Jessica Colorado and Sean Baser
April 2024
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE:
Exploring Multi-State and
Multi-Sector Data Projects
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
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The resources oered in this paper are funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and do not
necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Community of Practice convening and this report would not have been possible without the
expertise and insight of the convening's speakers (many of whom are SHEEO system and agency sta)
and additional support from SHEEO sta members: Gloria Auer, Rachel Burns, Sakshee Chawla, Jessica
Duren, Alicia Engels, Kelsey Heckert, Carrie Klein, Kelsey Kunkle, Dustin Weeden, and Christina Whitfield.
SHEEO would also like to thank our state team member attendees for their contributions.
Presentations from the convening are available on the SHEEO Postsecondary Data website. The
information in this report and accompanying website may be freely used with the appropriate attribution
and citation: State Higher Education Executive Ocers Association (SHEEO).
SUGGESTED CITATION:
Colorado, J. & Baser, S. (2024). Communities of Practice: Exploring multi-state and multi-sector data
projects. State Higher Education Executive Ocers Association. https://postsecondarydata.sheeo.org/
communities-of-practice/
The State Higher Education Executive Ocers Association (SHEEO) serves the executives of statewide
governing, policy, and coordinating boards of postsecondary education and their stas. Founded in 1954,
SHEEO promotes an environment that values higher education and its role in ensuring the equitable
education of all Americans, regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic factors. Together with
its members, SHEEO aims to achieve this vision by equipping state higher education executive ocers
and their stas with the tools to eectively advance the value of higher education, promoting public
policies and academic practices that enable all Americans to achieve success in the 21st century, and
serving as an advocate for state higher education leadership. For more information, visit sheeo.org.
© 2024 State Higher Education Executive Ocers Association
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................4
INFORMATION FOR REFLECTION, PLANNING, & ACTION ....................................................................5
REFLECTIONS ON THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE .....................................................................................5
CREATING CULTURES OF COLLABORATION FOR IMPROVED DATA SHARING .....................................5
SHARING DATA ACROSS STATE SECTORS: STRATEGIES, CHALLENGES, AND SUCCESSES ................6
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ..............................................................................................................................7
INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTEROPERABILITY: CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS ..........................................7
DATA SHARING VIA THE PSEO TO UNDERSTAND EDUCATIONTOWORKFORCE OUTCOMES .....8
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ..............................................................................................................................8
EVALUATING ENROLLMENT TO EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS: INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY
IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................................ .9
THE MULTISTATE DATA COLLABORATIVES: SHARING DATA, IDEAS, AND INNOVATION
ACROSS STATE BORDERS ......................................................................................................................................9
SHARING DATA ACROSS STATE BORDERS: STRATEGIES, CHALLENGES, AND SUCCESSES ...............10
USING DATA VISUALIZATIONS AND STORYTELLING TO ILLUSTRATE MULTISTATE
AND MULTISECTOR DATASHARING IMPACTS ............................................................................................. .11
STATE TEAM TIME ACTIVITIES ...................................................................................................................12
FIGURE 1: COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TEAM TIME ACTIVITIES: PLAN OF EVENTS .............................12
TEAM TIME 1: GOAL SETTING ..............................................................................................................................12
TEAM TIME 2: DEVELOPING A MULTISYSTEM/MULTISECTOR LOGIC MODEL .................................. .13
TEAM TIME 3: GALLERY WALK AND SHAREOUT ...........................................................................................13
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................14
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
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INTRODUCTION
State postsecondary education data systems are integral components in many multi-state and multi-sector
data initiatives. They often serve as a central point within the broader P20W data ecosystem, helping to foster
collaboration and enable informed decision-making across diverse sectors and state boundaries. Since
2010, the State Higher Education Executive Ocers Association (SHEEO) has conducted periodic studies
of the content, structure, and use of state postsecondary data systems through its Strong Foundations
survey. Building on the Strong Foundations work, SHEEO launched the Communities of Practice (CoP)
project in 2017 to better understand and promote the eective use of state postsecondary data systems
through convenings of state teams. These convenings oer agency sta opportunities for information
sharing, professional development, and technical assistance. Participating states have the chance to learn
from national experts; connect with intrastate and interstate peers; reflect deeply on their data systems’
capacities, uses, and barriers; and strategize actionable steps to foster change. Over the project’s life, 43
states and the District of Columbia have participated in one or more CoPs. For the first time, the SHEEO
agency representing the Northern Mariana Islands, Northern Marianas College, participated in a CoP
convening, with sta representatives from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public
School System joining as partners.
