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Early Childhood Data Systems: Establishing A

Policy And Legislative Context

January 11, 2011

Background

Child and Youth Readiness Cabinet

Cabinet and Public Consulting Group Data Analysis and Resource Mapping Project

Early fall of 2009: EEC engaged an early childhood consultant

The National and Federal Context for Early Childhood Data Systems Development

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National and Federal Context: Early Childhood Data Systems Development Early Childhood Data Collaborative white paper

The 10 core elements of ECE data system:

1. A unique statewide child identifier for all children

2. Child-level demographic and program participation information

3. Child-level data on development

4. The ability to link child-level data with K-12 and other key data systems (e.g., child welfare, public health, social services, B-3)

5. A unique site (i.e., program) identifier with the ability to link with child data and the ECE workforce3

10 Core Elements (cont.)

6. Program site data on the structure, quality and work environment

7. A unique ECE workforce identifier with the ability to link to program site data and child data

8. Individual ECE workforce demographics, including education and professional development information

9. A state governance entity to manage data collection and use

10.Transparent privacy protection and security policy and practices.

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Improving Outcomes through Data

In taking action to improve child outcomes, program effectiveness and public accountability, states often turn to public policy and legislation for authority.

EEC requested a sample of other states legislation used to authorize aspects of their Early Childhood Information Systems (ECIS), along with related efforts to improve service effectiveness from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

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National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Data

Review of states where recent legislation authorizes more effective early childhood data processes and systems.

Resulted in summaries that were included in a policy brief from the following states:

Connecticut

Rhode Island

Illinois

Colorado

Minnesota6

 Connecticut

Legislation (2009) specifically authorizes an Early Childhood Information System.

Includes specific child, program and workforce data.

Requires the assignment of unique child identifier to all children in any early care and education/school readiness program that either receives public funding of any kind and/or is licensed by the Department of Public Health.

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Rhode Island

KIDSNET statute designates the assignment of a unique child identifier at birth

Used to assure that all Rhode Island children have access to prevention and public health services, and care coordination.

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Colorado

Legislation requires development of a report outlining options for assigning a universal child identifier across state agencies and developing a universal early childhood application for services.

The new universal application crosses many programs across state agencies and would, de facto, promote the standardization of child and family data.

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Illinois

Legislation lodges the development of early learning data within the state’s emerging P-20 Education Data System

Data system is anchored in individual student records with data to be shared, according to state and federal privacy requirements, on any early learning program

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Minnesota

State law creates a State Early Childhood Council

responsibility to develop a data system

provides new requirements for a school readiness assessment and a school readiness report card

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EEC Statutes for Data Systems and Use

Legislative charge to EEC provides broad authority to plan for, fund, develop, deliver, regulate and evaluate services and programs serving young children.

Explicit references to the department’s authority and responsibility to establish and maintain a comprehensive database of children, providers and educators (that is, workforce) compatible with other departments.

EEC is also directed to collect, analyze and report on data obtained by measuring child and program/service outcomes

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Massachusetts Law: Policies

There shall be a comprehensive database that includes child/family, program and workforce information

The database shall be “compatible with relevant databases at the department of elementary and secondary education and the executive office of health and human services”

The department shall “collect and disseminate information to assist parents in nurturing their children's development and education”

There shall be a five-year strategic plan and a comprehensive system for “measuring the performance and effectiveness of programs…”

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Massachusetts Law: Projections

Enrollment and expulsion projections

Utilization of existing facilities, the need for new or modified programs, elimination of programs

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Massachusetts Law: Outcomes and Measures

Outcomes of kindergarten readiness assessment

Outcomes of “additional educationally sound, evaluative tools or developmental screenings...adopted by the department to assess developmental status, age-appropriate progress and school readiness of each child”

Evaluations of overall program performance

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EEC Statutes: Chapter 15D, Sec 2

(q) “…establish and regularly update: (1) a comprehensive database of early childhood educators and providers, hereinafter referred to as the educator database, for the purpose of enhancing the workforce development system; and (2) a comprehensive database of children both waiting for and receiving early education and care services, in this chapter called the student database, that is compatible with relevant databases at the department of elementary and secondary education and the executive office of health and human services;”

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EEC Statutes: Chapter 15D, Sec 2

(r) “…collect and disseminate information to assist parents in nurturing their children's development and education. This information shall be made widely available in written form and accessible through the department's website, in English and other commonly spoken languages in the commonwealth.”

