refining specifications for california data system tools

Refining Specifications for California Data System Tools | March 2020 |

Refining Specifications for California Data System Tools March 2020 Cradle-to-Career Workgroup Kathy Bracco and Kathy Booth, WestEd

Introduction

Over the January and February 2020 Cradle-to-Career Workgroup meetings, partner entities identified several priority use cases for phase one of a state data system. These include:

• A P20W data set that links together information on K–12, postsecondary, financial aid, and employment characteristics and outcomes. The P20W data set would inform equity analyses, support program planning, and provide focused information to the community about the cradle-to-career pipeline. Information would be accessed through public dashboards, public query tools, firewalled analytical tools, and a research report library.

• Access to additional information to support service delivery, evaluate state investments, conduct equity analyses, and identify effective practices. A transparent and well-documented mechanism would allow approved parties to request information from partner entities not contributing to the P20W data set or to retrieve data that are not included in the P20W data set.

• Tools for practitioners and individuals including 1) electronic transcripts and 2) secure query mechanisms that allow approved individuals to learn whether students have received social and health services so they can better coordinate care.

This background paper provides concrete examples of tools and processes that address the three priority use cases. A series of webinars will be held during the second week of April to showcase specific tools, so that workgroup members, advisory group members, and other interested parties can get a better understanding of specific options. Times and dates for the webinars will be posted to the California data system


website (https://cadatasystem.wested.org) and webinar recordings will also be posted to the site. At the April 2020 workgroup meeting, the partner entities will vote on the products that the data system should produce as part of phase one.

https://cadatasystem.wested.org/


Three Types of Data Users

While data can be tremendously useful for informing policies and service delivery, different types of people need different types of information to make decisions. One factor that can shape the information that people seek is their level of comfort with using quantitative data.

Data novices generally seek out a very limited amount of quantitative information, with the goal of better understanding an issue at a specific point in time. They are most likely to benefit from resources like summaries of research reports, simple charts and graphs, and curated dashboards. Examples of data novices might include students who are curious about how outcomes at one institution compare to other institutions, counselors who are seeking information on postsecondary and employment outcomes for an education pathway, and policymakers who are interested in seeing whether a specific initiative or institution is helping more individuals attain key milestones and outcomes.

Data apprentices typically are looking for a range of quantitative data points because they are trying to understand a set of factors that might influence outcomes. They benefit from research reports, complex charts and graphs with the ability to disaggregate the data by various factors, and query tools that provide tailored information. Data apprentices could include middle-level leaders in institutions who are responsible for planning processes, technical assistance providers who are supporting institution-level and regional work, and advocates who are examining whether all students and institutions are benefiting from statewide policies.

Data experts often seek underlying information so they can construct their own quantitative analyses. In addition to research reports, they benefit from analytical tools that provide access to expansive data sets, research request processes that allow access to additional data points, and resources such as data catalogs, metric methodologies, and underlying database code. Data experts can include college researchers who are seeking information on their institution’s outcomes, academic or nonprofit researchers investigating specific topics, and evaluators documenting the outcomes of an intervention.


P20W Data Set Use Case

To make information from the P20W data set available, the workgroup identified three possible categories for tools: public dashboards, public query tools, and firewalled analytical tools. They also noted the value in making the research produced using the P20W data set available through an online library.

Public Dashboards

Public dashboards are tools for managing and displaying information to provide stakeholders with answers to general data questions. Dashboards can be useful for both data novices and data apprentices by offering aggregated information on topics such as college readiness, college retention and success, and workforce outcomes for different degree programs. Dashboards can connect multiple domains of data in one place and use visualization tools to generate maps, graphs, and tables. Many dashboards allow users to interact with the data in order to display results by location (such as state, region, institution, or legislative district) and by student characteristics (for example, race, gender, age, and services received). However, dashboards can vary significantly in the complexity of the information that they display.

Infographics: Kentucky

Kentucky’s website provides interactive information on a variety of topics related to education and workforce efforts in the state.1 Buttons on the home page bring the user to reports on each topic (see Figure One), which are essentially interactive dashboards that rely heavily on color-coded maps, charts, and graphs.

1 For additional information on Kentucky’s public dashboards, see

https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Reports.

https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Reports


Figure One: Screenshot of Report Options in the Kentucky Data System

Each dashboard has a slightly different look and feel, with various data points, graphics, and options for interacting with the data, such as choosing a state or district view. Each topic area has multiple tabs with different types of data. For example, the Postsecondary Feedback report includes a tab for employment outcomes and another tab with data on completions and transfers.