The tenth CoP convening, “Exploring Multi-State and Multi-Sector Data Projects,” was held February 7-8,
2024, in Alexandria, VA. The two-day meeting included more than 50 representatives from 14 states
1
:
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Teams included
representatives from SHEEO agency research and data, institutional eectiveness, and state longitudinal
data system oces and their partners at state K-12 and workforce agencies and two- and four-year
postsecondary institutions.
With the growing need to understand student trajectories from education to workforce, the focus of this
CoP on cross-sector and cross-state data projects was timely. SHEEO agency sta communicated a need to
learn from other states engaged in building multi-sector and multi-state data projects to inform attainment
and economic goals through improved collection and use of postsecondary data along with cross-agency
data sources. Through presentations and provided resources, CoP attendees were able to learn more
about the nuances and impacts of shared data governance and data-sharing agreements, the value of
collaboration and idea-sharing across sectors, and eective storytelling to key stakeholders via dynamic
data visualizations. Attendees also benefitted from activities where state teams identified and developed
cross-sector and cross-state data project goals, including identifying the partners, resources, and strategies
associated with those goals. Consequently, attendees left the CoP with an initial action plan for creating
change within their agencies and their states.
In this paper, SHEEO shares the presentations, resources, and team activities from the convening. This
information can be used by SHEEO agencies to reflect on their current practices, plan and develop eective
data policies, and better use of multi-sector and multi-state information to improve postsecondary and
workforce outcomes in their states.
1. SHEEO includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories and freely associated states when using the term “state.”
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INFORMATION FOR REFLECTION, PLANNING,
& ACTION
States have increasingly built data systems that connect student information across various state agencies to
develop appropriate policies that support student needs. And, for good reason. Student trajectories through
the education-to-workforce pipeline are not uniform or linear; students often attend multiple schools and
postsecondary institutions. Students also relocate across state borders for postsecondary education and
employment opportunities. Consequently, it becomes challenging to gain a comprehensive understanding
of student data when dealing with isolated data systems within and across state borders. Sharing and
exchanging data with K-12, workforce, human services agencies, and neighboring states can bridge
these gaps, providing a more holistic view of the student experience. In pursuit of this goal, SHEEO invited
leading experts to oer insights about building and leveraging data-sharing networks across sectors and
state borders. These presenters provided guidance and resources to support agency sta in navigating the
challenges and opportunities of data sharing within various cultural, technological, and political contexts.
Through CoP sessions and team activities, state participants focused on how these initiatives could support
the development of goals and projects that reflect the power of shared data to inform policy and practice.
REFLECTIONS ON THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
The CoP began with an introductory session aimed at providing attendees with insights from seasoned
participants who had previously engaged in CoPs. These experienced individuals shared their knowledge
and expertise on getting the most out of such convenings. Among the panelists were Amanda Klafehn,
Interim Chief Policy and Strategy Ocer at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, responsible
for overseeing the Policy, Planning, and Research Bureau; Blake Cannon, Chief Analytics Ocer at the
Arkansas Division of Higher Education; and Kate Akers, Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Data Ocer
at Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The panelists delved into various strategies
for sustaining momentum and enthusiasm beyond the conclusion of the convening.
