Linking Data to Hawaiʻi’s Future
Plenary Session
Hawaii: The Teenager with the Car: P-20W States Driving Their Own Research Agendas
DJ Cratty, AIR
Presentation: P-20W States Driving Their Own Research Agendas (PDF, 1 MB)
Early Childhood Data Systems: The Benefits are Worth the Challenges
Nancy Smith, DataSmith Solutions
Presentation: Early Childhood Data Systems: The Benefits are Worth the Challenges (PDF, 3.5 MB)
Concurrent Sessions
Session I
With a nationwide focus on multi-agency data sharing, the preponderance of conflicting priorities and resources make alignment of systems especially difficult. This session will provide some examples of multi-agency data sharing, considerations to think about as you work with other agencies, and discuss approaches to alignment of data to applicable laws. In addition, we will look at some of the challenges and risks that slow the progress and even halt well-intentioned initiatives.
Presenters:
- Baron Rodriguez, Director, Privacy Technical Assistance Center/State Support Team
Presentation:
Is it possible to avoid the misconceptions, misunderstandings, and biases that often creep into the decision-making process? Learn to counter these challenges by becoming a champion for data analysis in your organization. We’ll share some of the proven tools and methods that have facilitated sound decision making in Kamehameha Schools’ strategic planning process, including what worked and didn’t work.
Presenters:
- Dr. Shawn M. Kanaʻiaupuni, PhD, Public Education Support Division Director and Strategic Plan Lead/Project Manager, Kamehameha Schools
- Mr. Justin Hong, Research Associate II
- Ms. Kanani Young Harris, Senior Business Analyst
Resource Link: Kamehameha School Strategic Plan 2015-2020
This session presents findings from two statewide longitudinal studies of challenging student transitions from preparation for success in elementary grades through to postsecondary and workforce. The studies explore the relationship between large, early income-achievement gaps and subsequent low rates of high school graduation and college readiness. The findings are discussed in the context of their use by teachers, counselors, principals, program officers, and policymakers. The session explores the ways in which information about the local data and educational context was used to replace academic assumptions, making the findings more relevant and actionable. Also discussed, is how the K-12 studies are combined with early childhood, postsecondary, and workforce research to help states prioritize elements for their cross-sector data links.
Specifically, second grade math and reading scores and special education, ELL, and socioeconomic status are observed for all students in a large state, with classroom and teacher characteristics observed as of 3rd grade. Among the outcomes compared, are high school graduation, on-time graduation, GPA, and enrollment in college preparatory math courses. In the interim years, additional relationships are studied between math and reading test score growth, absenteeism, suspensions, retention, mobility, school type, and early grade advanced learning opportunities.
Presenter:
- Dorothyjean (DJ) Cratty, Senior Researcher, American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Presentation:
This session will introduce participants to Hawaii’s data and will highlight which students in Hawaii are most likely to be chronically absent, some of the factors related to chronic absenteeism and what effects absenteeism has on student outcomes. In addition to the data, participants will learn how Hawaii’s is addressing chronic absenteeism from a policy perspective.
Presenter:
- Dave Moyer, Data Fellow, Hawaii Department of Education
Presentation:
How do the Community Colleges respond to State workforce training needs? What kinds of data do the Community Colleges use to inform policy, practice, operations, and budget decisions? What data is used to determine if a new CTE instructional program is necessary and economically feasible? The Directors of Workforce Development and of Career and Technical Education will share how their offices assist instructional and administrative decision-makers within the UHCC system.
Presenters:
- Scott Murakami, UHCC Director of Workforce Dev
- Bernadette Howard, State Director for Career & Technical Education
Presentation:
Session 1 is an overview of the partnership between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Hawaii Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, and a comparison of the employment/unemployment products that they cooperatively produce. A more detailed look at the cornerstone employment program (UI-based Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages) will be covered, time permitting.