Figure Two shows options for generating a High School Feedback report, which allows the user to compare state, district, and high school outcomes on a variety of measures. Drop-down menus allow for clear comparisons to statewide data. Additional tabs allow users to examine demographic information for individual data points including gender, race, and free and reduced-price meal status. The dashboard also shows results over time.


Figure Two: Screenshot of the State Overview for the Kentucky High School Feedback Report

The Kentucky website also allows users to download a PDF of the High School Feedback report for each high school. These reports are organized by question, with tables and charts comparing performance of schools within their district as well as to statewide outcomes (see Figure Three).


Figure Three: Screenshot of the Comparison View for the Kentucky High School Feedback Report

Simple Charts: Minnesota

Minnesota has also implemented an interface that is easy for data novices and data apprentices to use, with a focus on simple charts and graphs.2 From the home page, options on the left side of the screen allow users to select from a short list of plain-language titles (see Figure Four). Topics for high school graduates include standardized test results, college enrollment, participation in remedial education, course-taking patterns, college completion, and workforce outcomes. For college students, information is available on demographics, time since high school graduation, education goals, credits taken, college graduation details, and employment.

Each item displays both a graph with mouse-over information and a chart providing supplemental details. Users can also drill down to see results for various student groups

2 For additional information on Minnesota’s public dashboards, see http://sleds.mn.gov/.

http://sleds.mn.gov/


or compare values between multiple categories. All charts are formatted consistently, with tool tips that help to explain terms and the option of downloading individual charts in a variety of file formats.

Figure Four: Screenshot of Chart Options in the Minnesota Data System

Figure Five shows a set of charts that display employment status for high school graduates by gender, and the industries in which these students are working. Filters allow users to also examine information by district, region, graduation year, race, special education, and free and reduced-price meal status.


Figure Five: Screenshot of Workforce Outcomes from Minnesota High School Graduates

Complex Charts: Washington

Washington’s Education Research and Data Center (ERDC) focuses on providing students, parents, educators, and policymakers with information on transitions between education and the workforce.3 Dashboards cover such topics as juvenile justice, high school graduation outcomes, public four-year enrollment and outcomes, time to

3 For additional information on Washington’s public dashboards, see https://erdc.wa.gov/data-

dashboards.

https://erdc.wa.gov/data-dashboards

https://erdc.wa.gov/data-dashboards


degree, higher education finance, early learning feedback, and earnings for graduates. As with Kentucky, each dashboard has a slightly different look and feel and different levels of detail, but the overall theme is more technical, so it might appeal to data apprentices and data experts more than data novices.

The High School Outcomes dashboard documents postsecondary education factors such as enrollment, persistence, and completion, as well as hours worked and wages for high school graduates. Most displays are in the form of line graphs (as shown in Figure Six below) but data tables are also available by selecting the “Tabular” option in the navigation.

Figure Six: Screenshot of College Going Rates for Washington High School Graduates

The dashboard also includes the option to see comparison data by district or by school and to generate detailed graphs by demographic characteristics (see Figure Seven).


Figure Seven: Screenshot of Workforce Outcomes from Washington High School Graduates


Research Reports

In addition to public dashboards, several states have created a library within their state data system websites where they publish research reports. This helps to ensure that everyone benefits from knowledge generated by the information in the state data set and fosters greater transparency.

• Maryland posts reports developed by its research branch, such as studies of wage outcomes or analyses of the effects of poverty on academic and employment outcomes, as well as abstracts and slide decks from presentations and summaries of longer research analyses.4

• In addition to providing reports on topics ranging from postsecondary outcomes for financial aid recipients to the impact of chronic absenteeism, Mississippi lists all reports that have been conducted using the state data system and who requested the analysis.5

• Connecticut provides reports on the technical implementation of the state data system—such as data matching—as well as topical studies such as evaluating college and career readiness. The state also publishes the forms and agreements associated with each analysis.6

Public Query Tools

While dashboards provide the public with access to a curated data set with graphics and answers to pre-determined questions, several states also provide public access to data tables that allow for additional review and manipulation of aggregated, de-identified data. In some cases, the information available through these public query tools mirror the information displayed in the dashboards, while in others the query tools provide additional information. Query tools are geared towards data apprentices and data experts who prefer to create their own charts and data analyses.

