Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach
Effective stakeholder engagement is essential to a successful ECIDS because it ensures that the system’s priorities, strategies, and execution respond to the expectations and needs of those it intends to serve
Stakeholder engagement is the process by which those leading the ECIDS work involve the groups and individuals that contribute to and are served by the system. Effective stakeholder engagement promotes broader ownership of the ECIDS and increases its perceived and actual value to users, which bolsters sustainability of the system.
Planning and Engagement Milestones
The timeline above highlights important milestones for ECIDS in Nebraska
Since 2009, the Nebraska Early Childhood Data Coalition (ECDC), a volunteer group of early childhood stakeholders from public and private entities, has led state efforts to improve outcomes for young children through the identification and appropriate utilization of early childhood data. The Coalition works to address gaps in the available data and unify fragmentation in data systems and reporting and specifically states a long-term goal of development and implementation of an ECIDS in Nebraska. The ECDC was the main driving force behind initial ECIDS efforts in Nebraska.
In 2014, the Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council, a group established by Nebraska statute to advise and assist collaborating agencies in carrying out the provisions of state and federal statutes pertaining to early childhood care and education initiatives under state supervision, provided a formal recommendation for the integration of Early Childhood Data – an ECIDS – in their biennial report to the governor. This report further jumpstarted the work, which resulted in the creation of ECIDS guiding documents (project charter and initial conceptual technical design recommendations). The state received an ECDataWorks Grant in 2018, which laid the foundation for a proof-of-concept data visualization tool and further strategic planning efforts.
In 2019, the State received a Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Planning Award, which allowed for increased stakeholder engagement to identify potential use cases, conduct a landscape analysis of existing data sources, and develop an initial technology plan to build and implement the system. The state was then awarded the PDG Renewal Grant for 2020-2023, with the development and implementation of ECIDS identified as a core project. Building on the work done during the planning phase, the ECIDS team worked with stakeholders to prioritize three use cases to drive the first phase of ECIDS development:
Distinct count of children receiving services in the B-5 mixed delivery system
Equal access to full-day, year-round, high-quality early care and education for children regardless of the setting or family income
Head Start/ECIDS Pilot Project to integrate Head Start data to help Nebraska Head Start professionals access and use data for reporting, decision-making, and continuous improvement
In response to stakeholder input, our focus will be on refining and enhancing the data dashboard and reporting tools to better meet stakeholder needs. Our efforts also extend to ensuring the operational sustainability, privacy, and security of ECIDS. This involves developing human capacity, scalable technical infrastructures, and comprehensive policies and procedures. Establishing organizational practices to support data integration and the use of ECIDS data is a key objective. We aim to establish partnerships with ECE agencies/organizations in our state that share the same mission. Overall, this work lays the foundation for significant advancements in data coordination, sharing, and utilization to bolster the state’s early care and education system.