Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success (METRICS) Act
Latest action (21 Dec 2012): Introduced
What this bill does
The METRICS Act would authorize the Secretary of Education to award two types of competitive, multi-year (up to five years) grants to help build and use education data systems that track students over time. State educational agencies (possibly partnering with higher education, early childhood, or workforce agencies) could apply for grants to establish or improve "aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems," which link student records across early childhood, K-12, postsecondary, and workforce settings. Separately, "high-need" local educational agencies—those serving large numbers or high proportions of low-income students—or consortia of such agencies, potentially working with outside partners, could apply for grants to improve local use of that data by teachers, school leaders, and families.
The bill sets detailed requirements for grant applications, including plans for data governance, privacy protection (consistent with FERPA and other privacy laws), teacher and student identifiers, coordination with existing federal data initiatives, and long-term funding commitments. It emphasizes privacy safeguards, peer review of applications, and priority for collaboration across states or districts. Funds could not replace existing state or local spending on similar systems, and any grant funding would come from amounts appropriated under a separate section of the bill.
The bill would primarily affect state education agencies, school districts, teachers, and students, by shaping how student data is collected, shared, and used to inform instruction and policy. It was introduced in the House on December 21, 2012, and referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce during the 112th Congress. It received no further action or vote before that Congress ended, meaning it did not become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Measuring and Evaluating Trends for Reliability, Integrity, and Continued Success (METRICS) Act or METRICS Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states, high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), or consortia of high-need LEAs that partner with external entities to improve access to, and the sharing and use of, education data to improve student outcomes.
Requires states to use such grants to: (1) implement aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems; (2) define policies and procedures for the collection of, access to, and use of education data; (3) protect the privacy, security, and confidentiality of student and educator data; (4) link education data with workforce data; (5) match teachers with teacher preparation and certification information; (6) standardize education data through the use of openly developed common education data standards; and (7) meet federal reporting requirements.
Requires high-need LEAs to use such grants to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to: (1) provide interested parties and the public with access to student education data in a manner that ensures its integrity and respects student and educator privacy; (2) improve the ability of school leaders to use student data to improve schools and classroom instruction; and (3) improve the ability of teachers effectively to use student data through on-going, sustainable, and high-quality training.
Defines "aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems" as statewide data systems that house and link the longitudinal data of individual students, including their early childhood, elementary and secondary school, postsecondary education, and workforce data.
Authorizes the Secretary to carry out specified national activities to improve the collection, quality, and use of education data.
Directs the Secretary to make publicly available, within one year of this Act's enactment, a comprehensive and searchable description of all Department of Education reporting requirements that apply to states, LEAs, or schools.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 6703 do?
- The METRICS Act would authorize the Secretary of Education to award two types of competitive, multi-year (up to five years) grants to help build and use education data systems that track students over time. State educational agencies (possibly partnering with higher education, early childhood, or workforce agencies) could apply for grants to establish or improve "aligned statewide education longitudinal data systems," which link student records across early childhood, K-12, postsecondary, and workforce settings. Separately, "high-need" local educational agencies—those serving large numbers or high proportions of low-income students—or consortia of such agencies, potentially working with outside partners, could apply for grants to improve local use of that data by teachers, school leaders, and families. The bill sets detailed requirements for grant applications, including plans for data governance, privacy protection (consistent with FERPA and other privacy laws), teacher and student identifiers, coordination with existing federal data initiatives, and long-term funding commitments. It emphasizes privacy safeguards, peer review of applications, and priority for collaboration across states or districts. Funds could not replace existing state or local spending on similar systems, and any grant funding would come from amounts appropriated under a separate section of the bill. The bill would primarily affect state education agencies, school districts, teachers, and students, by shaping how student data is collected, shared, and used to inform instruction and policy. It was introduced in the House on December 21, 2012, and referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce during the 112th Congress. It received no further action or vote before that Congress ended, meaning it did not become law.
- Has H.R. 6703 become law?
- Not yet. As of 21 Dec 2012, H.R. 6703 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 6703?
- H.R. 6703 was sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt [D-NJ12, 1999-2014] (Democrat-NJ), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 6703?
- Introduced (21 Dec 2012).
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