4 For more information on Maryland’s report library, see

https://mldscenter.maryland.gov/Research&ReportingSummaries.html. 5 For additional information on Mississippi’s report library, see

https://www.lifetracks.ms.gov/RequestAnalysis/ResearchStudies.aspx. 6 For additional information on Connecticut’s report library, see https://www.ct.edu/p20win/requests.

https://mldscenter.maryland.gov/Research&ReportingSummaries.html

https://www.lifetracks.ms.gov/RequestAnalysis/ResearchStudies.aspx

https://www.ct.edu/p20win/requests


Downloadable Data Files: Kentucky

Kentucky makes data files available for individuals to conduct their own analysis on the data displayed on its public dashboards.7 For each dashboard, aggregated information such as results by school site are provided through a downloadable Excel file. Users can choose from a list of available files that include a brief description and a downloadable link (see Figure Eight).

Figure Eight: Screenshot of Downloadable Files in Kentucky

7 For additional information on Kentucky’s public access data files, see

https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Files.

https://kystats.ky.gov/Reports/Files


Query Tool: Colorado

In Colorado, the State Assessment Data Lab provides access to summary-level results from assessments such as the Colorado Measures of Academic Success, PSAT, and SAT.8 Users designate academic years, specific assessments, and outcome measures of interest and can then select districts or schools to include in the output. The tool also allows users to view outcomes for different demographic groups such as by ethnicity or by free and reduced-price meal status (see Figure Nine). The tool then generates a summary table that provides data on median scores and standard deviations for each of the designated categories. Reports can be exported in Excel for further analysis.

Figure Nine: Screenshot of Query Parameters in Colorado

Tables and Downloadable Files: California Department of Education

The California Department of Education provides web-based tables and downloadable data on college-going rates for California high school completers at 12 and 16 months

8 For additional detail on Colorado’s Assessment Data Lab, see

http://cashew.cde.state.co.us/cognos/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi?b_action=cognosViewer&ui.action=run&ui.object=%2fcontent%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d%27State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab%27%5d&ui.name=State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab&run.outputFormat=&run.prompt=true.

http://cashew.cde.state.co.us/cognos/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi?b_action=cognosViewer&ui.action=run&ui.object=%2fcontent%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d%27State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab%27%5d&ui.name=State%20Assessment%20Data%20Lab&run.outputFormat=&run.prompt=true






after graduation.9 Files include summary data by factors such as race/ethnicity and academic year of completion (see Figure Ten).

Figure Ten: Screenshot of Web-Based Table in California

Firewalled Analytical Tools

Firewalled analytical tools provide a mechanism for sophisticated analyses to authorized users. In some cases, such as complex dashboards, access is available to individuals associated with the institutions represented in the data set to support planning and evaluation. Tools may be appropriate for both data apprentices and data experts and are predicated on an expectation that the user will have a clear context for the information displayed so that they can interpret results. In other cases, authorized data experts such as academic and nonprofit researchers can access de-identified data sets and construct their own analyses within a secure environment. In both cases, users are able to configure the information presented, such as viewing results by both gender and race, or conduct research techniques such as regression analyses. This level of sophistication allows researchers to better discern possible causal factors for outcomes.

9 For additional information on CDE’s College-Going Rate reports, see

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/sd/cgrinfo.asp.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/sd/cgrinfo.asp


Practitioner-Focused Dashboards: CORE Data Collaborative

The CORE Data Collaborative is a partnership of eight large urban school districts (the CORE Districts) along with ten county offices of education and their school districts, several charter school networks, and individual school districts to share data and analytics to further education improvement efforts.10 A suite of dashboards provides sophisticated information to practitioners from member districts in addition to traditional disaggregated outcome charts on topics such as student academic growth, attendance, discipline, and course taking. For example, one of CORE’s latest developments is an analytics dashboard and related tools that answer questions such as the likelihood a student will complete a-g requirements, graduate, or be successful in college (see Figure Eleven).