Panelists emphasized the importance of establishing a shared vision and deliberate planning within teams,
as well as connecting with other states to share insights and explore collaborations. They advocated
for allocating dedicated time before and after the CoP sessions for thorough discussions and planning,
specifically noting the value of the resources in the Team Time Activities
2
for setting goals and developing
action plans. Panelists noted the rapid pace of CoP activities demands active participation rather than
mere observation to maximize the benefits of this collective knowledge sharing. Additionally, forging
connections with other states was noted for its role in facilitating peer learning across various stages of
initiatives and providing reassurance that no team is alone in their journey.
CREATING CULTURES OF COLLABORATION FOR IMPROVED DATA SHARING
Navigating the data-sharing process from governance and legal frameworks to analyzing and reporting
cross-sector data can be daunting. Many state teams identified privacy and security standards as top
priorities for technical assistance. Protecting, collecting, and reporting data and information within one
agency may require dierent technology, infrastructure, and governance standards than another. These
procedural and cultural dierences complicate cross-sector and cross-state data sharing. Ensuring
collaborative and robust privacy and security measures that take into account procedural and cultural
organizational dierences not only better safeguards sensitive information but also fosters trust among
stakeholders and promotes responsible data stewardship practices.
2. See pages 12-13 in this document for more information.
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Baron Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Data Integration Support Center (DISC) at WestEd, addressed
the importance of recognizing that integrating data from dierent state agencies and organizations
means that legal, privacy, and security needs can often change. As an example, he shared that building
multi-sector and multi-state data systems with agencies such as social services or justice system oces
might necessitate adjustments in the data-sharing approaches of postsecondary agencies. This could
involve adhering to agreements tailored to the “specific language" of each agency or integrating unique
legal terms pertinent to each agency's privacy and sharing protocols.
To bridge these dierences, Rodriguez recommended focusing on federal and state regulatory structures
when working with states that may be at dierent stages of data system building (e.g., an agency currently
building buy-in for the value of data sharing). Focusing on these established legal structures can help
data practitioners, legal sta, and other state agency members collaborate more eectively across
organizational cultural dierences. Rodriguez shared several DISC resources, including the services
DISC oers to state agencies looking to leverage cross-sector data and a legal framework approach for
integrated data systems to help agencies build capacity in training their legal counsel to understand the
value and use cases of cross-sector data. DISC also performs in-depth security reviews that ensure data
systems are safely designed to support cross-sector data.
SHARING DATA ACROSS STATE SECTORS: STRATEGIES, CHALLENGES, AND
SUCCESSES
Many of the state teams in attendance have some form of data sharing across state agencies already in
place. With an increased interest in understanding workforce outcomes and trends from postsecondary
education programs, many higher education agencies are sharing data with their state workforce or
labor departments. Georgia and Missouri are two states that have established infrastructure and
funding to ensure that the data exchanges across state sectors are continuous and of value to the state.
Representatives from state data and postsecondary and workforce agencies shared current cross-sector
projects and associated lessons learned.
David Tanner, Associate Director of Government Services and Research at the University of Georgia’s Carl
Vinson Institute of Government, described the monumental task of creating a four-agency data-sharing
agreement with the University System of Georgia, Georgia Department of Education, and the Georgia
Professional Standards Commission. The agencies set out to understand the teacher preparation pipeline
from program graduation to employment placement across the state. Tanner described the facilitation
of willing partners as a key to the success of this project. Eective collaboration requires that the right
people be at the decision-making table, each contributing to and benefiting from the process. Tanner
discussed making the business case clear with all stakeholders to ensure that the project’s timeline, goals,
and approach all align with the shared vision. Bringing such a complex agreement to fruition, Tanner
likened it to the gestation period of an elephant: requiring significant time, patience, nurturing, and careful
coordination, with each step contributing to the eventual realization of the final result.
Jeremy Kintzel, P20W Research Director at the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce
Development, shared that Missouri had been doing cross-sector data projects across state agencies prior
to the ocial establishment of its longitudinal data system. For fiscal year 2024, legislators approved
funding to create a P20W research and data center, to legislatively expand and support the cross-sector
portfolio that Missouri was already cultivating.
