Columbus – Auditor of State Dave Yost weighed in on the importance of data quality in government in this month’s GOVERNING magazine. Auditor Yost is quoted in the article, saying: 

"The poor quality of government data is probably the most important emerging trend for government executives, across the board, at all levels." 

The magazine’s publisher referenced Auditor Yost’s comment and pointed out that the daily work of government auditors “brings them face to face with bad data and its consequences, and what they see alarms them.” 

Since taking office, Auditor Yost has tackled several issues questioning data quality -- most notably his statewide audit of student attendance in Ohio’s public school districts and his audit of attendance numbers reported to the Ohio Department of Education by community schools. 

GOVERNING magazine, a national publication dedicated to covering issues that affect state and local governments, took notice of the problems created around the country by bad government data. The article released recently called government data a “lifeblood” and described it as a “crucial commodity that's necessary to manage projects, avoid fraud, assess program performance, keep the books in balance and deliver services efficiently.”  

A full copy of the GOVERNING magazine article and “Publisher’s Desk” column may be accessed online.