BEST PRACTICES FOR A
COLLABORATIVE
APPROACH TO DATA
Sprockets Network Conference
March 8, 2013
The role of data
You are here
Ensure
Access
Maintain an
Effective
Governance
Structure
Integrated Data
System
Supports all A/S
system functions
Engage in
Strategic
Communication
Raise and
Manage
Resources
Provide
Support to
Improve
Program
Quality
Improved
Outcomes
For
Youth
The youth sector
School
Family
Religious
Institutions
After School
Program
Youth
Summer
Programs
Health
Services
Social
Services
Neighborhood
Integrated data systems
A set of shared capacities and technologies that
enables the collection, analysis, and utilization of
information about youth and programs
Capacity
Technology
Data System
What Integrated Data Can Add
Person
After
School
Program
Daniel
X
Maria
X
Jasmine
X
Ben
X
Victor
How many students attended
a particular after school
program?
• 80% of students
participated in the after
school program
What Integrated Data Can Add
Person
After
School
Program
Youth
Leadership
Program
Daniel
X
Maria
X
X
Jasmine
X
X
Ben
X
Victor
Parent
Education
Class
English
Learner
MCA
Scores
X
Yes
Proficient
X
No
Advanced
No
Proficient
Yes
Below Basic
Yes
Far Below
Basic
• 80% of students
participated in the after
school program
• 50% of students in the
after school program
also had parents in
classes
• English learners were
least likely to be in
leadership programs
• Students in more than
one program were more
likely to score proficient
or above
Components of a data system



Guiding principles
 Framing questions, data use agreements,
stakeholder buy-in
Technology
 MIS, data aggregation
Data analysis and use
 Data collection, data analysis, data dialogue,
strategic communications, action
The Youth Data Archive
• Looks at youth data across agencies and settings
• Links individual-level data from partners to answer
shared questions about youth served in common
• Is driven by the questions of community members to
inform policy and programmatic changes
YDA’s guiding principles
 JGC is neutral third party
 Community partners own their data
 User-focused approach to developing questions,
interpreting & presenting findings
 Long-term commitment to community partners—a
design/build/revise approach
 Focus on actionable knowledge, proactive responses
and community capacity building
YDA data




School districts – school attendance, achievement
scores, discipline
Program providers – OST program attendance
Public agencies – child welfare, probation,
Youth survey data – school climate, health
All data have to be individually identified to be
linked across agencies
The YDA process
PLANNING
ANALYSIS / EARLY
REPORTING
ACTION /
DISSEMINATION
Conduct
Analysis
Disseminate
findings to
the broader
field
JGC STAFF
Produce
Preliminary
Fact Sheet
Transfer
Data
Identify
Research
Topic
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Create
Research
Questions
Share /
Review
Internally
Discuss
Findings &
Refine
Use analysis
to improve
services &
develop
policy
Case study: Community schools


Five schools in Redwood City, CA, that provide
wrap-around service to students and families
Questions:


What are the participation patterns in services and
combinations of services at the community schools?
What are the relationships between service participation
and student outcomes?
Data and analysis

Linked data on 250 programs and services for
youth and families to school data
Extended Learning
Family
Engagement
• After school programs • Parent leadership
• Summer/Intercession
• Parent education
programs
classes
• Youth leadership
• Parent volunteer
opportunities
• Home-school
communications
• Family social events
Support Services
• Counseling
• Family social support
Communicating the data
Annual cycle of:
 Discussion of initial analysis
 Presentations to school board and funder
 “Data talks” with the site coordinators
Analysis findings and action

Increasing participation over time, with the majority
of students accessing multiple types of services


Actions: Parent leadership and goal setting, program
targeting, improving MIS
Family engagement linked to ELD scores, especially
combined with extended learning

Actions: Policy to support more community schools,
professional development on family engagement,
more research
Challenges to shared data
 Technical– incomplete, inaccurate, missing data;
insufficient capacity
 Organizational—leaders’ buy in & advocacy;
churn; regulatory hurdles
 Political—trusting university-based researchers,
trusting each other
Discussion questions




What are the opportunities you see for using
shared data in your organization? In the Sprocket
network? Beyond?
Who are the stakeholders in your data system?
How can we engage them?
What are some possible guiding principles for
working together on shared data?
What challenges do you anticipate as we continue
building a shared data system in Saint Paul? How
can those challenges be addressed?