Lemov himself pushed for data-driven programs that would diagnose individual students' strengths and weaknesses.
"Spencer pushed for data-driven decisions," Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview on Wednesday.
However, the ruling could drive governments to push for data localization rules that would require companies to store data within their borders.
In sum, it will be critical for the public to be involved in pushing for data release, and vital for researchers, advocates and the media to continue to check those numbers once the data spigots open.
The public health minister, Jane Ellison, who pushed for the data to be collected, hailed the move.
Facebook has always pushed for more data, and been pushed back by its users.
The browser maker has aggressively pushed for opening data and doubling down on privacy features in recent years.
As governor, he pushed for vast data-mining centers, wiretapping of mosques, spying on foreign students and enlisting average citizens to keep tabs on fellow Americans.
So far he has singled out efforts to make it easier for patients to get into clinical trials and pushed for more open data and collaboration between researchers.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors proposed requiring its member journals to mandate sharing clinical trial data as a condition for publication, and Vice President Joe Biden's "moonshot" is expected to push for more data sharing to expedite cancer research.
The forces pushing for omnivorous data collection are larger than any one person, but General Alexander's role has been significant.