Figure Eleven: Screenshot of College Readiness Analytics in Firewalled CORE Dashboard

10 For additional information on CORE, see https://coredistricts.org/.

https://coredistricts.org/


Research-Focused Analytical Tool: Children’s Data Network

The Children’s Data Network, which is affiliated with the University of Southern California, is partnering with the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) to create the Research Data Hub. The Research Data Hub will be a cloud-based environment where de-identified, individual-level information will be stored in structured data tables. Access to data sets will be restricted based on roles that are set by CHHS departments, which will have the ability to specify row- and column-level access for each data set. Approved CHHS staff or researchers will have remote access to the data and use analytic tools that are hosted within the Research Data Hub to generate cross-program analyses. Longer-term, the Research Data Hub will develop protocols that permit approved external research partners to access curated data sets and statistical resources in this analytic environment. Tools like the Research Data Hub are optimized for data experts and could reduce the burden on partner entities for constructing data sets once research projects are approved.

Access to Additional Information

In addition to the P20W data set, the California data system would provide access to information from other partner entities (such as the California Department of Health and Human Services or the Commission on Teacher Credentialing) or data points that are not included in the P20W data set. Providing access to additional data allows authorized users to get the information they need to answer critical questions, while acknowledging legal and technical complexities that may preclude the inclusion of those data points in the P20W data set. In order to keep data secure and to protect privacy, a data request process is needed that ensures that only appropriate data elements are shared and that they are provided to entities that have the expertise to both analyze and protect the data.

One priority identified by the workgroup is that the system should ensure that data requests do not place significant time and personnel burdens on partner entities. While public-facing resources like dashboards and query tools may eliminate the need for some research requests, a clear process needs to be established both to request information and to provide feedback regarding requests that are denied. Some states convene representatives from the partner entities on a regular basis to review research requests. Other states delegate responsibility to the entity that hosts the state data to handle requests, by applying principles agreed to by the partner entities.


Formal Request Process: Connecticut

Connecticut uses a formal, multi-step request process for researchers who are not associated with a partner entity and wish to gain access to data from its P20WIN data system.11 The process is only used when data are requested from more than one agency; requests for data that are not linked or do not include multiple agencies go directly to the entity holding that data. Access to the P20WIN data is somewhat limited. Data requests must align with either a participating agency’s individual research agenda or P20WIN-designated research interests. Data requests that utilize education data are only allowed if the purpose of the request is to audit or evaluate federal or state-supported education programs or for compliance with federal legal requirements related to these programs.

Data requestors must pay a fee that includes: 1) a flat fee to support the cost of matching the data files and managing the data request process, 2) a fee based upon the number of participating agencies included in the request, and 3) a smaller flat fee to offset the cost of non-personnel expenses. An additional charge may be assessed if a participating agency needs to pay for access to a data set that is not directly available. The governing board has the authority to waive or reduce fees.

The key steps in Connecticut’s review process are outlined below:

1. The data requestor provides the P20WIN manager with a proposal that outlines the evaluation to be completed and the data needed.

2. The P20WIN manager reviews the data request and determines viability. 3. The data requestor completes data request documents. 4. P20WIN staff review the data request documents for completeness and

alignment with established policy guidelines and schedule board review if appropriate.

5. Governing board members whose agency’s data would be included in the data request determine whether they will allow their data to be included. Each affected agency logs their approval or denial.

6. The program manager communicates the decision to the data requestor. 7. If approved, the program manager drafts a memorandum of agreement,

circulates it for signatures, and collects nondisclosure agreements.

11 For additional information on Connecticut’s research request process, see

https://www.ct.edu/files/pdfs/P20WIN-DataRequestProcedure-Final_01202015.pdf.

https://www.ct.edu/files/pdfs/P20WIN-DataRequestProcedure-Final_01202015.pdf


8. The program manager coordinates the production and secure transmission of data files for the data matching process and for the analysis.

9. After the analysis is conducted, a pre-publication data review is conducted by the governing board.

In addition to the review process outlined above, researchers typically engage in multiple conversations with partner agencies to determine the data elements that are needed—a process that often takes six months or more.

Online Process: Utah

External researchers can request data using Utah’s Data Research Center online application process. Researchers must have a login to access the application, but anyone can sign up for an account. As is the case in Connecticut, the Data Research Center only fulfills requests that require data from multiple agencies.

Utah’s online application includes five steps:

1. Complete the institutional review board process or secure an exemption from review.

2. Provide a project title and basic contact information for the data request. 3. Provide a detailed explanation of the project that includes:

• The purpose of the research • The research question • How confidentiality will be maintained • A proposal for the research project (optional)

4. Read and agree to the non-disclosure, peer review process, and investigator assurance process agreements.

5. Receive an application identifier number.

Once submitted, applications are reviewed in the order received. A data coordinator contacts researchers to determine next steps. Research conducted by external researchers must be peer reviewed by both the Data Research Center and partner agencies prior to publication for methodological, statistical, and subject-matter feedback. Researchers must also share a final draft prior to publication to provide agencies the opportunity to prepare a response.


