Using Effective Tools To Put Data To Use: 

A Collective Impact Story From Providence, RI

Elizabeth Devaney, Providence After School Alliance

Rebecca Boxx, Providence Children and Youth Cabinet

Systems-building intermediary Original funding from Wallace Foundation in 2004 Focus on increasing access to high quality

programming AfterZone Hub Quality improvement

Building an afterschool system– PASA’s Story

Shared definition of quality Data management Program Assessment & quality coaching Professional development for staff & partners

High quality programming Highly trained & committed staff

Building a quality improvement system

Monitor attendance and retention

Data tracking for management and accountability

Quality leads to participation

Participation leads to improved outcomes

Data sharing with PPSD for targeted services

Using Data to Drive Quality

System Level - Monitoring Participation

School 2009-10 School Year 2010-11 School Year

Total School Enrollment

AfterZone Participation

% of school population

served

Total School Enrollment

AfterZone Participation

% of school population served

Nathan Bishop 239 182 76% 502 283 56%

Esek Hopkins 379 229 60% 481 222 46%

DelSesto 349 191 55% 469 257 55%

Roger Williams 751 344 46% 720 351 49%

Bridgham 571 206 36% 603 219 36%

Gilbert Stuart 706 332 47% 774 272 35%

Perry 609 268 44% N/A N/A N/A

Total 3,604 1,752 49% 3,549 1,603 45%

Program Level - Monitoring Attendance

Youth Level - Monitoring Intensity

% of youth attending 3+ days per week % of youth attending 30+ days per year % of youth attending 2+ program types % of youth attending 2+ sessions per year % of youth attending 2+ years

Lessons Learned

It takes time to customize a data tool Data tool must be useful on the ground Someone needs to monitor and manage data

tool People will get on board when they are ready Needs evolve as your system evolves – choose a

tool that is nimble

Inception of Full Service Community

Schools (FSCS) Initiative 2008

Year four – FSCS serves 7 schools, 3000 individuals

(2012)

Institution of the Mayor’s Children and

Youth Cabinet based on the STRIVE model

(2010)Data sharing agreement allows for

timely exchange of

individualized student data

between district SIS and Youthservices

Full Service Community Schools in Providence - Context

Additional funders, partners

expand set of programmatic

targets and outcomes

System continuously modified to

accommodate programmatic

needs

Year one – FSCS serves one school,

300 individuals

Youthservices chosen as web –based, cost effective data

system

Build out a “system of

data systems” in support of

Providence’s collective

impact strategy

Utility of Integrated Data System Manage partners to a set of outcomes Communicate progress to varied stakeholders Monitor quality and fidelity of programming Provide individualized data to inform student

supports Collect and integrate foundational data in support

of collective impact outcomes

Tools for Monitoring– Milestone report

Tools for Communication– Principal Report

Tools for Student Support – Student Profile

Implications for Providence Children and Youth Cabinet Programmatic data and tools the foundation of a

city wide dashboard Negotiating of data sharing agreements between

institutions, CBOs and schools have city-wide implications

Beginning of longitudinal linking of data across major initiatives start of a cradle to career story

Collaborative culture of accountability key to success of collective impact strategy