Presenter:
- Dennis Reid, Assistant Regional Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor)
Presentation:
Session II
GEAR UP Hawaiʻi is a state-wide, federally-funded program that provides services to improve college access for low-income middle and high school students attending Hawai‘i public schools as well as increase successful college enrollment and completion of low-income first year students attending a University of Hawaiʻi (UH) campus. Over the past year GEAR UP Hawaiʻi has moved toward becoming a more data-driven program by utilizing data collected for accountability purposes to identify areas of need in order to focus project goals each year. Though helpful, data required by the federal government for reporting was somewhat narrow and limited in its ability to inform program planning. In this presentation, program staff will describe how GEAR UP Hawaiʻi used cross-sector data available in the College and Career Readiness Indicators (CCRI) report to supplement accountability data for a better understanding of program needs. Specifically, program staff will discuss planning questions and the associated accountability data and CCRI data used to address the questions in three areas; promoting accelerated learning options, increasing college aspirations, and supporting students in their first year of college. The presentation will also discuss the strengths and limitations of using publicly available cross-sector data to assess needs.
Presenters:
- Nicole Atwood, GEAR UP Program Lead and Evaluation Specialist, Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education
- Jen Naguwa, GEAR UP Program Lead and Evaluation Specialist, Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education
- Sena Pierce, GEAR UP Program Lead and Evaluation Specialist, Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education
Presentation:
Effective evidence-based action requires getting the right data into the right hands at the right time to help make decisions. Publicly available data sources have the potential to assist educators, policy makers, and other education stakeholders in Hawai‘i with making evidence-based decisions related to education policy, programming, and support. As such, this presentation provides guidance to education researchers on how to access publicly available data sources, the questions that can be supported by the data sources, and the limitations of the data sources in order to support the advancement of education research and evidence-based decision making in Hawai‘i. To identify available sources of publicly available data specific to Hawai‘i, REL Pacific researchers solicited initial recommendations from 2013 Annual Hawaii Partnership for Educational Research Consortium (HPERC) Symposium attendees. REL Pacific researchers examined the list provided by the symposium attendees and conducted additional searches to compile guiding information on data sources that are publicly available, Hawai‘i-specific, and address at least one of HPERC’s nine research priority areas.
Presenter:
- J. Isip, Consulting Manager, McREL International
- N. Dandapani, Research Specialist, McREL International
- E. Allen, Director of STEM, PREL
Presentation:
Does early childhood education make a difference? Does the type of early childhood program matter in terms of long-term educational outcomes? How do we know where to effectively invest our resources? To date, Hawai’i does not have a way to gather the data to answer these questions in a cost effective way, either from an early childhood perspective or from a cross-sector perspective that looks at long-tern educational outcomes. This presentation will include a discussion of the power of a centralized early childhood data system that can be used to answer these and other critical policy questions. In particular, the presentation will address current planning activities for an early childhood data system, including the scope and purpose, priority policy and research questions, and governance activities to ensure effective decision-making and the protection of student confidentiality and privacy of data.
Presenter:
- Nancy Smith, PhD, DataSmith Solutions
Presentation:
This presentation will give a history into the development of the Nanakuli-Wai’anae complex dashboard and reports in iResult, along with the potential usage from the complex and school level.
Presenters:
- John Wataoka, Complex Academic Officer, Nanakuli-Wai’anae Complex Area – Dept. of Education
- D. Nagato
- C. Masutomi
Presentation:
The presentation will discuss factors that impact the earnings of recent graduates at the University of Hawaii. The study compares wages of graduates of certificates for programs of one year or more, associate degrees, bachelor degrees and graduate level education. The generalized linear model (GLM) confirms that the most important indicators affecting college graduates’ labor market earnings (by their rank of importance): student’s academic major, degree, industry they work, age, gender and their family financial background. This study did not find significant impact of underrepresented minority status on labor market earnings. Graduate degrees (master and above) had higher earnings than bachelor’s, while the bachelor’s had higher earnings than associate’s degree and certificates. Students with majors in healthcare, education, STEM, business and communication tended to have higher earnings, and students in the construction, utilities, education, public services, and healthcare industries also tended to have higher earnings. Women tend to have lower earnings but the gap decreases as the level of degree increases.