Both Tanner and Kintzel reflected on the importance of establishing foundational trust among agencies
and keeping each other accountable for staying on track to meet the project’s shared vision. When building
trust and collaboration, Kintzel discussed Missouri's governance structure, which was set up through
a committee to provide a venue for conversation and information sharing. Both speakers agreed that
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
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having lawyers who understand the shared vision and genuinely want to get to "yes" is vital to establishing
data-sharing agreements that are beneficial for all agencies. Political stability at the state capitol has also
been essential to the success of these cross-sector initiatives, with both Missouri and Georgia governors
historically supporting the SHEEO agencies and their data use and sharing eorts. As Tanner and Kintzel
wrapped up their discussions, both speakers agreed that having a shared vision and business purpose,
regular convenings to share information, and alignment with legal counsel on goals, approaches, or
strategies is crucial to working across agencies for change.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development
• MoScores
University System of Georgia & Carl Vinson Institute of Government
• Georgia Match
• State SLDS GA-Awards
• George Data Analytics Center
• Data Sharing Agreement
INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTEROPERABILITY: CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS
Ensuring states have the appropriate infrastructure to sustain cross-sector data partnerships is essential.
The P-20W+ Community of Innovation initiative addresses the need for unified state data systems that
can securely manage data from early childhood to the workforce. Coordinated by the Council of Chief
State School Ocers (CCSSO) and Applied Enterprise Management Corporation (AEM), the community is
enabling a core group of states to develop cost-eective and ecient P20W+ systems that can withstand
modernization eorts. The Community of Innovation creates tools, technical resources, and guidelines
to help scale operations, align market eorts, and share innovative experiences across state organizations
to modernize P20W+ data pipelines.
Tricia Farris, Senior Assistant Director at AEM, led an engaging session explaining how the Community
of Innovation provides a scalable, ready-to-use solution for states, agencies, and data advocates. The
Capability Model helps organizations navigate their data stewardship journey and pinpoint needed skills
for managing data governance, improving data quality, conducting analysis, ensuring privacy and security,
and enhancing data literacy. The Reference Architecture serves as a standardized blueprint to ensure
consistency, interoperability, and scalability across various systems and organizations. It focuses on
establishing a shared, scalable solution to modernize data management across states and organizations
involved in the education-to-workforce pipeline.
During the session, Farris asked teams to assess their existing readiness with the Capability Model, with
several states noting their eorts remain in the data collection stage. Farris also facilitated discussions on
aligning state agency readiness with key principles such as data privacy, interoperability, and technology
independence, emphasizing how the Reference Architecture can support these eorts in multi-sector
data collaborations.
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DATA SHARING VIA THE PSEO TO UNDERSTAND EDUCATION-TO-WORKFORCE
OUTCOMES
The Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) is a data product of the U.S. Census Bureau in
partnership with state higher education agencies and university systems, state departments of education,
and state labor market agencies. The PSEO provides data tabulations of wage earnings and employment
outcomes for graduates of postsecondary institutions by degree level, major, institution, and state. Currently,
27 states report data to the PSEO, and among them, 14 states have more than 50 percent of their graduate
data accounted for in the PSEO data. Andrew Foote, Principal Economist at the U.S. Census Bureau, shared
the PSEO Explorer tool which oers a dashboard visualization of the matched data from postsecondary
institutions to the national database on employment data including employer and employee demographics.
The PSEO shows a powerful narrative that can be illustrated when federal, state, and local data are linked
to demonstrate the value of higher education in the workforce. Through the PSEO Explorer, the Census
Bureau provides students, parents, institutions, and state agencies with improved insight into the market
value of degrees and postsecondary return-on-investment (ROI) information. As the PSEO continues to
expand state participation, its role in facilitating data-informed discussions on higher education outcomes
remains pivotal.
