Developing a Comprehensive Data System to Further Continuous Improvement in California

Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal for 2019–2020 includes $10 million to develop a statewide longitudinal data system—including early education, K–12, and higher education institutions as well as health and human services agencies—to better track student outcomes and improve alignment of the education system to workforce needs. California’s lack of a coherent education database serves as a substantial barrier to fulfilling the state’s continuous improvement policy goal and ensuring all students have access to robust learning opportunities to enable them to be successful in school and beyond. This brief reports on a session of the PACE conference held on February 1, 2019, that brought together experts to discuss a set of essential questions California must consider as it develops a new coordinated data system.