Data Sharing Agreements and Restricted Data Requests
The Arizona Department of Education receives requests for data that is not available through publicly accessible reports, dashboards, or published datasets. When the information you need cannot be found in ADE's public data resources, there are two options for requesting non-public data: a Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) or a Restricted Data Request.
Both Data Sharing Agreements and Restricted Data Requests allow access to data that is not publicly available. However, they serve different purposes and are intended for different types of requests. Understanding the differences will help you determine which option best fits your needs.
A Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) is intended for research that require access to student-level data or ongoing access to confidential information for approved research purposes.
DSAs are most commonly requested by:
- Researchers
- Universities and research organizations
- Graduate students
- Doctoral students conducting dissertation research
A DSA may be appropriate when:
- The request includes student-level data.
- The request supports research requiring access to confidential or sensitive data.
- Data will be provided on a yearly basis throughout the life of a research project.
- Ongoing access to data is necessary to complete the approved work.
Student-level records can only be shared through a Data Sharing Agreement. To protect student privacy and maintain data security, approved users access student-level data through a secure virtual machine environment rather than receiving the data directly.
Data Sharing Agreements are approved for a defined period and may remain active for up to five years before requiring renewal and review.
A Restricted Data Request is intended for one-time requests that do not require student-level data.
Restricted Data may be appropriate when:
- The request is for a one-time data delivery.
- Student-level information is not needed.
- The requested data can be provided in an aggregated format.
- Small cell counts can be suppressed or redacted to protect privacy.
- Summary-level information will meet the needs of the request.
Restricted Data Requests are often used when a requester needs information that is not publicly available but can still be provided.
Review and Approval Process
Both Data Sharing Agreements and Restricted Data Requests must be reviewed and approved by the Data Governance Council before any data can be released.
The Data Governance Council reviews each request based on a variety of considerations, including but not limited to student privacy, legal and regulatory obligations, the purpose of the request, data availability, and the program area's capacity to fulfill the request.
If you have determined that you need a Data Sharing Agreement or Restricted Data Request, please complete the form below.
Looking for publicly available data?
If you landed on this page by accident and are looking for publicly available data, reports, or dashboards, please visit Public Data Sets | Department of Education