Using the STEP Forward with Data Framework

The STEP Forward with Data Framework is a flexible tool designed for use by early childhood system leaders that can be implemented in multiple ways. The Framework was developed so it could be aligned with a system’s current capacity to collect, use, and analyze early learning data.  

The Framework helps leaders use data to answer key questions about their early childhood systems, with a specific focus on the experiences of priority populations. It supports consistent and standardized approaches to collecting and using data to identify disparities in early learning; assess data gaps and integration needs; and outline clear, actionable steps to build toward more equitable preschool systems that better serve children and families. 

In practice, the Framework can be used to: 

• Evaluate implementation and impact by identifying where policies, practices, or processes are facilitating or creating barriers for different groups of children and families. 
• Inform areas for continuous quality improvement through a cyclical process of using data to understand what is working, identify areas for improvement, and evaluate whether changes lead to intended improvements.  
• Guide data integration and needs assessments by examining unmet needs, service gaps, disparities between populations, and opportunities to better coordinate data across programs and services to support planning, resource allocation, and policy decisions. 

By using the Framework, leaders can identify areas of progress and growth, use data to inform actionable changes to policies and practices, and track outcomes and progress toward system-level goals over time. 

One way to get started is to review the STEP Forward with Data Framework Implementation Guide, a companion resource to the Framework. The Implementation Guide is designed to help leaders identify a starting point, assess their current early learning system, gather and review information, and work with partners through structured activities and exercises. You can also explore our other resources that further support the use of the Framework, including the identification and use of data sources, and descriptions of ways in which the Framework can be used within early learning systems.   

The STEP Forward with Data Framework was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The content contained within this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Suggested Citation: Lin, V., Hackett, S.E., Richards, D., King, C., & Bredeson, M. (2024). System Transformation for Equitable Preschools (STEP Forward with Data) Framework. Child Trends. https://doi.org/10.56417/7986y3601e