Committee Hears Bill to Establish Kansas Longitudinal Data System; Raises Privacy and Cost Questions

A House committee on K‑12 education budget on Wednesday heard testimony on House Bill 2,303, which would create a Division of Longitudinal Data inside the Legislative Research Department to build and operate a Kansas Longitudinal Data System and a public Kansas Credential and Skills Registry.

The bill would appropriate $3,000,000 from the State General Fund for fiscal year 2026 to the Legislative Coordinating Council to establish the division. It would also amend the Student Data Privacy Act to authorize disclosure of student data to the new division and include a sunset provision that would repeal the act on Jan. 1, 2033, unless reauthorized.

Supporters told the Committee on K‑12 Education Budget that the system would link data already collected by state agencies across time to inform education and workforce policy. Eric (last name not provided), a representative of a regional business advocacy group promoting the bill, said the current state data approach is “fragmented, siloed and providing you a snapshot in time,” and argued a longitudinal system would let policymakers and employers track students’ progress over time. William Wilk, senior director of government affairs for the Kansas Chamber, said the business community supports the bill because “access to workers continue to be a top concern” and employers need data to align training and hiring with demand.

Nick McDonald, appearing as legislative staff, walked the committee through the bill text. He said the division’s duties would include developing and maintaining the Kansas Longitudinal Data System, assigning a director (appointed with compensation set by the Legislative Coordinating Council), collecting and storing de‑identified data from participating agencies and outside entities under memoranda of…