The Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) supports state policymakers’ development and use of coordinated state early care and education (ECE) data systems.

At ECDC, we promote data-driven decision-making to improve:

  • Program quality. State and local program managers will receive timely, accurate and ongoing feedback on the performance of programs in relation to their quality standards. They will be able to identify and adapt strategies and practices from the highest-performing providers to improve all programs across the state.
  • ECE workforce quality. Higher education institutions, state legislators and other leaders will have information on the supply and demand for ECE staff members; a comprehensive picture of professional development opportunities and investments; and an understanding of how well these supports are working to attract, retain and develop an ECE workforce that can help parents prepare every young child for success in school and in life.
  • Access to high-quality programs. Policymakers and advocates will have a detailed picture of the distribution of the quality of services across neighborhoods, communities and regions of their state and accessible data systems that answer questions such as those about the availability of high-quality programs for infants and toddlers or young English language learners.
  • Child outcomes. ECE educators will draw on rich, cumulative information on children’s strengths and progress in all areas of their development and use this information to plan and adjust curricula, learning experiences and family engagement efforts.

Mission

The Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) supports state policymakers’ development and use of coordinated state early care and education (ECE) data systems. The ECDC provides tools and resources to encourage data-driven state policy changes and provide a national forum to support the development and use of coordinated state ECE data systems.

Vision

The Early Childhood Data Collaborative (ECDC) believes that by more effectively using, sharing, and connecting data, states can:

  • improve the quality of early and education (ECE) programs;
  • improve the training and quality of the early childhood workforce;
  • increase access to high-quality ECE programs for all families; and
  • improve child outcomes.

Our Partners

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley

Council of Chief State School Officers

Data Quality Campaign

National Conference of State Legislatures

National Governors Association Center for Best Practices

Child Trends serves as the central hub for the ECDC.

Our Funders

The ECDC is supported through funding from the Alliance for Early SuccessThe Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Richard W. Goldman Family Foundation.


Contact Us

Carlise King
(240) 223-9200
cking@childtrends.org

Staff

Carlise King, Executive Director, Early Childhood Data Collaborative at Child Trends

Dale Epstein, Deputy Program Area Director, Early Childhood at Child Trends

Van-Kim Lin, Research Scientist at Child Trends

Winnie Li, Senior Data Scientist at Child Trends

Silvana Esposito Hackett, Senior Research Analyst at Child Trends

Gabriella Guerra, Research Assistant at Child Trends

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