Tools for Practitioners and Individuals

Unlike most states, the California data system will include tools that provide information that is focused on the operational needs of practitioners and students. In February 2020, the workgroup identified three possible approaches, which were developed into more discrete proposals during the month of March.

The first two proposals address electronic transcripts that share information on students’ academic records and on their histories of accessing services. Electronic transcripts streamline college application, financial aid, and student support processes and ensure that information is more accurate when it is transmitted between education segments. The third proposal would take a decentralized approach for sharing social service information—data linkages could be done through regional data trusts that have access to more recent information about the individuals being served.

K12 Electronic Transcripts and College Planning Supports: California College Guidance Initiative

The California College Guidance Initiative (CCGI) is a nonprofit initiative housed within the Foundation for California Community Colleges that manages CaliforniaColleges.edu, the state’s K–12 student-facing college and career planning platform.12 CCGI takes a student-centric approach to guidance tools, while providing educational institutions with the data they need to inform decision-making about individual students’ lives. CCGI is funded through Proposition 98, along with institutional investments from the California Community Colleges and California State University systems.

CCGI currently reaches one in five students in grades 6–12. Based on information uploaded by local education agencies at least once a month, CCGI houses academic transcript data within their college and career planning portfolio on CaliforniaColleges.edu. Transcript data:

• Is audited for accuracy and provided back to districts who are then supported by CCGI’s data services team to improve data quality

12 For more information on California College Guidance Initiative, see

https://www.californiacolleges.edu/#/.

https://www.californiacolleges.edu/#/


• Informs guidance tools that help students track progress towards their goals, such as eligibility tools that help students see whether they are on track for admission requirements to a CSU or UC campus

• Follows students’ applications to the California Community Colleges and California State Universities to support key decisions about admissions, placement, guidance, and supportive services

• Provides key data for FAFSA or Dream Act applications to facilitate the determination of students’ Cal Grant eligibility

In addition to transcript data, CaliforniaColleges.edu captures data on whether students have completed key steps along their path to college transition, such as career assessments, college and financial aid applications, and defining their major, which provides counselors with data they need to ensure appropriate intervention and follow-up.

Electronic transcript files include flags for foster youth and for students who have met the residency requirements for AB 540 (without capturing documentation status). 13 These flags could be expanded to identify other types of students, thereby providing colleges with the data they need to proactively support specific populations.

Postsecondary Electronic Transcripts and Eligibility for Support: California Community Colleges and California Department of Social Services

The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) hosts an electronic transcript service for postsecondary institutions in California called eTranscript California.14 Currently, 102 colleges are registered with the service. As part of an upgrade to system architecture, the CCCCO is planning to transition eTranscript California to edExchange. edExchange is a neutral platform for data and digital documents.15 Established by the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC)—which includes partners such as the CCCCO, the National Student Clearinghouse, and

13 AB 540 (Statutes of 2001, Chapter 814) was signed into law in 2001 and provides an exemption from

the payment of non-resident tuition for certain non-resident students who have attended high school in California and received a high school diploma or its equivalent.

14 For more information on eTranscript California, see https://etranscriptca.org/about-etranscript-california.

15 For more information on edExchange, see https://www.pesc.org/edexchange.html.

https://etranscriptca.org/about-etranscript-california

https://etranscriptca.org/about-etranscript-california

https://www.pesc.org/edexchange.html


Parchment—edExchange uses an open web services model to securely transmit files that use a standard format between authorized partners. Files are not stored on edExchange servers—instead, a direct peer-to-peer connection is used to deliver information. If postsecondary institutions adopt the PESC format, eTranscript California could be extended to all postsecondary institutions in the state. CCGI’s platform is also compatible with edExchange.

In addition to providing electronic transcripts, edExchange can be used to share other forms of learning documentation such as badges and competency-based education credits. An upgraded eTranscript California platform could also integrate enhanced privacy controls and the capacity for learners to provide consent before information is shared to other parties. For example, the platform could be extended to provide specific types of information to employers at the request of a student.

