Many states are pursuing linkages of early childhood program data (e.g., Part C, Part B 619, Head Start, QRIS) to improve services for young children and families. As you plan to link your Part C and Part B 619 data, one helpful resource to consider is The Integration of Early Childhood Data State Profiles and A Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education. This document was released in November 2016 and provides a wealth of information about data integration topics.

The 51-page resource is organized into three sections:

1. Background and Vision: Provides a vision for integrated early childhood data and details how states can use these data to inform decisions.
2. Key Considerations: Outlines key considerations for integrating and linking data, including governance, data privacy, data security, etc.
3. State Profiles: Provides an overview of eight different state efforts related to linking early childhood data, including challenges and lessons learned.

You may find Pennsylvania’s profile to be particularly relevant to linking as it discusses their integration of IDEA Part C and Part B 619 data. In the profile, Pennsylvania indicated that initially staff capacity was a challenge and that staff needed specialized knowledge and training to develop, run and analyze the integrated data to inform decisions. Additionally, Pennsylvania suggests that states engage stakeholders early to understand their needs and help shape the data integration effort.

Still want more? Listen to a recording of the SLDS, Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Services webinar that accompanied the release of this resource. View the recording.

Have additional questions for clarification? Contact DaSy for technical assistance.