Complementing the PSEO project, the PSEO Coalition is a collaborative group of higher education
professionals participating in the PSEO who share a vision of demonstrating the economic and non-
economic value of higher education through linkages of federal, state, and local data. David Troutman,
Deputy Commissioner for Academic Aairs and Innovation at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board (THECB), shared his experiences as the inaugural member of the PSEO project and leader of the
PSEO Coalition. He began by describing how the THECB entered the PSEO partnership with the U.S.
Census Bureau in 2016 to merge student data in Texas with national unemployment insurance (UI) earnings
data. Troutman discussed the coalition’s mission to improve data literacy and data narratives to eectively
communicate with dierent stakeholders. The PSEO Coalition aims to have 45 state members by 2030 and
increase representation among current members.
Jason Pontius, Associate Chief Academic Ocer for the Iowa Board of Regents, a participating PSEO state
agency, reviewed the dashboards they have developed to visualize PSEO data in the Iowa context. Iowa’s
dashboards include wage and outcomes and recent alumni career outcomes information that can be
disaggregated by industry, geography, postsecondary institution, and degree program. These dashboards
help dispel misunderstandings or false narratives regarding programs that may not be graduating students
and provide greater context for career service professionals to adapt their advice to students, incorporating
data-informed approaches to assist students in navigating career paths. These data and dashboards also
broaden the initial understanding of where students are going after graduation. There are geographic and
demographic variations to the data that go beyond assumptions about student outcomes and provide
needed nuance to conversations related to success goals. This nuance is why the PSEO aims to improve its
outcomes data through greater disaggregation by race, ethnicity, and gender.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• University System of Georgia (USG)
• USG – Your Future Earnings
• USG – Employment Outcomes Tools Matrix
3
3. Since the University System of Georgia (USG) could not participate on this panel, David Troutman, who works with sta at USG on the PSEO
project, shared USG resources they are using to advance participation and insights from the PSEO.
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EVALUATING ENROLLMENT TO EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS: INTEGRATED SERVICE
DELIVERY IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
States are grappling with student enrollment-to-employment questions that their current data infrastructure
cannot always answer. Post-graduation student mobility across state borders can result in state agencies
having an incomplete narrative of postsecondary outcomes and employment trends. To help mitigate these
incomplete narratives, the Coleridge Initiative works with government agencies to enhance state and regional
data sharing and support multi-state policymaking and decision-making through the Administrative Data
Research Facility (ADRF) and data training. The ADRF is a secure, FedRAMP-certified, cloud-based platform
that allows for the safe sharing and collaboration of state longitudinal data, including sensitive confidential
microdata. Participation in the ADRF is customizable to the state or agency’s needs and operates under the
Five Safes Framework that ensures the platform is secure for users, data, and projects.
Nathan Barrett, Vice President of Product and Development at the Coleridge Initiative, shared how agencies
looking to expand their data capabilities across state lines can benefit from participation. States participating
in the Coleridge Initiative develop a state-driven data infrastructure that provides tangible impact and informs
policy. Three conditions inform the development of the data infrastructure: the platform, the training, and
the products. Along with providing a safe cloud-based environment in the ADRF, the Coleridge Initiative’s
Applied Data Analytics programs provide training to agency sta on how to use the data, including open-
source coding principles, data preparation, and data analytics. The products developed through participation
improve the use of the agency’s data infrastructure and enhance the communication of impactful data
insights that can be shared broadly.
Robert McGough, Chief Data Ocer of the Arkansas Data Oce (ARData), shared that ARData was
charged by its state legislature with developing a longitudinal data system aimed at understanding
Arkansas’s education to workforce outcomes. The agency first learned about the ADRF platform at a 2019
CoP focused on aligning postsecondary education and the workforce. The ARData team participated in
several Coleridge ADRF training courses to leverage best practices and develop secure data infrastructures
to address workforce outcomes. Through continued participation, Arkansas was able to work with the
Coleridge Initiative to develop several trainings such as the Evaluating Enrollment to Employment Outcomes
(E2E) program, designed to facilitate research and evaluation of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(WIOA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) programs and services linked to employment and wage outcomes. Arkansas plans to continue to
develop training opportunities that expand into prison education, K-12, and the value-data framework.
