Academy Overview: Strengthening State Data Systems to Improve Outcomes for Low-Income Adults Laura Dresser, COWS Jennifer Phillips, JLP Consulting June 30, 2010 WPFP Conference, Joyce Foundation, Chicago

But we already use data! One out of four working families with children—a total of 42 million people—are low-income Adults in low-income working families worked the equivalent of nearly one and a quarter full-time workers per family Source: Working Poor Families Project

Economic success hinges on educated adult workforce Nearly half of all job openings will require more than a high school education Nearly 90 million adult workers are not prepared for these positions (no HS diploma or college or low English language skills) Almost half of our workforce in 2030 will be comprised of today’s working adults Sources: BLS, NCAL, NSC

What today is about Better understanding state data systems and how to strengthen and link them (which systems?  adult education, postsecondary, ‘workforce’) Improving analysis and use of state data systems to answer the questions that motivate our work

Begin with the end in mind Types of data and purposes Data that is collected to point out a problem or to analyze the situation Data that is collected to evaluate past performance and guide future program, policy or budget decisions State data systems must begin with the end in mind and zero in on PURPOSE

Workforce-related State Data Systems: What systems are we talking about? Workforce development Postsecondary education programs Adult basic education K-12 (in some places) AND UI wage data (to track employment and earnings outcomes)

Why should we integrate data from multiple systems? Do we really know how these systems are performing? Questions that we can’t answer: ◦ To what extent do high school dropouts who earn a GED go on to obtain a postsecondary credential? ◦ What are the educational and labor market outcomes for unemployed workers who use federal and state resources to obtain training at community colleges? ◦ What value do noncredit community college certificates have in the workplace?

What can a statewide data system do? Follow the educational progress and labor market outcomes of all adult students and workers Track and measure the educational and skills development progress, completions, and outcomes Track and measure the labor market outcomes Source: Recommendations for Incorporating Postsecondary and Workforce Data into Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems

Washington’s Tipping Point Example Applying data not as a supporting tool but as a strategic weapon Collecting and analyzing data to change policy, make investment decisions, evaluate performance, and improve customer service Snowball effect from data findings – a powerful motivator for change

Why isn’t this more commonplace? Leadership and management Privacy laws and data sharing agreements Missing data on low-skilled, low- income populations Linkages to wage record data Creating a culture of using data for continuous improvement

Imperative for Change President Obama’s 2020 goal for 5 million more degree and certificate holders Administration’s strong interest in using data to determine performance outcomes USDOL funding to support these systems Other privately funded multi-state initiatives Growing interest in creating “a culture of evidence”

How to get involved: What role can policy advocates play? Know the state of play in your state Help state leaders define the data sets needed Find innovative ways to tackle privacy and data sharing issues drawing upon other state’s success Find ways to become a valued partner in the process or spearhead a coalition to help initiate and guide state leaders

How to get involved (Con’t.) Find ways to foster and cultivate state leadership that supports data collection Highlight the big research questions that can’t be answered to policy makers and demonstrate how data collection can provide answers Identify performance goals and create a storyline and compelling message about what will happen if XX people succeed

Using Data to Make Policy Change: WHY? General statistics on their own don’t often make change (e.g. 42 million low- income) To know how these systems are performing Not enough resources or time to guess at how we are doing or what to do

The Mighty Statistic If you want to change people’s minds with data, the data will need drama and depth by being put into a real-life context. That’s the fundamental strategy needed to make numbers stick: To drag them within the grasp of our intuition. Source: Switch: Making Change When Change is Hard, Dan and Chip Heath, mighty-statistic?partner=rsshttp:// mighty-statistic?partner=rss

A State Data System is Only as Strong as the Questions it Seeks to Answer What are the employment and earnings outcomes for various education and training paths? Where are low-income adults falling out of the educational pipeline? Which workforce programs are most effectively channeling adults towards further education and higher earnings?

Answers to Questions Should Inform State Policy Change Should more ABE funds be re-directed towards transitions to postsecondary? Are enough WIA funds going towards training, and is this training effective? How are community colleges working for working adults? What changes could help improve success for this group?

Data Analysis is Only Effective if It’s Accessible Focus must be on how to tell an accessible story with the data that moves policy Keep it simple, focused, and precise, but also keep it flexible (and don’t spend too much time on it)

Today’s Data Day Infrastructure Analysis and engagement Roles for advocates

We Hope You’ll Come Away With… A better understanding of state data systems and how they can be strengthened to improve outcomes for low-income adults Action steps to help ensure that the development and use of state data systems be geared towards state policy and systems change

Laura Dresser Center on Wisconsin Strategy Jennifer Phillips JLP Consulting