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Managing Administrative Data

This page (updated in September 2020) includes resources related to how to store, organize, prepare, and maintain the quality of administrative data.

Chatis, C., Gosa, K., Abend, M., Cherry, T., Ereth, J., Hedani, S., Korsmi, T., Ostgaard, G., Petrosky, C., Wakefield, L., Piatt, M. L., and Yedlin, D. (2020). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics at IES.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

Successful education data systems depend on developing a comprehensive set of requirements covering how the system will be constructed, managed, and used. This brief provides guidance for data governance and IT teams on communicating effectively about the requirements for education data systems and tools, including relevant content, standards, protections, and use.

Maxwell, K., Lin, V-K., Shaw, S., Joshi, P., & Lazarte Alcala, N. (2018). Bethesda, MD: Child Trends.
Resource Type:
Presentations
State Example?:
Yes

These slides share advice and lessons learned fron early care and education research from both inside and outside state agencies who have developed data sharing agreements.

Data Quality Campaign. (2018). Washington, DC: Data Quality Campaign.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
Yes

The three data governance bodies featured in this paper reflect the unique context of each state and have broken down the silos that tend to exist among state agencies that use data to support education and workforce efforts.

Coffey, M., Chatis, C., Sellers, J., & Taylor, R. (2014). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
Yes

The SLDS Early Childhood Integrated Data System Toolkit was designed for use by any state regardless of where it is in the process of developing an ECIDS. The Toolkit has seven components: (1) Purpose and Vision, (2) Planning and Management, (3) Stakeholder Engagement, (4) Data Governance, (5) System Design, (6) Data Use, and (7) Sustainability.

Ruggiero, T., Gupta, S., Nicholas, A., & Mauzy, D. (2016). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
Yes

This report describes the partnership between the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education to build a statewide longitudinal data system with linkages across early intervention, early childhood special education, school-age special education, and general education. The brief also offers guiding questions for other state agencies to use when pursuing partnerships with institutions of higher education.

Derrington, T., Peters, M. L., Mauzy, D., & Ruggiero, R. (2015). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

This spotlight describes how Alaska Part C improved the referral of children from Child Welfare to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Program by an automated transfer of data from Child Welfare to Part C for substantiated cases of child maltreatment (i.e., child abuse and/or neglect).

Common Education Data Standards. (n.d.). Washington, DC: Common Education Data Standards.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

This paper looks at the status of state data dictionaries in order to highlight states' experiences, common challenges, and guidance for other states. The purpose of this paper is to provide a perspective on the development and implementation of state data dictionaries and to offer guidance to states. In addition, the paper considers how tools such as data dictionaries factor into larger data initiatives (e.g.,CEDS, EDFacts, and SLDS).

Gosa, K., Popp, J., & Rodriguez, B. (2016). Washington, DC: National center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

This brief provides an overview of the data collections and data uses that are often part of opt-out measures. It also examines strategies that states are developing to handle opt-out preferences in their SLDSs and ensure that data are properly managed.

Mauzy, D., Miceli, M., Arzamendia, K., & Sellers, J. (2017). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Presentations
State Example?:
Yes

This presentation covers how states have developed a data governance structure with clearly written policies and procedures that support education data can help states.

Whitebook, M., McLean, C., & Austin, L. J. E. (2018). Berkeley: University of California, Berkeley, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

The resource describes the workforce data deficit and its consequences and outlines the features of comprehensive and sound data. The resource highlights several promising practices in the states to combat these challenges.

(2020). Washington, DC: Data Quality Campaign.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

States can benefit from data to better understand the landscape of local early childhood services—and about resources needed to help families access those services. This brief, written in June 2019 during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, explores steps state leaders can take to develop infrastructure, engage with communities, and leverage federal funds to support students in early childhood and beyond.

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant Program. (2019). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

Data governance includes establishing representative governing bodies that are responsible for developing and implementing data policies and processes. This publication describes the roles and responsibilities involved in an interagency data governance program, including critical ongoing collaboration with IT representatives. (author abstract)

(2015). Washington, DC: Data Quality Campaign.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This roadmap provides recommendations for states who are looking to develop and implement a high-quality cross-agency data governance committee.

(2019). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

Data governance includes establishing representative governing bodies that are responsible for developing and implementing data policies and processes. This publication describes the roles and responsibilities involved in a single-agency data governance program, including critical ongoing collaboration with IT representatives. (author abstract)

King, C., & Perkins, V (2019). Bethesda, MD: Child Trends.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
Yes

This brief highlights steps for policymakers to support the establishment of strong early childhood governance structures to increase access to early childhood data.