THE MULTI-STATE DATA COLLABORATIVES: SHARING DATA, IDEAS, AND INNOVATION
ACROSS STATE BORDERS
Another opportunity for state participation in a program that fosters data collaboration and idea sharing
is the Multi-State Data Collaboratives (MSDC) facilitated by the National Association of State Workforce
Agencies (NASWA). The MSDC, through the Coleridge ADRF, allows states to leverage timely administrative
data to respond to local market needs, improve programs and services, and address geographic and
demographic disparities. MSDCs operate regionally, allowing states to tackle shared questions. Yvette
Chocolaad, Senior Policy Advisor at NASWA, moderated a discussion between Adam Leonard, Chief
Analytics Ocer and Director of Information, Innovation, and Insight at the Texas Workforce Commission
(TWC), and Tod Massa, Director of Policy Analytics and the Virginia Longitudinal Data System (VLDS)
at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Leonard and Massa have served on the
MSDC’s executive board since its inception.
The trio discussed the purpose of the MSDC as an entity fostering state-driven development of innovative
data ideas and products. Chocolaad provided current examples of MSDC data projects, including the
Unemployment-to-Reemployment Dashboard and the Multi-State Postsecondary Report. Leonard and
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Massa underscored the flexibility of state participation in the MSDCs, noting that the structure of the regional
collaboratives allows state agencies to participate at any stage of their shared data journey, from idea
generation to product implementation. Leonard emphasized the importance of the MSDCs as a dedicated
space for conversation and collaboration, noting he found thought partners that were all interested in
addressing workforce development issues. Massa highlighted how the MSDCs have facilitated a deeper
understanding of the diverse pathways students take to attain credentials and employment, emphasizing
the absence of a singular route and the necessity for states to consider cross-border mobility in assessing
employment outcomes. Collaborating with other states in regional projects like the MSDC proves valuable,
leveraging migration patterns and regional commonalities to address common questions and employment
trends eectively.
SHARING DATA ACROSS STATE BORDERS: STRATEGIES, CHALLENGES, AND
SUCCESSES
Sharing data across state borders presents unique challenges, necessitating eective strategies to ensure
success and foster collaboration. Examples of the value of multi-state data projects were shared in this
session, which included representatives from Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The session was
moderated by Shannon Gilkey, the Rhode Island Commissioner on Postsecondary Education. All three
state representatives discussed the need to have cross-state data to better understand how people move
around the region. Scott Gaul, Chief Data Ocer at the Oce of Policy and Management in Connecticut,
leads the Data and Policy Analytics (DAPA) unit, which oversees the state’s SLDS (P20 WIN). He pointed out
that government agencies are set up in silos, so there is not much cross-pollination happening organically.
For example, the Connecticut Oce of Higher Education administers state financial aid programs and
can track the amount of aid awarded to students by institution, but the agency is not able to discern if
those students receive the aid or graduated because those data are stored in a separate data system held
by institutions. Dana Brandt, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Longitudinal Data System, likened
data flows and student movement to the flow of trac on highways, noting that in Rhode Island people
not only drive into Connecticut and Massachusetts but are often employed and/or live in these states
post-graduation. People, and their data, move freely across state borders which means that state agencies
interested in tracking education and employment outcomes also need to establish collaborative exchanges
with neighboring states to build a shared data capacity highway. Chad May, Director of Data and Analysis at
the New Jersey Oce of the Secretary of Higher Education, shared similar circumstances in his state. He
noted that his oce produced an employment outcomes dashboard and found that nearly 20 percent of
residents were working out of state. However, there is currently no additional employment data available
for these people. New Jersey has found collaboration opportunities, like sharing code and crafting research
questions with research partners in neighboring states, invaluable for helping them fill in the blanks of their
degree trends and employment outcomes data.
Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island participate in NASWA’s MSDCs, like Texas and Virginia. The
three states are members of the Eastern States Longitudinal Data Collaborative. The Collaborative has
aorded New Jersey and Rhode Island data visualizations that provide valuable input on workforce
outcomes for specific groups like student teachers. Connecticut is participating in training through the
Coleridge Initiative to understand career pathways.
