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Enhancing Early Childhood Education with Data

Sep 13, 2024

MapChats Webinar: Advancing Early Childhood Education Through Data and Mapping

Introduction

  • Speaker: Kristen Crandall, Senior Data Analyst at PolicyMap
  • Purpose: Discuss the use of data and mapping in early childhood education.
  • Host: PolicyMap, a national online mapping service.
  • MapChats: Free webinar series featuring experts on topics like housing policy, healthy food access, etc.
  • Goal: Show the role of maps in policymaking and practice.
  • Today's Focus: Early childhood education using data and mapping.

Importance of Early Childhood Education

  • Benefits: Increased graduation rates, higher employment, lower crime rates, reduced public health care and welfare costs.
  • Initiatives: Race to the Top, quality rating, and improvement systems influence strategic decisions in education planning.

Presenters

  1. Carlyse King - Executive Director at Child Trends
    • Role: Leads a national survey of state early care and education data systems.
    • Experience: 12 years in research on early childhood issues.
    • Focus: Use of data to support programs and improve state data systems.
  2. Michelle Canovino - Operations and Outreach Specialist for Pre4CLE
    • Role: Ensures access to high-quality preschool in Cleveland.
    • Past: Liaison at Cleveland State University, former middle school teacher.
  3. Elliot Weinbaum - Program Director at William Penn Foundation
    • Role: Focuses on educational opportunities from childhood through high school in Philadelphia.
    • Past: Associate commissioner at the US Department of Education.

Presentation by Carlyse King

  • Organization: Child Trends, improves lives with research and policy analysis.
  • Focus: Early childhood investments, identifying risk factors using geographic data.
  • Example: Risk and reach reports in D.C. using family risk factors like poverty, infant mortality.
  • Tools: Mapping tools to overlay risk and reach data.
  • Parent Needs: Understanding what childcare options parents need beyond availability.
  • Coordination: States are improving data coordination to inform decision-making.
  • Challenges: Fragmented data, need for coordinated systems.

Presentation by Michelle Canovino

  • Program: Pre4CLE, ensuring access to high-quality preschool in Cleveland.
  • Goals: Ensure all children have access to high-quality preschool, reduce unfilled high-quality slots.
  • Data System: CHILD system, longitudinal data on children, used to analyze various factors.
  • Assessment: Bracken School Readiness Assessment for kindergarten readiness.
  • Mapping: Understanding preschool distribution and transportation barriers.

Presentation by Elliot Weinbaum

  • Organization: William Penn Foundation, focuses on improving education in Philadelphia.
  • Project: Comprehensive analysis of childcare supply and demand.
  • Challenges: Lack of comprehensive data on childcare options, capacity, and accessibility.
  • Goals: Use data for planning, resource allocation, and advocacy.
  • Tool: Childcaremap.org for accessible data on childcare locations and quality.
  • Findings: Discrepancy in high-quality seat availability vs. demand.

Q&A Highlights

  • Quality Assessment: Reliance on state quality rating systems.
  • Data Sharing: Maps tailored to legislative districts aid in policy discussions.
  • Community Engagement: Importance of involving stakeholders in data and mapping projects.
  • Child Trends: Works in collaboration with states, focuses on questions and data availability.

Conclusion

  • Recording and Resources: Webinar video and slides will be available.
  • Future MapChats: Next session on using PolicyMap in academia.
  • PolicyMap Services: Mapping tools for demographics, education, and more.

Note: Engage with the webinar recording and additional resources for deeper insights and practical applications of data in early childhood education planning.

Full transcript