The edExchange platform could also be connected with a new system under development by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). The new system is designed to provide confirmation about whether an individual holds a specific status—such as being a foster youth—or has accessed services. If paired with a consent function, students could authorize the release of specific data to a college to determine eligibility for supports related to food, housing, health care, and other services.

Regional Tools to Coordinate Support Services: Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust and Stanislaus Cradle to Career Initiative

The Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust (SVRDT) and the Stanislaus Cradle to Career Partnership are jointly proposing to pilot a data system that supports the coordination of services while informing a policy and research agenda at the local, regional, and state levels.

The Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust (SVRDT) is an initiative of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, and is a partnership of the County Offices of Education and Health and Human Service Agencies in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, as well as the University of California, Santa Cruz.16 Funded through private grants, SVRDT provides a secure data environment to enable K–12 public schools, juvenile justice, and county health and human service agencies to responsibly share data to coordinate

16 For more information on the Silicon Regional Data Trust, see https://www.svrdt.org/.

https://www.svrdt.org/


case management. Authorized users can query whether a child they serve is also being supported by another agency and if so, view information such as the most recent date of service and contact information for the person coordinating that care. The SVRDT model complements the service confirmation tool being developed by CDSS because it can access more detailed and recent information that is only available at the local or regional level. SVRDT would like to partner with other regional data trusts to replicate its service coordination model by sharing its web-hosted technology infrastructure.

SVRDT’s secure data environment is based on consent and identity management systems that ensure information can only be linked for individuals with appropriate permissions. Data are joined through a web services request when an inquiry is made and information remains in the source data systems, with results temporarily displayed through a secure web interface. Access to the interface is based on permissions set by participating agencies.

The amount of data that can be shared through the secure data environment is flexible. In Silicon Valley, SVRDT worked with practitioners to identify a large number of data points that stakeholders wanted to share. From this list, a constrained, “upfront data set” was created to improve service delivery and allow agencies to gain familiarity with the secure data environment. Each data element was thoroughly vetted by a legal team with representative counsel from each of the SVRDT agencies to ensure that data sharing is in compliance with all state and federal regulations. A similar process could be used in other regions—such as Stanislaus County—to determine the types of information that should be viewed through the secure data environment.

The Stanislaus Cradle to Career Partnership, led by the Stanislaus County Office of Education and Stanislaus Community Foundation, has been working for the past two years to link data sets over the life of an individual to better understand risk factors and equity gaps.17 Workgroups have dug into pipeline questions such as kindergarten readiness, K–12 reading, math attainment across all ages, college-going and completion rates, and living wage employment. Stanislaus County sees the secure data environment as a viable case management service coordination tool that is a first step in linking records for service delivery. They hope the linkage will help improve services to the public, as well as identify data trends for research that will inform local policies, further enhance operations, and create sustained institutional change. They are also

17 For more information on Stanislaus Cradle to Career, see

https://www.stancoe.org/division/administrative-services/cradle-career.

https://www.stancoe.org/division/administrative-services/cradle-career


interested in working with other regions, such as through the Strive Together Network, to share lessons learned so the model can be implemented in other parts of the state.

Enrollment Planning and College-Going Reports

At the February 2020 workgroup meeting, in addition to the three use cases described above, partner entities expressed a strong interest in developing practitioner-oriented tools that would clarify the numbers of K–12 and community college students on track to enroll in a four-year institution, as well as college-going rates. These questions could be answered using the tools described in this paper, such as dashboards, query tools, and CCGI, rather than requiring an additional data tool.

Preparing for the April Workgroup Meeting

Following a series of webinars that provide more detailed demonstrations of each product, partner entities will be asked to vote on the types of tools that are of greatest interest for phase one of the state data system. For example, they will weigh in on their desired dashboard format: infographic-style, simple charts, or complex charts. To support this decision-making process, the following questions may be helpful:

• Are sufficient tools being provided for each user type (data novice, data apprentice, data expert)?

• Are sufficient tools being provided for each stakeholder group (student and families, educators and service professionals, state agencies, advocacy organizations, researchers, policymakers)?

• Will information be provided in the appropriate format to support data usage? • Will the level of detail in the tool support users to take action on the information? • Will the ease of access provide appropriate safeguards to ensure that users have

the context or support they need to interpret results? • Will the tool require a reasonable level of effort from the user? From partner

entities? From the data sources (local education agencies, colleges, service providers)?

• Will the tool foster trust and collaboration? • Will the tool provide adequate protections for privacy and security?

refining specifications for california data system tools

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