When asked to share advice with other states looking to take advantage of multi-state data projects, May
suggested that states should start with small steps and set short- and long-term goals. New Jersey set out to
track students who leave the state, and after four years of collaborative eorts across multiple states, while
they have made progress, New Jersey is still trying to accomplish this long-term goal. Brandt reminded
attendees that it takes time to see any real impact of this cross-state work. Brandt and her team continually
update dashboards because they lead to eective policy changes in Rhode Island, even though the actual
impact on residents may take time to become evident. Finally, Gaul emphasized that attending events like
the CoP provides a network of colleagues to learn from and collaborate with.
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USING DATA VISUALIZATIONS AND STORYTELLING TO ILLUSTRATE MULTISTATE AND
MULTI-SECTOR DATA-SHARING IMPACTS
As states begin exploring the value of multistate and multi-sector data through collaborative data projects,
they should also consider how to best communicate their findings and develop a holistic narrative of the
state’s education and workforce outcomes. The last session of the CoP was focused on visualizing the
story that collaborative data sharing can tell. Vladimir Bassis, Administrative Consultant for the Community
College Management Information System (CC MIS) at the Iowa Department of Education, showcased data
visualizations for the state longitudinal data system that includes all agencies. Bassis shared visualizations
on the Iowa Student Outcomes website that show industry credential trends, health occupation data, and
non-credit and credit program outcomes to track students during and after enrollment. These dashboards
and other data visualizations were made possible through data-sharing agreements that Iowa established
with various agencies across time including the Iowa Department of Education (2010), the Department
of Corrections (2020), and the Department of Transportation (2022). Bassis echoed similar challenges
in linking cross-sector data concerning the requirements of data-sharing agreements and relied on a
framework developed in Washington for expanding MIS data connections.
In Kentucky, the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), has linked data from 27 agencies and 47 data
sources for the past 10 years to provide state policymakers and researchers with critical statistics to
help support better policymaking. Matt Berry, Executive Director of KYSTATS, shared with attendees
the visualizations and data tools available to ensure policymakers, practitioners, and the public are
informed. When it comes to storytelling in Kentucky, KYSTATS visualizations are built in Tableau and
oer robust information across sectors. Berry highlighted the Multi-State Postsecondary Report, the
2022 Life Outcomes dashboard, the Kentucky Teacher Workforce Pipeline dashboard, and the High
School Feedback Report. The High School Feedback Report communicates postsecondary enrollment,
completion, and employment outcomes for students. This report shows data in various formats, including
bar charts and heat maps, to show the variation across the state over time and is targeted to specific
stakeholder groups.
Bassis and Berry recommended that states looking to develop visualizations that oer a better
understanding of education and workforce trends should consider their audience. Both speakers agreed
that receiving feedback from stakeholders is essential as well as being proactive in their engagement in
the development of data visualizations. Berry oered an example of creating visualizations that can be
easily interpreted in various formats, such as bar charts. Providing data visualizations to the public also
comes with its challenges, like telling a story of a state policy or trend that may not be well received. Bassis
emphasized that exploring dierences among demographic groups helps in addressing and highlighting
issues or trends to support policymaking. It is important to present unbiased data that neither favors nor
opposes particular policies. Berry shared similar thoughts, stating that sharing data and being transparent
should be viewed as a public service. It is his job to analyze and share data in transparent, clear, and
consumable forms.
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
12
STATE TEAM TIME ACTIVITIES
State data leaders, tasked with balancing a wide range of responsibilities within their agencies, often find it
challenging to carve out time for meetings and collaboration. To address this, SHEEO facilitated team time
activities at the CoP providing attendees with dedicated space and time to collaborate with team members
on multi-state or multi-sector data projects. These activities allowed participants to reflect on what they
learned, incorporate new insights, and develop actionable plans to apply their knowledge post-convening.
