At Start Early, we point to Research, Program & Policy Partnership (RPP) as our guiding framework for data usage among our early childhood programs and services. RPPs consist of collaborations among different teams working toward improvement that is informed by research to understand what works and what does not work, and to allocate resources effectively for the most effective and sustainable progress.
To ensure continuous quality improvement, we recently sought to gain a better understanding of data literacy among Start Early’s Early/Head Start (E/HS) staff and how they currently use data for improving practice. We also recognized this as an opportunity to reaffirm the important role of RPPs in implementing effective changes through data.
Data Literacy: the ability to meaningfully explore, understand, use and communicate with data
The Early/Head Start Network and Research & Evaluation teams collaborated to conduct and analyze the annual Staff Data Utilization Survey from May 2023. This survey measured understanding of and experiences with data from various E/HS staff members across multiple Start Early programs.
Key Findings
95% of the 235 respondents reported that data is an important piece to serving children and families (Figure 1), affirming how important it is that all staff have the training and resources they need to understand and use data.
Figure 1
Our findings also highlighted that many staff, particularly content area specialists and coordinators, family support specialists and home visitors, reported overall high enjoyment, confidence and understanding of data use and management.
Other staff, specifically assistant and lead teachers, expressed less enjoyment in understanding and using data and noted the need for more personalized training in data use and management.
A common hurdle for staff in using data was found to be a lack of time available to enter and work with data, making it essential to find creative solutions that fit into busy schedules.
The Power of Research, Program & Policy Partnerships
Our findings confirmed and emphasized that ongoing training and professional development opportunities were needed. Thus, the Early/Head Start Network partnered with Start Early’s professional development experts, which provides customized professional development trainings for early childhood professionals, to develop a one and a half day training for its E/HS staff later that year.
This training was open to all E/HS staff and focused on breaking down steps in data analysis and utilization, creating awareness and understanding of data terminology, and building confidence in using data to inform practice.
Overall, training participants shared that they learned helpful tools, gained confidence and, as a result, now have a better understanding of data utilization for their work. All participants said this training met their professional development needs and would recommend it to their colleagues.
Conclusion
This example highlights the crucial role that exploring data literacy plays in informed decision-making and enhancing outcomes for children and families. The collaboration between Start Early’s Early/Head Start Network, Research & Evaluation and professional development teams led to a successful training program and demonstrated the value of this ongoing work. We are committed to continue using the RPP framework, showcasing how collaboration can bridge research and practice in data literacy and drive meaningful improvements in programs, policies and practice for children and families.
If you’re interested in exploring how an RPP framework and other tools can drive improvements in your early childhood system, please reach out! You can get in touch with Start Early’s Research & Evaluation team via email at Research@startearly.org.
