Using Data to Inform the National Dialogue on Education and the Economy

1. Using Data to Inform the National Dialogue on Education and the Economy Center on Education and the Workforce Presentation by Nicole Smith at the 2009 SHEEO/NCES NETWORK CONFERENCE AND IPEDS WORKSHOP May 22, 2009

2. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 • H.R.1: 69-70 • “For an additional amount for “Institute of Education Sciences” to carry out section 208 of the Education and Technical Assistance Act, $250m, which may be used for Statewide data systems that include postsecondary and workforce information, of which up to $5m, may be used for State data coordination and for awards to public or private organizations or agencies to improve data coordination” Center on Education and the Workforce

3. Summary Slide • Stimulus package provides funding for states to improve data coordination: • K-12 • Post-secondary • Workforce • This document presents a list of suggestions from a data-user and policy-making perspective for current data collection mechanisms to better connect education and employment systems Center on Education and the Workforce

4. Vision • Individual level longitudinal data connecting K-12 to postsecondary attainment to workforce outcomes • Data: {curricula, transcripts, SES, demographics, wages} • Licenses, certifications and employability by state • Information on transferability of licenses and certifications across state • Education supply. Stock of highest education level achieved Center on Education and the Workforce

5. What we have • Data that weakly connects post-secondary Curricula to Employability • CIP-SOC crosswalk facilitates transitive links to: • CPS(socioeconomic characteristics of workers with CIP courses by SOC code)* • NAICS(industries that typically hire workers by CIP code) • O*NET(KSAs of occupation and CIP courses required by occupation) • *Usual way to connect socioeconomic characteristics of post-secondary Americans is through on Pell Grant Information. • Shortcomings: • Some CIPs and SOCs remain unmatched • Information on differential enrollment by race and income, not SES Center on Education and the Workforce

6. What we would like • Data that better connects Secondary/Post-secondary education to Student Characteristics • SES (socioeconomic status) of the student body • Information by race and income level are currently available • Particularly relevant to affirmative action and college enrollment debate Center on Education and the Workforce

7. What we would like Data that better connects Secondary/Post-secondary education to Student Characteristics • Why? • Parental education, parental income, parental occupation for individual institutions, (since post-secondary institutions are highly selective by SES). • Need to provide access and choice throughout the income distribution, not just the upper tail. Center on Education and the Workforce

8. What we would like Data that better connects Secondary/Post-secondary education to employment outcomes Connect graduates from all institutions (selective and proprietary) to wages • CIP/wages • Transcript/wages • Major/wages • Are students working in their major? Possible Vehicle? National Student Clearing House Improved Center on Education and the Workforce

9. What we would like Data that better connects Secondary/Post-secondary education to employment outcomes Why? • Information at the transcript level would allow us to estimate the market value added per course. (Florida). Examine the value of “course clusters.” • Are students working in their major? Information by major allows permits research into the transferability of skill and job market*value* of credentials. A lot of evidence exists to show people working in major are likely to earn higher wages Center on Education and the Workforce

10. What we would like • Data that connects Occupational and State Licensing Requirements to Employability • No known data system connects licenses and certifications to SOC. • No known national data system/repository of state licensing requirements by SOC. • Essential for market access to some occupations. Why? • Licenses for technical occupations differ across state. • Can provide information on portability and flexibility of licenses across state. Center on Education and the Workforce

11. What we would like • Data that better connects Curricula and Employability • Lessons from European tuning system • Non market-based strategy designed to understand curricula and to make them comparable. • Lumina Foundation has launched faculty-led process that links college degrees to workplace relevance and students’ mastery of agreed-upon learning objectives. • Focused in scope by state and subject. Center on Education and the Workforce

12. What we would like • Data that better connects Curricula and Employability • Lessons from European tuning system Why? • Cohesive examination of knowledge, skills and ability requirements by curricula. • Opportunity for collaboration across states in defining learning outcomes and employability. Center on Education and the Workforce

13. What we would like • Data that better connects Training to Employability • We have O*NET • But it is cross-sectional and tells us nothing about how training requirements have changed over time • Problems of uniformity of O*Net categories within and across questions • Problems with statistical reliability of incumbent responses • Data that facilitates estimates of Education Supply • Not only degrees conferred, but for example total number of BAs where a BA is the highest education level of an individual. As it stands, using NCES data is subject to double counting. Center on Education and the Workforce

14. Avoid • Focus on the bottom. Instead, focus on the full distribution • E.g. NCLB which focused data on failed schools and failed students. • We should track annual yearly progress for all students. • Decisions on measurement questions should be taken away from the political vagaries of Congress and given to a nonpartisan independent technical advisory Board which understands data. Center on Education and the Workforce

15. How do we get there? • Adequate funding at the Federal and State level • Inclusion of a certificate question in national databases (ACS, CPS). We have a question in SIPP and NHES data, but not available annually. • Inclusion of a certification question in national data (ACS, CPS) • Collect wage information of 2 year and 4 year college graduates Center on Education and the Workforce