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26/02/2026
Phillip Fry
[FYI request #33319 email]
Tēnā koe Phillip
OIA: [GEMS-46429] – SMART data schema
Thank you for your email of 18 December 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry), and
subsequent clarification of 28 January 2026, requesting the following information:
Copies of any data dictionary, schema documentation, or technical documentation that is
held or relied upon by the Ministry to understand, govern, or oversee the data collected,
stored, or processed within SMART.
If such documentation exists, information within that documentation describing:
•
the categories of data collected (e.g. assessment data, demographic information,
learning support or wellbeing indicators);
•
whether data fields are mandatory or optional; and
•
the use of any standardised codes or classifications (e.g. ethnicity, learning needs,
progress indicators).
If the Ministry does not hold a consolidated data dictionary or schema document for
SMART, confirmation of that fact and a brief description of how the Ministry satisfies itself
as to:
•
what data is collected by SMART; and
•
how compliance with privacy and data-minimisation obligations is overseen.
This request is limited to formal documentation relied upon by the Ministry and does not
seek live database structures, source code, or vendor internal system designs.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry needs to extend the timeframe for responding to your request, pursuant to section
15A(1)(b) of the Act, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
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proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit. You can now expect to
receive a response to your request on or before 26 March 2026, which is an extension of 20
working days. If we are able to respond sooner than this date we will of course do so.
You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate our decision to extend the timeframe for
responding to this request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Tess Firth
Senior Advisor, Official and Parliamentary Information
Government, Executive and Ministerial Services
OIA: [GEMS-46429]
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