In educational utopia, the data collection is innocent enough. Or it is presented to educators as an attempt to be able to see strengths and weaknesses in a student’s development and to be able to target weak areas for improvement.
Why is there a need for data collection of preschoolers? Politicians. Politicians want to know that their expenditures are worthy. So data is collected at every level. So much data is collected that it is insane. A teacher’s aide who barely makes minimum wage is required to collect data on preschoolers. The teacher also is required to collect data. They think that if there is a big discrepancy between what the teacher puts into the system and what the aide puts into the system, then there might be a problem with one of the data collectors. The data consists of personal observations input into the system and/or video of children interacting or completing a task. Or pictures. Anywho, the aide or teacher then rates where they think that child is performing on a development scale. The categories are things like social/emotional development, physical development, cognitive development, etc. They are broken down into smaller categories and are highly detailed. The data is only as good as the one putting the data into the system.
These data systems can be useful tools. In the wrong hands, they can be used for much evil.
This is a pilot program. It will extend into high school and beyond. Your kids will do essays, which will be submitted into the system. The essays will be analyzed by AI systems, which (besides the "official" education-related analysis for things like grammar and checking for plagiary) will deduce much about what's in the kid's head.
Ref: 1984