Ryan Stanley, IT manager for the Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), told the House Finance Education Subcommittee on Feb. 7 that the department’s data modernization plan rests on a multi‑year roadmap and baseline funding of roughly $900,000 per year.

Stanley said the department’s initial audit found roughly 30 semi‑separate systems and inconsistent data entry — for example, "16 different ways that first name is recorded" across systems — and that work to normalize data is essential before dashboards and predictive reporting can be reliable.

"The 7‑year timeline is based on a road map that we developed during an initial audit of all of our systems and what it would take to implement that design," Stanley said. He added the timeline depends in part on district readiness, training windows and the pace at which districts can change how they submit data.

The department told the committee the project will align with the Common Education Data Standards and that the initial work focuses on building a strong student information system so reporting and dashboards can be layered on top of a single, normalized data foundation. Committee members asked whether the timeline could be expedited; staff said additional resources or contractor support could accelerate the schedule but noted practical limits tied to district readiness and training windows.

Why this matters: A unified, standardized data system would make it easier for state officials, districts and the public to track enrollment, outcomes and spending. Lawmakers asked for a short factual synopsis of how the $900,000 per year is used so the subcommittee can judge whether to add funds to accelerate the schedule.