Linking Incongruent Data Sources: A Case Study of a Summer Library Program

• In Event: 31.091 - Fairmont Royal York Roundtable Session Five
  In Roundtable Session: 31.091-8 - Interventions, Validation, Fidelity, and Data Congruence

Abstract

Summer learning loss has been well documented in the education literature. One attempt at combating this learning loss has been through the contributions of public libraries and their associated summer programs. Assessing program impact is difficult because public libraries cross the boundaries of multiple school districts. This means that quantitative assessment requires linking individual level data within and across districts and across time. The current paper highlights a case study which outlines a data-driven, research method that can be used to measure program impact by linking incongruent sources of academic data. The paper discusses the challenges associated with working with data provided by multiple school districts.

Authors

• Jennifer Boden, The University of Kansas

• Meghan Ecker-Lyster, University of Kansas

• Karin Chang, University of Kansas, Institute for Policy and Social Research