Benchmarking the State of Kosrae's Education Management Information System. REL 2017-174

A quality data management system, such as an education management information system (EMIS), a state longitudinal data system, or a data warehouse, is key to ensuring that education policy, planning, and strategy decisions are grounded in accurate information (Data Quality Campaign, 2010; Mohamed, Kadir, May-Lin, Rahman, & Arshad, 2009; Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, 2010; World Bank, 2011). The chief state school officers of the Federated States of Micronesia have recognized the need to improve their national EMIS and those of their four states, especially the organization of data and timeliness of data reports (Federated States of Micronesia, 2009). For this study, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Pacific assessed the EMIS in the state of Kosrae by convening a focus group of data specialists to rate the processes, tools, and materials that support the ability to provide timely and meaningful data to schools or education agencies. They used a tool developed by the World Bank to objectively assess and monitor the quality of EMISs. The tool assesses five major aspects of quality: prerequisites of quality, integrity of education statistics, accuracy and reliability of education statistics, serviceability (relevance, timeliness, and consistency of data), and accessibility of data to stakeholders. Scores from the data specialists were averaged and used to assign each aspect of quality to one of four benchmark levels: latent (not in place), emerging (in the process of implementation), established (in place and meeting standards), and mature (an example of best practice). The results of this study provide a comprehensive view of Kosrae's EMIS, which overall was rated as established. Four of the five aspects of quality were also rated as established: (1) Prerequisites of quality (the institutional frameworks that govern the information system and data reporting and the supporting resources); (2) Integrity of education statistics (the professionalism, objectivity, transparency, and ethical standards by which staff operate and statistics are reported); (3) Serviceability (relevance, timeliness, and consistency of data); and (4) Accessibility of data to stakeholders. One aspect of quality was rated as mature: Accuracy and reliability of education statistics.