The Data Behind Student Success and Workforce Readiness

The State of K-12 Academic Achievement Data

Just as businesses rely on timely, reliable data to make decisions, education leaders depend on academic achievement data to understand whether students are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. Today, annual statewide assessments and public reporting systems provide an unprecedented view of student performance, but there is still room for improvement. The goal of these systems and data is to help policymakers, educators, families, and employers track progress and identify areas where additional support is needed.

This brief examines the state of K-12 academic achievement data in America, including the assessments and reporting systems that provide insight into student outcomes, the strengths and limitations of current state data systems, and recent policy trends that may affect transparency and comparability. It also outlines why access to consistent, high-quality education data matters to the business community and how employers can help champion the information needed to build a stronger future talent pipeline.

What You'll Learn:

• Why statewide academic achievement data is critical for measuring student outcomes and workforce readiness.
• How state report cards and assessment systems give the public visibility into school performance.
• Which emerging policy trends could affect the transparency and comparability of student achievement data.
• What business leaders can do to support timely, accessible, and actionable education data.

Read the full brief to learn more.

Learn more about the U.S. Chamber Foundation's Data and Assessments in K-12 Education work.