Equity in Early Childhood Data

EQUITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DATAFaith Scheibe & Samantha Peyton July 20, 2021

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WELCOME & AGENDA

• Objectives• Data in Birth to Five Systems• Equity: What is it & Why Does it Matter?• Equity in Data• Equity-Centered Data Analytics – Iheoma U. Iruka, PhD• Data Equity in Evaluation – State Highlight: Washington• Question & Answers• Next Steps

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OBJECTIVES

• Deliver definitions and concepts of data and equity

• Provide an overview of the best practices for considering equity in administrative data analysis

• Learn more about an example of analysis and evaluation of data processes through an equity lens

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ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

• Data collected and maintained as a part of regular program operations.

• Data can be on children, families and/or providers.

• Administrative data can answer questions & be used for reporting.

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RESEARCH DATA

• Data collected intentionally to answer questions or evaluate the outcomes of programs

• Can collect subjective information: personal attitudes, beliefs or preferences

• Often comes at an extra cost to states

Source: Bender, S. (2014, Sept. 18). Taking the Best out of Both Worlds? The Linkage of Surveys and Administrative Data [PowerPoint presentation]. https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/upload/events/Vortragsreihe/140918_gesis-bender.pdf

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EQUITY: WHAT IS IT & WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Equity is the state that would be achieved if individuals fared the same way in society regardless of race, gender, class, language, disability, or any other social or cultural characteristic.In practice, equity means all children and families receive necessary supports in a timely fashion so they can develop their full intellectual, social, and physical potential.

Taken from NAEYC Position Statement: Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education

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EQUITY IN DATA

Data are not neutralThe decisions people make about which data matter, what means and methods to use to collect them, and how to analyze and share them are important but silent factors that reflect the interests, assumptions, and biases of the people involved.

The Urban Institute

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A AT C H A P E L H I L L

Equity-Centered Data AnalyticsFraming through Equitable Access, Experiences, and Outcomes

Iheoma U. Iruka, PhDResearch Professor, Department of Public PolicyFellow, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG)Founding Director, Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG

Equity in ECE Administrative DataJuly 20, 2021

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Flow

• Start with Equity• Equitable access, experiences, and outcomes• Root cause analyses• Start with equity template

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Take home message• Need to address equitable access,

experiences and outcomes

• Considering root cause analysis

• Use template to guide collective approach, accountability, and impact

• Equity-centered data analysis must attend to disrupting the cycle of systemic racism – access, experiences, and outcomes

MUST BE A DISRUPTOR!

Starting with Equity• Multi-institutional report led by

Children’s Equity Project @ ASU and Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG @UNC

• Released in partnership with many national organizations in December 2020

• Goal is to dismantle systematic racism in early care and education

• Strategies can’t operate in isolation but are possible within current systems

ACTIONABLE ROADMAP

Ensuring equitable access, experiences, and outcomes

ACCESS

• Equitable Funding• Authentic Integration• Center FCCH & FFN• Equity in EI/SPED ID

EXPERIENCES

• Workforce Equity• Equity in Workforce Prep &

Dev• Equity in QRIS/QI• Equity in Global Quality

Assessments• Eliminate Harsh Discipline• Equitable

Access/Expansion to DLL• Family Leadership• Culturally Responsive

Curriculum and Pedagogy

OUTCOMES

• Equity in Monitoring & Accountability

• Equity in CQI

LEADERS MUST DISRUPT INSTITUTIONAL RACISM

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Case study of access, experiences, and outcomes

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Black children ACCESS Head Start programs…

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

White, non-Hispanic

Black, non-Hispanic

Hispanic Asian or PacificIslander, non-

Hispanic

Other race, non-Hispanic

At least one weekly nonparental care No weekly nonparental care

Four year old enrollment by setting and race

Black children likely to EXPERIENCE low quality care and exclusion

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Black children’s OUTCOMES following PreK and through elementary show continued disparities, even after controlling for SES.

