DATA
for the people
Year after year, millions of California children grow, learn, and develop in our state’s schools and colleges, moving into adulthood and the workforce without a full picture of whether the educational opportunities and support they received helped guide them to a successful life.
What is California’s Cradle-to-Career System?
This statewide system will provide tools to help students reach their goals and deliver information on education and workforce outcomes. The tools will be designed for students and families, educators, advocates, and researchers.
Where Are We Now?
For over a decade, The Education Trust–West’s #Data4ThePeople campaign has been a statewide effort to ensure California builds a data system that is centered on achieving equity and the needs of students, parents, and families.
In 2019, California cleared the path for a statewide longitudinal data system. Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislators allocated millions of dollars to start the development of California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System.
In 2022, the Data for the People Coalition was officially reconvened by Young Invincibles and Ed Trust-West.
Starting in 2023, the Office of Cradle-to-Career will begin to launch a series of dashboards for community members, administrators, and policymakers. Researchers and advocates will be able to create their own data tables based on a series of available data points and submit requests to access data.
However, the work isn’t done! Stay involved and help ensure funding remains in the state budget for the data system to be designed and implemented so that communities and educators are empowered with actionable information to highlight inequities and demand educational justice for our schools and colleges.
Ed Trust—West Believes a Strong Cradle-To-Career Data System Must:
Use Data to Inform Systemic, Asset & Equity-Oriented Change
A chief goal of creating the data system must be to do no harm to communities of color and identify and remedy racial equity gaps through systems change.
Produce Accessible, Public-Facing Results and Tools
Prioritize the creation of public-facing tools and resources on the same timeline as the launch of the SLDS.
Protect Student Privacy
Privacy experts must consult with and address concerns of all students, but especially those of undocumented students and families. Steps must be taken to ensure data will not be used for law enforcement purposes.
Count All Students and Disaggregate Data
Students in all types of schools and colleges must be included; data must be disaggregated, including Asian American and Pacific Islander populations across the state.
Engage Students and Families
Students and families must be meaningfully at the table and updated throughout this process as the workgroup and advisory groups convene.
What You Can Do
Ed Trust–West resources are designed to support education equity advocates to take action. The student leaders, parent advocates, equity-minded teachers, faculty members, administrators, and community leaders who fight for students and families every day have a key role in ensuring #Data4ThePeople.
Here’s how you can get involved:Learn About P20W Data Systems
Learn how data can be a powerful tool to inform opportunities for individuals through their education journey and into the workforce. We strongly believe that data can be a powerful tool in education as we strive to address the institutional issues impacting students of color and those facing poverty. Learn moreStay Informed and Attend Public Meetings
As the state longitudinal data system is developed, we encourage advocates to stay connected with the Office of Cradle-to-Career and the Governing Board and share their thoughts on the data system. More information about the development process, workgroup and advisory group members, and upcoming committee meetings can be found here.
Learn moreJoin the Data for the People (D4TP) Coalition
Sign up to join the D4TP Coalition and learn more about how you and your organization can get involved in the Cradle-to-Career Data System’s ongoing implementation. Together, we can ensure the state’s longitudinal data system is inclusive, transparent, and truly embodying of #Data4ThePeople.
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More Information
To learn more about Data for the People, please contact Roy Tongilava ([email protected]), on the Policy team.
