How ERDC reviews and approves data requests  

Redacted Aggregate Requests

ERDC will review your request to determine if it requires cross-sector data and can be fulfilled using currently available data. If ERDC determines that the request does not meet one of these requirements, then your request may be denied or ERDC will reach out for further information.  

If your request satisfies these requirements, then ERDC will review your request and the aggregate data table template to determine how best to fulfill the request. ERDC will consider what, if any, data might need to be redacted because of small cell sizes. ERDC will reach out to the data requester with any questions and provide an estimated time of delivery. 

Once the fulfillment plan is determined, ERDC staff will begin the process of fulfilling the data request and will provide the aggregate table(s) when completed. If the delivery will be delayed beyond the estimated time of delivery, ERDC will notify the requester. 

Individual-level and Unredacted Aggregate Requests

ERDC will review your request to determine if it requires cross-sector data, meets one of the exceptions under FERPA, and can be fulfilled using currently available data. If ERDC determines that the request does not meet one or more of these requirements, then your request may be denied or ERDC will reach out for further information.  

If your request satisfies these requirements, then ERDC will review the individual-level data table with the requested data elements to ensure that the request includes only the necessary data elements required to complete the proposed project to adhere to our data minimization principle. ERDC will also determine whether our data-share agreements with data contributors allow us to share the requested elements for the proposed project. If ERDC believes that the request includes more data elements than necessary or that our data-share agreements will not allow us to share certain elements, we will reach out to discuss this with you. Data requests are denied if they do not meet the necessary FERPA requirements and privacy considerations that guide ERDC’s data governance and security processes. Individual-level data requests and redacted aggregate data requests are denied if they only ask for data from a single education or workforce sector. 

Data requests that only include PCHEES data are an exception to the cross-sector criteria. ERDC does accept single-sector requests for PCHEES data. 

WSIRB review and approval process (Individual-level or unredacted aggregate data requests only) 

ERDC also reviews your request to assess whether it might require review by Washington’s Institutional Review Board (WSIRB). Depending on your research questions and design, your project may need to undergo a WSIRB review. Projects typically fall into one of three review categories: a full IRB review, an expedited review, or exempt review. Requesters may want to consult with ERDC or WSIRB ahead of time to learn more. If the project requires WSIRB review, then the data requester must submit their application and any required fees to WSIRB.  

What You Need to Know About IRB

 

• Do not submit your WSIRB application until your request has been approved. 
• As part of the WSIRB application, you must email a copy of your Appendix G and H directly to ERDC. 
• Share a copy of your IRB determination letter with ERDC. This is part of the authorization requirement if your project needs IRB review. 

 

Finally, upon WSIRB approval, ERDC will submit the request to data contributors for authorization. Data contributors can authorize release of some or all the requested elements or they can deny any release of the data for the requested project. ERDC will inform the requestor about the outcome of this review.  

Once approved by WSIRB, data contributors, and ERDC, ERDC will begin the process of drafting data-share agreements and any other necessary contracts. You will be notified when your request is fully authorized by ERDC. Once all agreements and contracts are completed, ERDC staff will begin the process of fulfilling the data request.  

Note: Under certain circumstances, ERDC may consider carrying out some of these activities in parallel. For example, ERDC may decide to move forward with authorization by data contributors while the project is being reviewed by IRB. This approach is determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Delivering your requested data 

Once ERDC staff has finished preparing your data files, you will be notified when they are ready for delivery.  

ERDC typically delivers redacted aggregate data as Excel files, SAS files, or text files via email to the data requester. Redacted aggregate data does not reveal personally identifiable information and does not require a data-share agreement. It does not need to be transmitted securely and can be delivered directly to the requester via email. 

ERDC delivers requested individual-level or unredacted aggregate data through one of two methods: the Education Data Enclave or the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) site. How the data is delivered is part of your data sharing agreement. 

Resources for Data Requesters

In 2021, ERDC began to offer the Education Data Enclave, a secure virtual desktop environment that researchers can use to analyze their requested data remotely with software and data visualization tools that are otherwise expensive to purchase on their own. Requesters can complete their analyses and research reports, all within the enclave. Record-level data stays within the secured enclave environment, which helps ERDC ensure that personal information is protected. ERDC reviews each report or data product for FERPA compliance before the requester can export it from the Education Data Enclave. 

These resources provide information about how data requesters interact with ERDC’s Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) site and the Education Data Enclave. These resources are useful for requesters of individual-level data, unredacted aggregate data, and any data requesters who may provide ERDC with data for linking purposes.