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EEC Statutes: Chapter 15D, Sec 4

“Following consultation with the board, the commissioner shall prepare and submit to the secretary, for the secretary's review and approval, a 5-year master plan for achieving such a coordinated system. The master plan along with an annual progress report shall reflect the goals and standards established by the board and the secretary. The master plan shall include, but not be limited to: enrollment projections; identification of measures for age appropriate child development and school readiness; expulsion rate projections; utilization of existing facilities; promotion of research; programmatic excellence; recommendations for construction or acquisition of new facilities; program distribution; the addition of new programs; the elimination of existing programs; and the need for program revisions.”18

EEC Statutes: Chapter 15D, Sec 12

(a) The department shall establish a comprehensive system for measuring the performance and effectiveness of programs providing early education and care and services. This system shall include, but not be limited to, outcomes of the kindergarten readiness assessment system and additional educationally sound, evaluative tools or developmental screenings that are adopted by the department to assess developmental status, age-appropriate progress and school readiness of each child; outcomes of evidence-based intervention and prevention practices to reduce expulsion rates; and evaluations of overall program performance and compliance with applicable laws, standards and requirements.”

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Key Issue: Mismatch

The Governor’s intent is for information to be tracked and mapped on all children and from birth.

EEC is now authorized to include only children in those programs that are defined as “early education and care” in statute and licensed, funded or regulated in some way by EEC.

Not all children and not all programs are specifically included in the current statutory authorization, thus, there is a mismatch between the intent of data development and use, and the sources from which data can now be gathered.

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Key Issue: Compatibility

The Department’s statutorily-mandated data system must be compatible with “relevant databases at the department of elementary and secondary education and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.”

This will require development of data extraction, matching and analysis tools or structures not now in place across state agencies.

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Key Issue: Identification and Structure

In order to avoid costly and time-inefficient data matching processes, a comprehensive system will require the agreement on: A unique child identifier A unique program identifier A unique workforce identifier.

It will also require a cross-agency data governance structure to guide the development of interagency data access and sharing agreements that are aligned with state and federal privacy protections.

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Key Issue: Real-Time Data

Authorization related to real-time cross-agency data sharing, particularly with regard to children and families being served by multiple agencies at the same time, or over time, must be addressed.

This issue has implications for establishing an “early warning system” for the state’s most vulnerable young children.

It will then be possible to use that information to more effectively provide cross-agency case management and intervention services.

It can also serve to advance the delivery of preventive services in a more cost-effective manner.

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Advisory Council Feedback

Concerns

Children are constantly changing, as is the data

Three years old may be late for a second check in after birth

“Big Brother” – the government collecting data on individuals

Family/child privacy protections

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Advisory Council Feedback

Recommendations

Data collection: Start with the data currently available/what we have

and have most control over Collect data on all children not just those in EEC

programs Collect data on key indicators of child growth and

development for parents

Partner with DPH to issue child ID at birth Collect data again at 18 months using appropriate tool

Use a consistent and objective collection method Consider the amount of data collected on children

and length of time data follows child or family Consider what data to purge after certain period25

Advisory Council Feedback

Recommendations (Continued)

Data Use

Needs to be usable both to parents as well as for system development

Parents are more likely to use data if you have buy in from them early on

Use data results to identify capacity needs in system

State agencies need to share and coordinate information

Need to balance what information to share and privacy of families/children

Inform schools about the early education programs from which the students came

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Advisory Council Feedback

Recommendations (Continued)

Partnerships Involve DHCD; homeless children are all high risk Collaborate/share data with Promise neighborhoods Entity that holds the data should be neutral and have a

partnership with higher education for research purposes National Dropout Prevention Board -- drop out indicators

Other Recommendations Don’t get stuck on perfection at the expense of progress Make data system doable and not too large to happen Consider legislation to collect of child level data Test data collection in one community; use pilot to allay fears

• Pilot approach may result in a narrower request of the legislature and less legislative kick-back

Take time with this issue that is so important to our long term goals, to make sure you get it right

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Proposed Additional Authority

Amend Ch. 15D, §2 (q) [Early education and care department; duties] to add:

o In designing and implementing said student database the Department shall assign a unique child identifier to each child up to the age of eight receiving any public funding. Said student database shall be used for the purpose of furthering the Department’s mandates under this Chapter. The Department may collect and maintain demographic, program participation, and developmental data pertaining to children participating in the Department’s licensed or funded programs and/or receiving any public funding, the purposes of which shall include: (1) tracking the health, safety and school readiness of all children receiving early education and care from any program licensed or funded by the Department; (2) tracking the characteristics of the programs in which such children are served; and (3) developing, coordinating and supporting public and private partnerships to aid early childhood initiatives and establishing positive outcomes of well being, health development, and caregiver and community capacities to determine program and policy levers. The Department shall promulgate regulations governing the collection, maintenance and use of said data, and shall ensure that said data is maintained in accordance with all applicable state and federal privacy protections; provided further that said regulations shall allow information to be shared with ESE and EOHHS pursuant to a cross- agency data governance structure to the exent that such data sharing is aligned with state and federal privacy protections.

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