Presenters:
- Winnie Wu, UH System IRAO
- Sanford Beppu, UH System IRAO
- Ming Zhang, UH System IRAO
Session 2 covers the programs in the monthly jobs report: Current Employment Statistics provides employment based on a sample of businesses, and Local Area Unemployment Statistics provides local unemployment rates.
Presenter:
- Dennis Reid, Assistant Regional Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor)
Presentation:
Session III
Teachers and school leaders around the country, including Hawaii, are being asked to use data in making decisions about curriculum, instructional practices, and more. The cycle of data driven decision-making is infused in professional development activities. But what underlying knowledge and skills to teachers and principals need in order to effectively engage in this process? In November 2013, the Hawaii P-20 group in collaboration with the Hawaii Department of Education invited representatives from Hawaii’s teacher preparation programs to engage in discussions about this question. Eventually this state-level effort merged with a larger national discussion in which 15 states participated. With the Hawaii work as a model, a set of essential knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors was identified and released publicly in July 2014. Join us in learning more about the knowledge, skills and professional behaviors identified and about the journey we took in developing them. This is your opportunity to provide feedback on our work and engage in discussion about where we might go next. If you are interested in reviewing the material we have created thus far, click on the pdf icon below.
Presenters:
- Christine Sorensen Irvine, PhD, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
- Justin Katahira, Hawai‘i P-20
Presentation:
The early childhood system nationally and within our State is comprised of a patchwork of public and private programs and services, administered by multiple agencies. With the establishment of the Executive Office on Early Learning (EOEL) through Act 178 (2012) we have been working on ways to enhance our cross-department partnerships and align our policies so that we better meet the needs of the children and families of Hawaii.
This presentation will include a discussion of how we can use data and the type of data needed to make more informed policy decisions, target investments to the greatest areas of need and more successfully track the health, safety, development and learning of our youngest. In particular, the presentation will highlight current planning efforts for aligning early childhood data systems and governance activities. It will also touch upon some of the challenges we face in ensuring the protection and confidentiality of data.
Presenter:
- GG Weisenfeld, Ed.D., Director, Executive Office on Early Learning
The Hawai‘i Community Foundation and 13 other funders and donors are supporting 10 HiDOE middle schools over three years to focus and strengthen their identification, interventions, and tracking of their 6th, 7th, and 8th graders most at risk of dropping out and not completing 9th grade. The Connecting for Success (CFS) program was designed to support the schools’ understanding and use of the HiDOE Early Warning System (HEWS) to identify and track a cohort of most at-risk students. In the first year of implementation (2013-2014) schools greatly strengthened their capacity to use HEWS and to use data better and more often in their planning and progress tracking. Additional challenges and lessons were observed during the first year around school data practices and capacity. This session will describe a framework for school data use and capacity and what the first year of the evaluation assessed in school data routines and practices, including some lessons and remaining challenges.
Presenters:
- Tammi Chun, Vice President for Programs, Hawaii Community Foundation
- Tom Kelly, Vice President for Knowledge, Evaluation & Learning, Hawaii Community Foundation
Presentation:
Want to know how much you’ll earn if you work in a computer occupation? Do you know how many job openings are projected for registered nurses and what skills are needed to work in this field? Find out about the wages, projected demand, education requirements, and the skills needed to gain entry into various occupations, all necessary information for individuals trying to make informed decisions about their future. Learn about the different labor market data produced by the Hawaii State Department of Labor and take a tour of our HIWI website.
Presenter:
- Melonie Ogata, Research Statistician, State of Hawaii – Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
Presentation:
Session 3 covers the OES program. As in “How many carpenters are there, and how much are they paid?” Other BLS employment related programs will be covered, time permitting.
Presenter:
- Dennis Reid, Assistant Regional Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics (US Department of Labor)
Presentation: