The Kentucky Center for Statistics’ Longitudinal Data System

Program Description:  

The Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) is a state and federally funded agency dedicated to collecting, linking, and analyzing data to evaluate education and workforce efforts across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Kentucky Longitudinal Data System (KLDS) is a  statewide longitudinal data system that integrates statewide education and workforce data. KYSTATS collects data from the Kentucky Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education, the Education Professional Standards Board, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet among many others. 

The main goal of KYSTATS is to enable and empower policymakers, practitioners, and the general public to help support the educational pipeline and programs through connective data such as studying student and teacher performance from preschool into adult education and career. Policymakers and researchers with access to this data can make decisions to improve student achievement and reduce achievement gaps, improve instructional practices and teacher/leader effectiveness, and ensure that all students are adequately prepared to succeed in postsecondary opportunities.

Impact:  

The KLDS has impacted the state in myriad ways since its inception in 2012: 

• Through the linking of high school and college data, KYSTATS is able to better understand how high school experiences are related to students’ experiences in college and beyond. It also allows them to provide data to high schools regarding college preparation. 

• Through the linking of preschool and early childhood performance, KYSTATS is able to provide unique context to practitioners and policymakers to inform their efforts to ensure that all of Kentucky’s children enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed.  

• Through the linking of educational and employment records, KYSTATS will be able to follow graduates entering the workforce, if they’re receiving a living wage, how well the state’s colleges are meeting the needs of various industries, and what the return on investment for the state’s education and training programs is. 

Population Served:  

The KLDS serves the entire state, and many of its reports are public. A 2026-2028 goal is to leverage data from the KLDS to analyze trends and changes at transition points from birth to workforce. This goal will help to identify long-term impacts of transitionary events in one’s life and which populations they affect the most. 

Learn more here. 

Page last updated in August 2026