Common Education Data Standards. (n.d.). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This paper focuses on how Common Education Data Standards (CEDS) can be used in the effort to clearly define protocols for effective data governance within an organization.

Lin, V., King, C., Maxwell, K., & Shaw, S (2018). Bethesda, MD: Child Trends. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
Yes

The report provides examples of how partnerships have used administrative data to address questions about pre-K, child care quality, access, and child care subsidies, and other topics of interest to states. In this report, members of research partnerships describe the benefits and challenges of partnerships and offer tips for sustaining them.

Miceli, M., Bernstein, & Walsh, S. (2018). Menlo Park, CA: The DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Presentations
State Example?:
No

This presentation includes information on the importance of formal data governance policies and procedures to state agencies. It also includes the current federal data governance management activities and how to use the DaSy Data Governance and Management Toolkit. (author abstract)

King, C., & Maxwell, K. (2017). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This is a resource for researchers using administrative data collected by government and/or private organizations to answer research questions related to early childhood services, supports, or initiatives. Our goal is to increase researchers' awareness of existing resources that can help them define variables to support secondary analysis of early childhood administrative data.

Gould, T., Nicholas, A., Blandford, W., Ruggiero, T., Peters, M., & Thayer, S. K. (2014). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This overview of the basic components of a data dictionary is designed to educate and inform IDEA Part C and Part B 619 state staff about the purpose and benefits of having up-to-date data dictionaries for their data systems.

Cochenour, M., Chatis, C., & Irvine, S. (n.d.). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

Recognizing that social and academic success is shaped long before students enter the elementary school classroom, states are working to increase access to high-quality early childhood programs. Supporting that work, Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems (ECIDS) allow agencies and programs to efficiently collect and use robust information about state and local early childhood programs, workforce, and child outcomes. As states work to integrate information across these programs--including state preschool programs, Head Start and Early Head Start, Early Intervention, Preschool Special Education, and private programs--data governance is critical to success. Data governance provides a means to establish a common vision for early childhood data use in the state, with key policy and program decisions supporting that vision. Further, when data governance is effectively established, the quality and security of data collected, reported, and used by early childhood programs and agencies is enhanced; staff burden is reduced; and communication, collaboration, and relationships across the various agencies, programs, and information technology (IT) staff is improved. This introduction defines data governance for an ECIDS, identifies who should be involved in it, and describes their roles and responsibilities. It is intended to support states in beginning the process of developing their early childhood data governance. (author abstract)

Mauzy, D., Bull, B., & Gould, T. (2016). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This brief promotes formal data governance for Part C data by describing lessons learned from other industries; outlining the risks of informal data governance and benefits of formal data governance; and providing action steps to support state Part C systems in establishing or improving formal data governance.

Chatis, C., Cochenour, M., & Irvine, S. (n.d.). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

Data governance provides a means to establish a common vision for early childhood data use in the state, with key policy and program decisions supporting that vision. Further, when data governance is effectively established, the quality and security of data collected, reported, and used by early childhood programs and agencies is enhanced; staff burden is reduced; and communication, collaboration, and relationships across the various agencies and programs and information technology (IT) staff are improved. This document describes the initial, concrete steps necessary to establish data governance for an early childhood integrated data system (ECIDS). It is intended to support states beginning the process of developing their early childhood data governance program.

Weber, R. & Iruka, I. (2014). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

As a centerpiece of state early care and education (ECE) activities, Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) serve as an example of the how an effective ECE data system can support planning, operations, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation. Intentional and rigorous data management practices are essential for data gathered exclusively for the QRIS (such as program observation scores), as well as for external data accessed by the QRIS (such as workforce registry data). Implementing strong ECE data governance and management practices will ensure the quality of QRIS data and thus the integrity of the QRIS itself. Incomplete, inaccurate, or unreliable data can introduce errors in the ratings that can threaten the credibility of the QRIS and have negative consequences for ECE and school-age care (ECE-SAC) programs through skewed reimbursement rates and inaccurate marketing tied to incorrect ratings. The purpose of this brief is to illustrate the need for and benefits of building strong ECE data governance structures and implementing system-wide data management policies and practices, using the example of QRIS. (author abstract)

Cochenour, M., Chatis, C., Sellers, J., & Taylor, R. (2014). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Guides
State Example?:
No

The SLDS Early Childhood Integrated Data System Toolkit was designed for use by any state regardless of where it is in the process of developing an ECIDS. The Toolkit has seven components: (1) Purpose and Vision, (2) Planning and Management, (3) Stakeholder Engagement, (4) Data Governance, (5) System Design, (6) Data Use, and (7) Sustainability. Each component has a set of key indicators that describe the "what" is ideal for the specific component and each indicator has elements that discuss "how" to accomplish the "what" outlined in the indicator.

