The DEPP@scribe project is an ongoing initiative of DEPP, the statistical department of the French Ministry of Education, to enhance the structuring, documentation, and accessibility of France's extensive education data. The project aims to facilitate research and inform policy-making through improved data management and access (Cole & al., 2020). The national statistical information system on education offers a comprehensive dataset covering approximately 60,000 schools, 1.2 million employees, and 13 million students, and includes: - Yearly student assessment data in French and Mathematics for students from grade 1 to grade 12 - Detailed school characteristics - Student demographics - Teacher information linked to specific subjects and students - Educational pathways, including course selections, special arrangements, and exam results The database also incorporates periodic surveys on various topics such as school climate, violence, staff well-being, and teaching practices, providing a multifaceted view of the French education system. DEPP@scribe aims to facilitate the integration of this extensive administrative data with other sources: - Linkage Capabilities: The system allows for linking data on schools, teachers, and students through unique identifiers, enabling comprehensive analysis across different educational aspects. - Survey Data Integration: The project supports the enrichment of survey data collected by researchers with administrative data, expanding the scope and depth of educational studies. - Cross-Sector Data Linkage: DEPP@scribe addresses the challenge of facilitating data linkage between education data and other areas of public policy, offering insights into broader societal impacts of education. The DEPP@scribe project is developing three key digital tools to improve data access: 1. Depp@logue: An online catalogue of DEPP data sets, showcasing the range of available data and research opportunities. 2. Depp@thèque: A digital platform for accessing data and conducting studies, allowing for the connection of administrative sources and enrichment of survey data. 3. Agreement App: A system for creating and monitoring legal agreements governing data access for researchers. By the end of 2025, these tools will be integrated into a single portal, providing secure remote access to data with varying confidentiality rules based on user type and data nature. Access is free of charge for research teams that have signed an agreement with the DEPP. By making high-quality administrative data accessible and research-ready (Mc Grath-Lone et al., 2022), the DEPP@scribe dramatically reduces data collection costs and opens new avenues for educational research. It expands research opportunities, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports evidence-based policy making (Charpentier, 2023).

Cole, S., Dhaliwal, I., Sautmann, A. & Vilhuber, L. (Eds). (2020). Handbook on Using Administrative Data for Research and Evidence-based Policy. Cambridge, MA: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab. https://doi.org/10.31485/admindatahandbook.1.0 Charpentier, A. (2023). « La contribution scientifique de la DEPP à l’évaluation des politiques publiques », Administration & Education, n°178. AFAE. https://doi.org/10.3917/admed.178.0057 Mc Grath-Lone, L., Jay, M. A., Blackburn, R., Gordon, E., Zylbersztejn, A., Wijlaars, L., & Gilbert, R. (2022). „What makes administrative data “research-ready”? A systematic review and thematic analysis of published literature“. International Journal of Population Data Science 7:1:6. https://doi.org/10.23889/ijpds.v7i1.1718