The latest results from the Data Quality Campaign’s (DQC) 2024 public opinion polling show many early childhood administrators understand that data is essential for their work and want better access to it, but many also shared that data collection and reporting requirements tend to be inefficient and often overwhelming.
Nearly all of those surveyed — 97 percent — reported that using data has significantly improved their decision-making processes and leads to better outcomes. Administrators largely agreed that using data improves teaching and/or care (99 percent), program quality (97 percent), individualized supports (97 percent) and outcomes for children (95 percent).
However, 95 percent of respondents also said they need more training on how to effectively use data, and 88 percent said their organization lacks the necessary tools to properly analyze data.
“Early childhood administrators value data and use it to ensure our youngest children have what they need to thrive during a pivotal period of physical and mental development,” said Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, DQC president and CEO. “As states enhance their data infrastructure, state leaders must ensure those enhancements benefit early childhood administrators by providing them with better access to data and easing data collection and reporting burdens that take up valuable time and energy.”
Among the 260 early childhood administrators surveyed, 96 percent of respondents said they wish data collection was more efficient. Results showed that several common challenges complicate the reporting process, including managing multiple data collection sources (42 percent), duplicative reporting requirements (38 percent), outdated technology interfaces (37 percent) and incompatible record formats (30 percent).
Results also show that 71 percent of respondents indicate they are required to report data to state or federal agencies, but 81 percent said the feedback they receive from agencies isn’t necessarily useful to them. States should prioritize more streamlined reporting to ensure that these processes take less of administrators’ time while increasing the data’s value to them, according to the DQC.