Friese, S., Tout, K. & Kirby, G. (2014). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

Collecting and using data are core activities in a well-functioning Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Yet, data used in a QRIS are frequently housed in different systems, using different data management techniques. Ensuring a high level of QRIS data quality involves implementing a number of best practices drawn from established practices used in other fields. The purpose of this brief is to describe the specific strategies QRIS data stakeholders can use to improve upon the collection, management, and dissemination of QRIS data. The audience for this brief includes QRIS program administrators, technical assistance providers, data managers, and researchers. This brief is structured around the five stages of the Data Lifecycle: planning, collection, processing, management and distribution. Best practices are recommended for each stage of the Lifecycle. (author abstract)

Lin, V. K., Epstein, D., & Maxwell, K. L. (2016). Bethesda, MD: Child Trends.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This report details steps for identifying and negotiating a partnership with an external research partner to help local early care and education programs use linked data.

Epstein, D., Maxwell, K. L., & Lin, V. K. (2016). Bethesda, MD: Child Trends.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This report provides practical steps for how to establish a data-sharing partnership between two programs or organizations.

Data Quality Campaign. (2011). Washington, DC: Data Quality Campaign.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This framework presents guiding principles for states on how to support districts' data efforts to ensure that data are not only collected but also used to improve student achievement.

United States. Office of Child Care. (n.d.). Washington, DC: U.S. Office of Child Care.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

The Child Care Data Tracker (Tracker), available to tribes and territories, is a comprehensive case management tool designed to support the collection, management, and utilization of the case-level information needed for the generation of the required ACF-700 and ACF-801 reports.

Derrington, T., Spiker, D., Hebbeler, K., & Diefendorf, M. J. (2013). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems, the DaSy Center, was funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to provide technical assistance (TA) to states to support them in developing or enhancing Part C and Part B Section 619 (Part B 619) data systems. TA also will assist Part C and Part B 619 state agencies in participating in the development of integrated early childhood data systems and longitudinal data systems in their states. To inform the DaSy Center's work, the Center collected information about the current status of Part C and Part B 619 state data systems, priorities for improvement, and areas where the states would like TA. State Part C and Part B 619 coordinators, their respective data managers, and other state staff completed an online survey over the summer of 2013. Responses were obtained from 94% of the 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico for Part C and from 96% for Part B 619. This report summarizes what was learned about the current status of Part C and Part B 619 data systems and where states are in moving to improve their data systems. (author abstract)

Chatis, C. & Gosa, K. (2017). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This issue brief discusses common benefits that programs and organizations can gain from participating in data governance and how SLDS teams can define the value based on those benefits. It also covers how to craft messages that communicate the value and keep those messages relevant and central to the state's work.

Maxwell, K. (2017). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

This report details issues in accessing and using administrative data for social policy research, including access, relationship-building, confidentiality, and capacity-building.

National Registry Alliance. (2013). Washington, DC: National Registry Alliance
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

The 2013 Core Data Elements for Early Childhood and School-Age Registries builds on and synthesizes the prior work and captures current trends in registry data collection processes and advancements in data systems planning.

Privacy Technical Assistance Center, & DaSy Center. (2015). Washington, DC: Privacy Technical Assistance Center.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

The purpose of the checklist is to provide steps to understand data flows, sources, and elements in a data system helps to determine which laws apply to which types of elements. Mapping also helps to understand the data and communicate about data-related issues more effectively, both internally and externally.

National Center for Program Management and Fiscal Operations. (n.d.). Waltham, MA: National Center for Program Management and Fiscal Operations.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

This is an inventory that leaders can use to determine their teams' proficiency levels with each of the four data activities: prepare, collect, aggregate and analyze, and use and share.

Data Quality Campaign. (n.d.). Washington, DC: Data Quality Campaign.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

This roadmap provides recommendations for states who are looking to develop and implement a high-quality cross-agency data governance committee.

DaSy Center. (2018). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

The DaSy Data Culture Toolkit is a resource containing information, guidance, and templates to assist Part C and Part B 619 program staff with building effective data teams and supporting conditions for a culture of data use at the state and local levels. The section on assessing and improving data quality may be particularly useful.

