Navigating the Transparency–Privacy Paradox in Public Sector Data Sharing

This article examines the tension between transparency and privacy that public administrators face as they build multi-agency integrated data systems and work with researchers to harness the power of administrative data to inform policymaking. Analysis of qualitative data from 71 interviews with administrators and university researchers in four State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) states (Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and Washington) and the U.S. Department of Education indicates the important effect that executive leadership, consistent and sound legal advice, and assessment of risk tolerance at the agency level can have on the structure and function of the overall project. Learning how to navigate this challenge and foster agency–researcher partnerships is fundamental for generating evidence-based research in public administration and policy.