Building School Data Equity, Infrastructure, and Capacity Through FAIR Data Standards: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable

Abstract

Despite increasing calls to build equitable data infrastructures, the education field has yet to have a shared guideline around equitable education data management and stewardship. To address this gap, we propose one framework from the data governance literature: the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data management principles complemented by the CARE (Collective benefits, Authority to control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles. We argue that making education data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) is a matter of equity and central to equity-focused data reuse. We illustrate the importance of FAIR education data by synthesizing our research experience and literature at the intersection of data governance and equity-focused data use.