Rodriguez, B., Gibson, N., & Swiggum, R. (2012). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Webinars
State Example?:
No

This webinar summary is based on a webinar that addressed innovative use of local early childhood data. Dr. Cindy Decker, Director of Assessment and Accountability for the Tulsa Community Action Project (CAP), presented CAP's efforts to gather classroom quality data, child outcomes, and health and workforce data, as well as CAP's efforts to link these data to area public schools' data systems. Dr. Jason Sachs, Early Childhood Director for Boston Public Schools (BPS), presented Boston's efforts to track school readiness assessment data, classroom quality data, workforce data, and child outcomes from pre-K to the K12 system, as well as how the district has used these data to influence policy and program development.

DaSy Center. (n.d.). Menlo Park, CA: DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

The DaSy Data Governance and Management Toolkit is a resource containing information, guidance, and templates to assist Part C and Part B 619 program staff with creating or enhancing their data governance policies and procedures. For each data governance topic, an overview, consideration questions, and a fillable Microsoft Word template are provided.

National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics. (2015). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

The Toolkit briefly introduces each important principle of data stewardship for communities using health data. It provides both broad background information and tips for data users. Descriptions of stewardship principles are provided, along with checklists for each principle.

Privacy Technical Assistance Center. (2011). Washington, DC: Privacy Technical Assistance Center.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This brief provides guidance on how to successfully manage complex data systems by establishing a comprehensive data governance approach. Data governance principles discussed in this paper apply to a large number of audiences and can be used to improve data management of systems spanning pre-school through postsecondary education and into the workforce.

Cochenour, M., Duarte, S., Irvine, S., & Sellers, J. (2014). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

The purpose of this brief is to support early childhood integrated data systems leaders in understanding unique identification numbers (UID); communicating the benefit of assigning UIDs in early childhood; understanding possible approaches to assigning UIDs; and identifying key considerations in carrying out the work.

The DaSy Center. (2018). Menlo Park, CA: The DaSy Center.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

The DaSy Data Governance and Management Toolkit is a resource containing information, guidance, and templates to assist Part C and Part B 619 program staff with creating or enhancing their data governance policies and procedures. For each data governance topic, an overview, consideration questions, and a fillable Microsoft Word template are provided. The Toolkit Introduction (first tile) provides general information on how to use the toolkit. (author abstract)

Privacy Technical Assistance Center. (2011). Washington, DC: Privacy Technical Assistance Center.
Resource Type:
Checklists
State Example?:
No

This checklist is designed to assist stakeholder organizations with establishing and maintaining a successful data governance program by summarizing the key data privacy and security components of such a program and listing specific best practice action items.

U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation. (2016). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This brief summarizes an Innovative Methods Meeting that was organized by OPRE in the fall of 2015 that considered the potential benefits and pitfalls of using administrative data for research purposes. Topics included: Promises and challenges; Balancing access to data with maintaining confidentiality; Innovative applications; Working with administrative data; Federal efforts and future directions.

Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2019). Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

This tool kit aims to help two-generation initiatives—programs that serve children and families together—harness data in their decision making, funding strategy, and service delivery. Supplemental resources include a guiding framework, a brief that identifies elements of data capacity, and an infographic that charts progress through the tool kit. Considered together, these resources guide programs and organizations in refining practices for managing and using data; creating a data governance protocol; and using data to design programs, meet performance outcomes, and collaborate across departments. (author abstract)

National Center for Education Statistics. (2010). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Fact Sheets & Briefs
State Example?:
No

This Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) Technical Brief focuses on data stewardship, which involves each organization's commitment to ensuring that privacy, confidentiality, security, and the appropriate use of data are respected when personally identifiable information is collected. Data stewardship involves all aspects of data collection, from planning, collection and maintenance to use and dissemination. The Brief also discusses internal control procedures that should be implemented to protect personally identifiable information, including the use of unique student identifiers and linking codes, workforce security, authorization for access, role based access to student record data, permitted uses, and the handling of data breaches. This Brief concludes with a discussion of accountability and auditing, including an overview of the types of audit activities that can be implemented to ensure that all stages of data stewardship have been successfully implemented.

Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant Program. (2019). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
Resource Type:
Tools
State Example?:
No

This guide describes the differences between data policies and processes, their role in data governance, and common content areas for policies and processes. It also outlines steps for developing strong data policies and for implementing them effectively. (author abstract)

Maxwell, K. & Lin, V. (2017). Washington, DC: U.S. Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
State Example?:
No

The resource provides considerations for building strong partnerships between researchers who want to analyze administrative data and state partners who oversee the administrative data.

The resources on this page were compiled by the Child Care Administrative Data Analysis Center (CCADAC), a project carried out by Child Trends and the Child Care Research and Evaluation Capacity Building Center, a project carried out by the Urban Institute. Both projects are funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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