COEFFICIENTS AND STANDARD ERRORS FOR RACIAL GAPS IN ACHIEVEMENT OUTCOMES, HOLDING CONSTANT SES, WHITE=REFERENCE GROUP

-0.40

-0.30

-0.20

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

Black Latino/a Asian Other race

Reading

Fall K Spring K Spring 1st

-0.60

-0.50

-0.40

-0.30

-0.20

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

Black Latino/a Asian Other race

Math

Fall K Spring K Spring 1st

Source. Little, M. (2017, 2017/03/01). Racial and Socioeconomic Gaps in Executive Function Skills in Early Elementary School: Nationally Representative Evidence From the ECLS-K:2011. Educational Researcher, 46(2), 103-109. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X17698700

What questions should you ask?

HTTPS://WWW.RACIALEQUITYTOOLS.ORG/RESOURCEFILES/RACIALEQUITYTOOLKIT.PDF

Structural determinants of early learning: Root causes

MUST UNDERSTAND HOW OUR WORK ADDRESSES SDOEL

Racial Equity Implementation Impact Analyses

action & desired results

existing racial disparities?

how are racial groups

affected?

expand access to

marginalized?

significantly reduce racial disparities?

advance racial equity?

ASK WHAT IS BEST FOR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AT EVERY JUNCTURE

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Example: Infant/Toddler Access

access for Latine infants and toddlers

Latine families less likely to use I/T care

new program may impact existing

providers

consider the specific needs of Latine families and IF need and HOW

need I/T care

reduce racial inequities in access, experiences, and child outcomes?

EXAMINING HISTORY, ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, AND GATHERING DATA FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES

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Equity-centered Data Development and Usage

Planning

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Dissemination

H AW N N E L S O N , A . , J E N K I N S , D. , Z A N T I , S . , K AT Z , M . , B E R KOW I T Z , E . , E T A L . ( 2 0 2 0 ) . A TO O L K I T F O R C E N T E R I N G R AC I A L E Q U I T Y T H R O U G H O U T DATA I N T E G R AT I O N . AC T I O N A B L E I N T E L L I G E N C E F O R S O C I A L P O L I C Y, U N I V E R S I T Y O F P E N N S Y LVA N I A .

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Data analyses and statistical tools/algorithms• Numbers and truth claims

• Numbers/data used for description and action (e.g., comprehensiveness of NAEP)

• Numbers and accountability• Data used for accountability only if valid (e.g., falsifying test scores, removing students before

testing)

• Numbers and equity• Statistics and numbers can be manipulated – for good and bad – (e.g., reverse racism)

• Involve community in interpretation and actionable use of data, disaggregate data, use mixed methods, and consider context

STATISTICS AND ALGORITHMS ARE NOT COLOR BLIND

Even the stats are racist!

• Assumption that the findings are valid and objective

• What stats are used? What “controls” are used?

• What analyses are not done? What null findings are not shared?

“Studies relying on the assumptions that impose a decontextualized racial identity in a social stratum should be replaced by better studies that incorporate more accurate assumptions (x) … Most racial statistics lack a critical evaluation of racist structures that encourage pathological interpretations … We must recognize that the researcher is part of what he or she observes. We do not passively or objectively observe the statistical universe as scientific outsiders “(Zuberi 2001, 144).

Best Practice for Equity-Centered Implementation• Assess community conditions and desired impact and outcomes

• Determine how your policies and strategies will lead to outcome

• Expand opportunity and access for individuals (or communities)

• Affect systemic change

• Promote racially inclusive collaboration, engagement, and co-creation

• Educate on racial issues and elevate racial consciousness

• Use data/tools to make sound decision

RACIAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE BEST PRACTICES CRITERIA

Source. Race & Social Justice Initiative (2010) Racial Equity Toolkit for Policies, Programs, and Budget.

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Take home message• Need to address equitable access,

experiences and outcomes

• Considering root cause analysis

• Use template to guide collective approach, accountability, and impact

• Equity-centered data analysis must attend to disrupting the cycle of systemic racism – access, experiences, and outcomes

MUST BE A DISRUPTOR!

THANK YOU!QUESTIONS?