The design of team time activities at the CoP was scaolded. Before the convening, each state team
received materials and resources to identify a specific need to enhance their multi-state or multi-sector
data systems. During the convening, teams set a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
(SMART) goal to address this need, created a logic model to strategize post-CoP actions, and showcased
their SMART logic models in a gallery walk with other teams. Below is detailed information on the specific
team time activities and resources designed for state leaders to strategically plan improvements to their data
system policies and practices.
TEAM TIME 1: GOAL SETTING
In multi-state and multi-sector data projects, shared goals and visions are crucial for aligning eorts and
fostering eective collaboration among diverse partners. The complexity of these data projects requires
a strategic approach to establish objectives, ensuring clear targets are defined, responsibilities are
assigned, and focus is maintained. To support teams in navigating these complexities, SHEEO facilitated
teams through the development of a SMART goal during Team Time 1. Using the tools provided in the
Team Time Resource document, teams created a SMART goal tailored to their unique needs and context,
identified necessary collaborators, and outlined the goal’s intended impact. By the session's end, several
teams shared their SMART goals with the larger group, showcasing varied projects aimed at distinct
student groups, industries, and credentials.
FIGURE 1
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TEAM TIME ACTIVITIES: PLAN OF EVENTS
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
13
TEAM TIME 2: DEVELOPING A MULTI-SYSTEM/MULTI-SECTOR LOGIC MODEL
Developing and sustaining multi-state and multi-sector data projects requires strategic planning and
collaboration. The successful implementation of a collaborative strategic plan includes identifying
partners and purpose, developing a roadmap, implementing the plan to achieve goals, and ensuring
the intended outcomes are met through evaluation. During Team Time 2, teams applied the SMART
goals formulated in Team Time 1 to create a SMART logic model. Using the documents, worksheets,
and examples provided in the Team Time Resource document, teams systematically connected their
resources and proposed activities to the outcomes they aimed to achieve. Teams demonstrated active
engagement as they spent the initial part of the session drafting key components of the logic model for
their specific data project and concluded by transferring their drafts to a large poster for display during a
gallery walk.
TEAM TIME 3: GALLERY WALK AND SHARE-OUT
SHEEO facilitated the final team session as a gallery walk activity. To begin, teams finalized their logic
model posters and displayed them around the room. Throughout the activity, teams engaged with each
other's work by walking around and using Post-it notes provided by SHEEO to inquire, learn, and suggest
collaborative opportunities for multi-state and multi-sector data projects. Teams were asked to consider
the alignment of their SMART goals with the initial needs they identified, explore how cross-state and
cross-sector discussions informed or altered their SMART goals and logic models, and discuss how they
will hold each other accountable for the implementation of these goals after the convening.
The activity concluded with several teams presenting their SMART logic models. These presentations
covered a broad spectrum of initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructural, personnel, and student
outcomes. Some teams detailed a process to implement umbrella memorandums of understanding
(MOUs) to enhance state infrastructure and data capabilities, while others discussed the development
of public interactive dashboards that display employment outcomes and value. The gallery walk
provided teams with valuable insights into the initiatives from other states, highlighting opportunities for
improvement and advancement within their context.
SHEEO: COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EXPLORING MULTI-STATE AND MULTI-SECTOR DATA PROJECTS
14
CONCLUSION
Recognizing the non-linear nature of student trajectories, policymakers are turning to multi-state and
multi-sector data-informed approaches to support decision-making. However, the connection of data
beyond agency and system siloes remains an ongoing challenge. The exchange of cross-sector and
cross-state data oers a promising solution to address these gaps. To fully realize the potential of data
sharing, it is imperative to establish trusted, robust, and aligned infrastructures. The presentations and
resources from this CoP underscore the importance of trusted partnerships and collaborative eorts
in leveraging data across state sectors and borders. By harnessing the insights gleaned from these
discussions and activities, states can forge ahead in their endeavors to harness the transformative power
of data for the benefit of students and their state stakeholders.