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

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Advisory committee" means the Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee created in Subsection (3).

(b) "Data retention schedule" means a schedule for maintaining and disposing of student data in accordance with Section 63G-2-604.

(i) was implemented before May 1, 2025; and

(ii) may require manual data transmission to the state board in varying formats.

(d) "Manual data transmission" means a process that requires LEA staff to:

(i) extract data from a student information system;

(ii) modify the data format; or

(iii) manually enter data into a separate system.

(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:

(i) statute;

(ii) state board rule; or

(iii) state board policy.

(f) "Student information system" means a computer database that:

(i) provides the functions described in Section 53E-3-518; and

(ii) maintains student records and data over time.

(g) "Student personally identifiable information" means student data that:

(i) identifies a student; or

(ii) is used by the holder to identify a student as defined in Section 53E-9-301.

(h) "System modification" means a change to a student information system required or caused by:

(i) statutory amendments;

(ii) administrative rule changes; or

(iii) state board policy updates.

(2) The state board shall:

(a) conduct a comprehensive study of LEA data practices, systems, and reporting;

(b) coordinate with the advisory committee throughout the study process;

(i) school district superintendents;

(ii) charter school administrators;

(iii) LEA technology directors;

(iv) LEA student data managers;

(v) the Utah School Boards Association;

(vi) the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools;

(vii) student information system vendors; and

(viii) other parties the state board determines necessary; and

(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:

(a) includes representatives from:

(i) urban school districts;

(ii) rural school districts;

(iii) charter schools;

(iv) the state board;

(v) the Department of Administrative Services with expertise in regulations related to government records; and

(vi) other stakeholders as determined by the state board;

(b) provides guidance on study scope and methodology;

(d) meets at least quarterly during the study period; and

(e) assists in preparing the final report.

(4) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student data retention examines:

(a) types of student personally identifiable information collected by LEAs, including:

(i) information required by federal law;

(ii) information required by state law;

(iii) information required by administrative rule;

(iv) optional information collected by an LEA; and

(v) retention requirements for each type;

(b) methods used by LEAs to:

(i) store student personally identifiable information;

(ii) secure stored data;

(iii) control access to data;

(iv) maintain data quality;

(v) track data retention schedules; and

(vi) dispose of outdated data;

(i) retention schedules under Section 63G-2-604;

(ii) privacy requirements under Chapter 9, Student Privacy and Data Protection;

(iii) security standards established by the state board; and

(iv) federal privacy laws;

(d) potential requirements for:

(i) annual data audits;

(ii) regular purging of non-essential data;

(iii) standardized retention schedules; and

(iv) data disposal verification; and

(e) fiscal and operational impacts of recommended changes.

(5) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student information systems examines:

(a) current LEA expenditures for:

(i) system licensing;

(ii) hosting services;

(iii) technical support;

(iv) staff training;

(v) data extraction;

(vi) custom programming; and

(vii) system modifications;

(b) staff time required for:

(i) manual data transmission;

(ii) data validation;

(iii) error correction;

(iv) report generation; and

(v) system maintenance;

(i) legislative changes;

(ii) rule updates; and

(iii) new data requests;

(d) capabilities and limitations of:

(i) current LEA systems;

(ii) the state board system under Section 53E-3-518; and

(iii) potential alternative solutions;

(e) examples of statewide student information systems in other states;

(f) analysis of:

(i) total statewide spending on individual LEA systems;

(ii) projected costs of a single statewide system;

(iii) potential savings from consolidation;

(iv) implementation challenges; and

(v) transition requirements; and

(g) recommendations for improving system efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

(6) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of reporting requirements examines:

(a) existing reporting obligations, including:

(i) statutory reports;

(ii) administrative rule reports;

(iii) grant-required reports;

(iv) federal reports; and

(v) other regular data submissions;

(b) for each identified requirement:

(i) legal basis;

(ii) intended purpose;

(iii) current uses;

(iv) submission frequency;

(v) required data elements;

(vi) collection burden; and

(vii) continued relevance;

(i) evaluating reporting necessity;

(ii) consolidating similar reports;

(iii) eliminating obsolete requirements; and

(iv) sunsetting provisions;

(d) methods to:

(i) track reporting obligations;

(ii) evaluate requirement impacts;

(iii) coordinate review processes; and

(iv) implement sunset procedures;

(e) processes for:

(i) annual reporting review;

(ii) sunset recommendations;

(iii) requirement reauthorization; and

(iv) stakeholder input; and

(f) proposed structures for:

(i) managing reporting requirements;

(ii) implementing sunset provisions; and

(iii) maintaining transparency.

(7) On or before September 15, 2025, the state board shall:

(a) prepare a report that includes:

(i) study findings related to student information systems as described in Subsection (5);

(ii) stakeholder input related to student information systems;

(iii) fiscal impacts;

(iv) implementation considerations; and

(v) specific recommendations for:

(A) student information system improvements;

(B) statutory changes related to student information systems;

(D) implementation timelines; and

(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.

(8) On or before September 15, 2026, the state board shall:

(a) prepare a report that includes:

(i) study findings related to:

(A) student data retention as described in Subsection (4); and

(B) reporting requirements as described in Subsection (6);

(ii) stakeholder input related to these components;

(iii) fiscal impacts;

(iv) implementation considerations; and

(v) specific recommendations for:

(A) data retention policies;

(B) reporting requirement management;

(D) rule modifications related to these components; and

(E) implementation timelines; and

(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.

(9) The Education Interim Committee shall:

(a) review the state board reports described in Subsections (7) and (8);

(b) accept public testimony on the recommendations;

(d) consider whether to recommend legislation for:

(i) the 2026 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (7); and

(ii) the 2027 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (8).

Official source: Utah State Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Utah statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.