• IHEOMA U. IRUKA, PH.D.• I [email protected]• HTTPS://WWW.UNC.EDU• TWITTER: @IHEOMAIRUKA

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.unc.edu/

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Selected Resources• Andrews, K., Parekh, J., & Peckoo, S. (2019). How to Embed a Racial and Ethnic Equity

Perspective in Research: Practical Guidance for the Research Process. Bethesda, MD: Child Trends

• Gillborn, D., Warmington, P., & Demack, S. (2018, 2018/03/04). QuantCrit: education, policy, ‘Big Data’ and principles for a critical race theory of statistics. Race Ethnicity and Education, 21(2), 158-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2017.1377417

• Hawn Nelson, A., Jenkins, D., Zanti, S., Katz, M., Berkowitz, E., et al. (2020). A Toolkit for Centering Racial Equity Throughout Data Integration. Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania.

• Race & Social Justice Initiative (2010) Racial Equity Toolkit for Policies, Programs, and Budget. Seattle, WA: Author

AND SO MANY MORE!

https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2017.1377417

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www.dcyf.wa.gov

Washington’s Preschool Development Grant: Data Equity in Evaluation

Adassa Budrevich-Ryan, MS and Karah Lothian, MEd MPASenior EvaluatorsOriginal Date: July 20, 2021

Office of Innovation, Alignment, & Accountability | Approved for distribution by Dr. Vickie Ybarra, OIAA Director

DCYF’s Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability (OIAA) builds DCYF capacity to make evidence-informed decisions, continuously learn and improve, and successfully enact system reform

http://www.dcyf.wa.gov/

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Equity First Evaluation

Washington State DCYF Context

Our Equity Framework

Application in Evaluation

Original Date: July 20, 2021Office of Innovation, Alignment, & Accountability

Approved for distribution by Dr. Vickie Ybarra, OIAA Directorwww.dcyf.wa.gov


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Washington State DCYF Context




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Our Equity Framework

Data Lifecycle Foundational Practices Stakeholder Positionality




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Our Equity Framework: Data Lifecyle

Hawn Nelson et al. 2020Original Date: July 20, 2021

Office of Innovation, Alignment, & AccountabilityApproved for distribution by Dr. Vickie Ybarra, OIAA Director

www.dcyf.wa.gov


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Our Equity Framework: Data Lifecycle

STATEMENT A STATEMENT B

Our team makes default comparisons to white outcomes, under the assumption that white

outcomes are normative.

Our team uses appropriatecomparison groups to contextualize findings.




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Our Equity Framework: Foundational Practices

Draft and implement a Program Performance Evaluation Plan

(PPEP)

Distinct count of children B-5 inAnnual Program Performance Progress

Report (APPR)

Situating Programs in Systems Change

Communicating Value

Continuous Quality Improvement

Relationship Building




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Our Equity Framework: Stakeholder Positionality

Decision Makers

Decisive Implementers Implementers Implementing

Community Community




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Early ECEAP: Application in Evaluation

Foun

datio

nal P

ract

ices

Scenario: Expansion of a statewide, center-based program for low-income families with infants & toddlers

Situating Programs in Systems Change • Program identified need to strengthen investments in strategies that engage equitable representation of family, provider, and community voice across all of our state’s regions

• Annual goal is to revise comprehensive performance standards to be more aligned to staff development, while learning more about how children are “cherished” at various program centers

• Desire to learn from direct service staff through evaluation• Educators can only participate for one hour quarterly

Communicating Value





Governor, Legislators, &

Executive Agency

Leadership

State-Level Early Learning

Directors & Administrators

State-Level Program

Managers & Staff

Administrative & Direct

Service Staff

Parents, Family Members, &

Children


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Early ECEAP: Application in EvaluationRECOMMENDATIONS

INSIGHTS

THEMES

PATTERNS




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Evaluation Process

Interview Protocol Development

Listening Sessions

Thematic Coding

Share Results with EECEAP Contractor Sites

Story Bank Development

Story Bank Use

Data Lifecycle

Planning

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Reporting & Dissemination

Planning

Data Collection

Foundational Practices



Communicating Value

Situating Programs in Systems Change

Stakeholders Leading

Implementing Community

Community

Implementers


Community

Stakeholders Engaged

Implementers


Decision Makers, Decisive Implementers,

Implementers, Implementing Community &

Community




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Resources• Cummings, K., Graham, J. C., Veele, S., & Ybarra, V. (2021). Using Data in

