Section 21 of Public Act 24-45 requires the Executive Board of the Connecticut Preschool Through Twenty and Workforce Information Network (P20 WIN) to “develop a plan to establish a state-wide data intermediary that is responsible for (1) providing technical support, (2) creating data sharing agreements, and (3) building and maintaining the infrastructure necessary to share data between nonprofit organizations serving disconnected youth.“
The plan was developed by WestEd’s Data Integration Support Center (DISC), with support from the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), which staffs the P20 WIN board. The project team interviewed nonprofit organizations serving disconnected youth and data intermediaries in Connecticut and nationwide, as well as surveyed local education agencies in the development of this plan.
Key takeaways on the needs of nonprofits for participation in a statewide data intermediary include:
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Nonprofits will need technical assistance, training, and resources to participate in a program that would provide information to a data intermediary. Without additional resources and funding for participation, some nonprofits may have to choose between providing information to a data intermediary or providing more services to the populations they serve.
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Nonprofits need to trust the entity serving as a data intermediary—and that entity should be known for its protection and safeguarding of data with appropriate security and privacy provisions.
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Nonprofits identified that they would like to receive the following information from their participation in a data intermediary: data useful for strategic planning, regional and statewide summary data for benchmarking, and information on state services utilized.
Options for implementing a data intermediary for nonprofits include:
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The State of CT can develop a new and independent data environment that follows the report’s recommendations including ensuring data security and privacy regulations are met, understanding of legal regulations, operating a mature data governance, and providing training and technical assistance. This option would need a significant amount of funding and resources.
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P20 WIN can expand its capacity to serve as the data intermediary. However, P20 WIN’s capacity is already limited and it would need an infusion of resources, including financial, human resources, and infrastructure support.
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Expand the capacity of a current organization who already operates as a data intermediary; the report summarizes the context, current operations, and ability of data intermediaries interviewed to meet the needs for a Connecticut specific data intermediary for nonprofits serving disconnected youth.
Regardless of which implementation option is selected, a pilot program is recommended to test ideas before a program is solidified. The pilot program should consider developing project goals, a work group/steering committee, and a method to evaluate funding options.
Final Report: Bridging the Data Gap: Creating State-Wide Data Pathways to Support Connecticut's Disconnected Youth Report
Final Report Slides Presentation: Bridging the Data Gap: Creating State-Wide Data Pathways to Support Connecticut's Disconnected Youth Presentation
In addition, to increase transparency and data in the service of disconnected youth, OPM has developed a supplemental dashboard on nonprofit expenditures by the state.