Convened by UNITE-LA
In 2016, UNITE-LA launched the L.A. Compact Data Workgroup, which involved 35 data experts and institutional researchers from 16 L.A. Compact partnering institutions. The group’s mandate was to identify appropriate metrics to be featured on the L.A. Compact Charting Progress Dashboard, via a collaborative process described here. The entire L.A. Compact Data Workgroup convened bimonthly in 2016-2018, followed by convenings of four subject-area L.A. Compact Data Workgroup Subgroups (ECE, K-12, Higher Education, and Workforce) in 2019. The collaborative of data experts identified more than 20 metrics deemed optimal to measure longitudinal progress on the Compact’s five cradle-to-career goals and to highlight systemic barriers faced by L.A. County youth.
These efforts culminated in the soft-launch of the L.A. Compact Charting Progress Dashboard in 2019, followed by a 2020 Data to Action kickoff event, featuring a data-driven panel discussion with the region’s cradle-to-career leaders. While the L.A. Compact Data Workgroup no longer convenes regularly, UNITE-LA continues to consult with Data Workgroup members on metrics updates and revisions.
Mutual accountability for student success is central to the L.A. Compact’s commitment to collaboration. Our vision for the Charting Progress Dashboard is to provide a complete, accessible cradle through career education and workforce snapshot of the state of L.A. County children and youth, promoting shared measurement and accountability for the L.A. Compact’s goals.
Today, UNITE-LA and the LA Compact maintain and update the Charting Progress dashboard with new rounds of data, allowing the public to visualize systemic challenges and critical areas of need. Transparency in data presentation supports increased understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to early care and education, high school graduation, college access and success, and career readiness. Equipped with the latest information, stakeholders and members of the public can advocate on behalf of programming, system-wide changes, and policies aligned with current cradle-to-career education and workforce needs.
Future iterations of the dashboard will include new workforce development metrics and additional data disaggregated by sub-group. The Compact will also launch a data dashboard focused on foster youth, supporting and amplifying the impact of the Opportunity Youth Collaborative.