Data Advisory Council Continues Work to Improve NC’s Early Childhood Data

The North Carolina Early Childhood Data Advisory Council is a collaborative effort between the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services and includes members from DHHS divisions, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Department of Information Technology and data researchers and practitioners from outside state government. The Council is tasked with providing strategic direction and using its influence and decision-making authority to improve the quality and scope of early childhood data collection, and to support widespread analysis and use of early childhood data by policymakers and other decision-makers.

The Council met on September 19th to create an early childhood data development strategy for North Carolina, including prioritizing measurement gaps to address and making data systems recommendations.

Work is already underway to improve data collection on two complex measures, through data workgroups being staffed and facilitated by the NC Early Childhood Foundation:

  • A Child Development at Kindergarten Entry Data Workgroup finished its work at the end of August and will be releasing recommendations on how North Carolina can best measure child development at kindergarten entry at the population level within the next couple months. The workgroup is funded through the Preschool Development Grant.
  • A Children’s Social-Emotional Health Data Workgroup kicked off its work last week to develop recommendations on how North Carolina can best measure young children’s (birth through age eight) social-emotional health on the population level. The workgroup will run through the beginning of 2020. The workgroup is funded by The Duke Endowment, with research support from the Alliance for Early Success and Duke University.

Both workgroups will report their recommendations to the Early Childhood Data Advisory Council.

For questions about the Council, please contact Mandy Ableidinger at mableidinger@buildthefoundation.org