Colorado's system of collecting and reporting educational data is a mess. The Colorado Association of School Executives has been working to document all the reports the state requires schools and districts to file. They found almost 500 such reports - the list takes up 57 pages of rather small print - adding up to a major burden.

As they sum it up, "Many of these are duplicative; many are obsolete; others have no stated purpose." Districts are often required to submit essentially the same data multiple times, in different formats, and sometimes even using obsolete computers they would have discarded except that the software doesn't run on newer machines.

Two bills in the legislature attempt to address this confused and inefficient situation. We hope they both pass.

One is House Bill 1270, by Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument. In the form that passed the House Education Committee, it calls for an independent external audit of the state Department of Education's current data reporting system.

On a parallel track is HB 1320, sponsored by Rep. Debbie Benefield, D-Arvada, and Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, which proposes a major reorganization of the way the state's data technology system is structured. Among other things, it establishes an oversight committee that will present recommendations in time for possible action next year.

That's a compressed timetable. But the reorganization speaks to broad principles rather than specific details, so the department will still have the flexibility to respond to audit recommendations.

A separate part of the CASE package provided for better reporting of student progress. It was signed by Gov. Bill Ritter Feb. 6. By executive order, the governor can convene a panel to examine accountability issues. And additional legislation is expected to address school "report cards."

All in all, this is a comprehensive look at a system badly in need of one, and a huge improvement over current practice.