Workforce outcomes still not a state data priority.

On December 2, the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) released its 2011 survey of states’ progress in using education data systems to track student progress and employment across the P-20/W continuum. States continue to show progress in creating data systems aligned with DQC’s recommendations: 51 of 52 states (including Puerto Rico and District of Columbia) report adopting at least eight of the ten DQC Essential Elements. But when it comes to incorporating workforce programs and employment outcomes into those statewide data systems, most states are falling short. While a majority of states (36) are tracking the progress of graduates from their K-12 systems into college, only nine states are documenting what happens to K-12 students who go on to employment or other workforce education or training programs, and only twelve states are assessing employment outcomes for their full-time college graduates. During the DQC’s national webinar release of its survey, DQC Executive Director Aimee Guidera noted the formation of a new Workforce Data Quality Campaign, being organized by National Skills Coalition and other national partners, as an affiliated effort to address some of these issues.

The DQC is planning a number of “hot topic” follow-up webinars on particular issues identified within the survey.  Click here to learn more about the DQC, or here to learn more about the Workforce Data Quality Campaign.