The state has decided to award $7.5 million to DigitalBridge to create the statewide data system lawmakers called for in 2007. The system will allow teachers and parents to track online their children's test scores, the test scores of their children's classrooms and those of other classrooms and schools, said Patti Harrington, state superintendent. School transcripts also will be kept electronically so they can be transferred more easily between schools when children move.

"When a child moves, even just down the street, sometimes it will take more than just a few days to get information down to the next campus," Harrington said. "We want that to be immediate."

She said it will be up to schools whether or not they want to participate, and, though the public will be able to see overall school, district and state scores on many tests, children's names will be kept private except to parents and school officials.

Lawmakers passed a bill in 2007 appropriating $3 million for the creation of such a system. The rest of the money for the system is from federal grants, Harrington said. The law called for the system to be created within two years.

She said she expects the system to be up and running by the end of this year. The state and DigitalBridge are now in contract negotiations, said Melanie Dougherty, a DigitalBridge spokeswoman.

After the system is implemented, participating school districts will likely be responsible for paying for ongoing maintenance and operational costs, according to the law. Dougherty said 13 Utah school districts, including the Iron County School District, are already using the Student Achievement Management System.

"I feel like we've moved light years in terms of looking at individual students," said Jim Johnson, Iron County School District superintendent.

Johnson said he can instantly see data on any student in the school district. He said he spends about 20 to 30 minutes a day on the system and sometimes calls parents when he sees students who are passing end-of-year tests but failing their classes.

Teachers also use the data to collaborate with one another and can look at student data before the school year starts, Johnson said.

"They know those students before they even arrive in class," Johnson said.