4)(b)(ii) secure stored data;
(4)(b)(iii) control access to data;
(4)(b)(iv) maintain data quality;
(4)(b)(v) track data retention schedules; and
(4)(b)(vi) dispose of outdated data;
(4)(c) compliance with:
(4)(c)(i) retention schedules under Section 63G-2-604;
(4)(c)(ii) privacy requirements under Chapter 9, Student Privacy and Data Protection;
(4)(c)(iii) security standards established by the state board; and
(4)(c)(iv) federal privacy laws;
(4)(d) potential requirements for:
(4)(d)(i) annual data audits;
(4)(d)(ii) regular purging of non-essential data;
(4)(d)(iii) standardized retention schedules; and
(4)(d)(iv) data disposal verification; and
(4)(e) fiscal and operational impacts of recommended changes.
(5) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student information systems examines:
(5)(a) current LEA expenditures for:
(5)(a)(i) system licensing;
(5)(a)(ii) hosting services;
(5)(a)(iii) technical support;
(5)(a)(iv) staff training;
(5)(a)(v) data extraction;
(5)(a)(vi) custom programming; and
(5)(a)(vii) system modifications;
(5)(b) staff time required for:
(5)(b)(i) manual data transmission;
(5)(b)(ii) data validation;
(5)(b)(iii) error correction;
(5)(b)(iv) report generation; and
(5)(b)(v) system maintenance;
(5)(c) frequency and cost of system modifications required by:
(5)(c)(i) legislative changes;
(5)(c)(ii) rule updates; and
(5)(c)(iii) new data requests;
(5)(d) capabilities and limitations of:
(5)(d)(i) current LEA systems;
(5)(d)(ii) the state board system under Section 53E-3-518; and
(5)(d)(iii) potential alternative solutions;
(5)(e) examples of statewide student information systems in other states;
(5)(f) analysis of:
(5)(f)(i) total statewide spending on individual LEA systems;
(5)(f)(ii) projected costs of a single statewide system;
(5)(f)(iii) potential savings from consolidation;
(5)(f)(iv) implementation challenges; and
(5)(f)(v) transition requirements; and
(5)(g) recommendations for improving system efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
(6) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of reporting requirements examines:
(6)(a) existing reporting obligations, including:
(6)(a)(i) statutory reports;
(6)(a)(ii) administrative rule reports;
(6)(a)(iii) grant-required reports;
(6)(a)(iv) federal reports; and
(6)(a)(v) other regular data submissions;
(6)(b) for each identified requirement:
(6)(b)(i) legal basis;
(6)(b)(ii) intended purpose;
(6)(b)(iii) current uses;
(6)(b)(iv) submission frequency;
(6)(b)(v) required data elements;
(6)(b)(vi) collection burden; and
(6)(b)(vii) continued relevance;
(6)(c) potential criteria for:
(6)(c)(i) evaluating reporting necessity;
(6)(c)(ii) consolidating similar reports;
(6)(c)(iii) eliminating obsolete requirements; and
(6)(c)(iv) sunsetting provisions;
(6)(d) methods to:
(6)(d)(i) track reporting obligations;
(6)(d)(ii) evaluate requirement impacts;
(6)(d)(iii) coordinate review processes; and
(6)(d)(iv) implement sunset procedures;
(6)(e) processes for:
(6)(e)(i) annual reporting review;
(6)(e)(ii) sunset recommendations;
(6)(e)(iii) requirement reauthorization; and
(6)(e)(iv) stakeholder input; and
(6)(f) proposed structures for:
(6)(f)(i) managing reporting requirements;
(6)(f)(ii) implementing sunset provisions; and
(6)(f)(iii) maintaining transparency.
(7) On or before September 15, 2025, the state board shall:
(7)(a) prepare a report that includes:
(7)(a)(i) study findings related to student information systems as described in Subsection (5);
(7)(a)(ii) stakeholder input related to student information systems;
(7)(a)(iii) fiscal impacts;
(7)(a)(iv) implementation considerations; and
(7)(a)(v) specific recommendations for:
(7)(a)(v)(A) student information system improvements;
(7)(a)(v)(B) statutory changes related to student information systems;
(7)(a)(v)(C) rule modifications related to student information systems; and
(7)(a)(v)(D) implementation timelines; and
(7)(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.
(8) On or before September 15, 2026, the state board shall:
(8)(a) prepare a report that includes:
(8)(a)(i) study findings related to:
(8)(a)(i)(A) student data retention as described in Subsection (4); and
(8)(a)(i)(B) reporting requirements as described in Subsection (6);
(8)(a)(ii) stakeholder input related to these components;
(8)(a)(iii) fiscal impacts;
(8)(a)(iv) implementation considerations; and
(8)(a)(v) specific recommendations for:
(8)(a)(v)(A) data retention policies;
(8)(a)(v)(B) reporting requirement management;
(8)(a)(v)(C) statutory changes related to these components;
(8)(a)(v)(D) rule modifications related to these components; and
(8)(a)(v)(E) implementation timelines; and
(8)(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.
(9) The Education Interim Committee shall:
(9)(a) review the state board reports described in Subsections (7) and (8);
(9)(b) accept public testimony on the recommendations;
(9)(c) evaluate implementation requirements; and
(9)(d) consider whether to recommend legislation for:
(9)(d)(i) the 2026 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (7); and
(9)(d)(ii) the 2027 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (8).

Legislative History

Enacted by Chapter 505, 2025 General Session