WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System just began integrating over 1 billion data points — providing unprecedented insight and transparency to improve career outcomes for millions of Californians.
SACRAMENTO — Today Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state of California’s Cradle-to-Career Data System (C2C) reached a pivotal phase in its effort to transform education and workforce development. In October 2023, C2C successfully received its first data installment from data partners and will now integrate more than 1 billion data points that have been collected and validated at the state level. C2C’s integration of data will provide the public, researchers, and lawmakers unprecedented insight that could improve education and quality of life for millions of Californians.
WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: “By leveraging billions of data points, California’s Cradle-to-Career data system will be a game-changer for improving the quality of life for millions of Californians and highlighting ways to improve opportunity in the classroom and access to the workforce. Through insights and innovation only made possible by this system, the Golden State is leading the nation in equitably connecting our education system to the workforce to ensure every Californian has the freedom to succeed.”
Taking an unprecedented approach of linking datasets from K-12 and higher education, social service, and workforce entities, with today’s announcement the state is on the verge of uniting information from disconnected data across sectors and providing insights previously unavailable. Using the user-friendly system, the public, researchers, and lawmakers will be able to access detailed information on education and career outcomes, workforce trends, and more — broken down by race, gender, ability, and geography to illuminate and address areas of strength and needed growth, and any inequities. By linking data from multiple sources, C2C aims to illuminate gaps and identify opportunities throughout students’ education experiences so they can ultimately reach their goals for life and careers.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward in our mission to establish a robust, comprehensive data system that provides a nuanced understanding of Californians’ educational and professional journeys,” said Mary Ann Bates, Executive Director of the California Cradle-to-Career Data System. “I want to thank our data partners for their unwavering commitment to ensuring that Californians will have validated, reliable data available to inform decisions. This collective effort will equip our state with the data and tools necessary to ensure that every Californian has the opportunity to succeed.”
C2C’s early achievements come on the heels of a multiyear effort to design the country’s most ambitious state longitudinal data system. Backed by Governor Gavin Newsom and championed by legislators, advocates, researchers, educators, and community leaders, the California Cradle-to-Career Data System is a testament to California’s dedication to innovation and data-driven solutions for the benefit of its residents.
This first data transmission included data that has been collected, validated, and prepared by C2C’s partners: California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office; California Department of Education; California State University Chancellor’s Office; California Student Aid Commission; Commission on Teacher Credentialing; Department of Health Care Services; Department of Social Services; and University of California Office of the President.
C2C’s comprehensive 5-year plan seeks to integrate and link robust data from cradle to career, including planning future data on early learning and care, independent and private universities, workforce development, and social services.
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