The Cradle-to-Career Data System is a statewide longitudinal data system that aims to link existing education, workforce, financial aid, and social service information to equip policymakers, educators, and the public to address disparities and improve outcomes throughout the state.
The 2021-2022 California budget has invested funding to build the data system, but our work is not done. Stay engaged throughout implementation.
Upcoming Meetings/Events
To view any upcoming or past meetings and events, please click here.
Latest News
Cradle-to-Career Data System: Report to the Legislature – C2C 9/2022
“In 2021, legislation authorized the creation of the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data (C2C) within the Government Operations Agency (GovOps). The legislation also authorized the creation of a 21-member Governing Board and two advisory boards and detailed specific implementation goals for the data system.”
Investing in California’s Data Future: How California’s P-20W Cradle-to-Career Data System Could Take the State from Last to First. – DQC, 6/28/2022
“Five years ago, California’s education data lagged far behind the systems in most other states. However, state leaders and education advocates undertook a purposeful engagement and design process to build a data system that represents the state’s values and meets different stakeholders’ needs. Our case study on California’s P–20W Cradle-to-Career Data System is a deep dive into what made the state’s process so successful, and provides insights for other state leaders looking to build or improve their own state data system.”
What information would help you plan your education path? California wants to know. – EdSource, 6/6/2022
The data itself has not been compiled — in fact, the technology platform that will securely house the data will not be chosen until late summer. That’s why the public discussions are beginning this month, according to the project’s executive director Mary Ann Bates, with the plan to host them on a regular basis over Zoom video in order to make them as accessible as possible for anyone to join.
The team behind California’s plan to connect the state’s fragmented education data, an effort known as Cradle-to-Career, will begin hosting public discussions on June 8 to hear what users may want from the system’s new data dashboards and tools.
“The Cutting EDGE” featuring CA Office of Cradle-to-Career Data Executive Director Mary Ann Bates – 5/19/2022
Zima Creason sits down with CA Office of Cradle-to-Career Data Executive Director, Mary Ann Bates, to discuss the purpose of the C2C, milestones, and how advocates can stay involved.
The Cutting EDGE is an interview series where EDGE Executive Director Zima Creason interviews coalition members, partners, policymakers, and other special guests to talk about priority issues related to workforce development, education, and training.
The Office of Cradle-to-Career Data has signed landmark legal agreements with 15 education, social service, and workforce entities that allow for the creation of data sets on student progress from pre-K through college and employment, one of several important early milestones that were announced at the May 11 Governing Board meeting. These milestones make progress toward creating a transformative statewide data system that will link together existing data on education, workforce, financial aid, and social services to create tools for use by students, families, policy makers, researchers and the public. (5/12/22)
With these legal agreements in place, it will now be possible to compile information using strict security standards, while still making data available through easy-to-use tools designed for a variety of users. The tools will roll out in phases over the next five years.
Sign up for Official C2C Updates Here
More Information and Reports
California EDGE Coalition and CA Competes – Education-to-Employment Webinar
Webinar featuring Zima Creason, Su Jin Jez, Kathy Booth, David Rattray, Bianca Bloomquist, and John Brauer.
California EDGE Coalition – Cutting EDGE Episode with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin
Zima interviews CA Assemblymember and author of AB 99, California’s Cradle-to-Career data system, Jacqui Irwin.
Children Now – California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System
This brief largely focuses on the multitude of education stakeholders and their key responsibilities which data could support. It also provides an overview of the state’s approach to the design of the CCDS, as well as principles that should guide that work in the months to come.
TICAS webinar, California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System: The Power of Data to Inform Policy, focused on California’s current efforts to create the Cradle-to-Career Data System and how other states have utilized their data systems to inform relevant policy efforts.
WestEd – Workforce Effects of Graduating from High School and Postsecondary Education
This brief supports the ongoing efforts of the Research Agenda Subcommittee by describing how other states and researchers have utilized linked data systems to examine the sixth of the six priority areas outlined in the Act: the workforce effect of graduation from high school, community college, and four-year postsecondary education institutions.
Data Quality Campaign – Why Education Data?
All students deserve a great education, one that affords every opportunity for them to grow into knowledgeable and successful adults. But every student has a unique background, unique strengths, and a unique path to college and a career. Everyone who has a stake in education—especially families and educators—needs the right data in the right format at the right time to serve our students along their unique journeys.
CalMatters -Data System will help chart a pathway to educational success
Continued funding for a Cradle-to-Career Data System would empower communities and educators to demand better from schools.
Ed Source – Belated but ambitious, California’s ‘cradle-to-career’ data hub taking shape
It might seem like an odd time to be devoting a lot of energy to create a longitudinal education database for California when the greatest challenge has been just to get students back to class while keeping them and their families Covid-free.
Yet despite the distractions of the past two years, California is ratcheting up work to create a “cradle to career” data system that has been a dream of researchers and advocates for years.
California Competes – Out of the Dark: Bringing California’s Education Data into the 21st Century
Higher education continues to be the linchpin for economic prosperity in California, serving as both an antidote and vaccine to income inequality. To significantly increase the number of Californians with a postsecondary credential or degree, our state needs a stronger grasp on not only students’ experiences in the higher education system, but also their experiences with the systems that precede and follow. To improve higher education outcomes, California needs a clearer understanding of students’ pathways from K-12 to postsecondary education, to the workforce—an understanding that is based on data.
PPIC – For California’s Educational Data System, Public Support Will Be Key
California has committed to building a statewide data system that connects existing educational, social service, and workforce data sources. The 2021-22 budget includes funding for the creation of the system. The first stop holds much promise, but sustained public and financial support will be key to success of the system.
Connect with EDGE
Ensure the Cradle-to-Career Data System works for communities you serve!