DCYF to Advance Racial Equity. Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families – Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability. Retrieved from www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/reports/OIAAEquityData2021.pdf

• Hawn Nelson, A., Jenkins, D., Zanti, S., Katz, M., Berkowitz, E., et al. (2020). A Toolkit for Centering Racial Equity Throughout Data Integration. Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved from https://www.aisp.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AISP-Toolkit_5.27.20.pdf



http://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/reports/OIAAEquityData2021.pdf

https://www.aisp.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/AISP-Toolkit_5.27.20.pdf


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Thank you!

Adassa Budrevich-Ryan

[email protected]

Karah Lothian

[email protected]

Senior EvaluatorsOffice of Innovation, Alignment, & Accountability

Department of Children, Youth, & FamilyOlympia, Washington




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QUESTIONS?

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RESOURCES• Lin, V., Shaw, S.H., & Maxwell, K. (2019). Administrative Data Sources to Address Early

Care and Education Policy-Relevant Research Questions. OPRE Research Brief #2019-81. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• NAEYC. (2019). Advancing Equity in Early Childhood Education (Position Statement). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity.

• Exec. Order No. 13985, 86 FR 7009 (January 25, 2021).• Gaddy, Marcus, and Kassie Scott. 2020. “Principles for Advancing Equitable Data

Practice.” Washington, DC: Urban Institute. • Bender, S. (2014, Sept. 18). Taking the Best out of Both Worlds? The Linkage of Surveys

and Administrative Data [PowerPoint presentation]. https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/upload/events/Vortragsreihe/140918_gesis-bender.pdf

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/equity

https://www.gesis.org/fileadmin/upload/events/Vortragsreihe/140918_gesis-bender.pdf

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THANK YOU!

1100 Wilson Blvd., Suite 2800Arlington, VA 22209-2268

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe to updateshttp://www.occ-cmc.org/occannouncements_sign-up/

This Center is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care.

Contract Number HHSP233201500041I

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PDG B-5 TA CENTER A Service of the Office of Child Care

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.occ-cmc.org/occannouncements_sign-up/

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www.dcyf.wa.gov

Using Data in DCYF to Advance Racial Equity Report


https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/reports/OIAAEquityData2021.pdf

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Washington State DCYF ContextDomain Outcome Area AI/AN AI/AN-

MultiaAsian Black Black-

MultiaHispanic NH/PI Multi Multi-

OtheraOther

Resilience Supported by healthy relationships NA NA NA

Families are economically secure NA

Health Kindergarten readiness NA NA NA NA

Youth school engagement NA NA NA

High school graduation NA NA NA

Health Low birthweight NA NA NA NA

Mental and behavioral health of youth NA NA NA

Notable disparity relative to white comparison groupb

No disparity or doing better relative to white comparison group

NA No data or not calculable

a Consistent with the WSRDAC reporting standard, data allows for the multiracial category to be disaggregated to provide AI/AN-Multiracial, Black-Multiracial, and Multiracial, Otherb Disparities identified using chi squared test of significance at p < .05 level

Cummings et al. 2021Original Date: July 20, 2021

Office of Innovation, Alignment, & AccountabilityApproved for distribution by Dr. Vickie Ybarra, OIAA Director

www.dcyf.wa.gov


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www.dcyf.wa.gov

Additional Visual Examples


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Application in Evaluation: Visual ExamplesData Use Map

Data Lifecycle Stage:Planning

Foundational Practice:Relationship Building

Stakeholder Positionality:




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Application in Evaluation: Visual Examples

Data Lifecycle Stage:Data Collection

Foundational Practice:Situating Systems Change


Accessible, Shareable Frameworks




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Application in Evaluation: Visual ExamplesSharing Results with Partners without Interpretation

Data Lifecycle Stage:Data Analysis

Foundational Practice:Continuous Quality Improvement





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Application in Evaluation: Visual Examples

Data Lifecycle Stage:Reporting

Foundational Practice:Communicating Value


Visual One-Pagers to Describe Current Progress




Equity in Early Childhood Data

Documents

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