Using Indicators to Engage Citizens: The Oregon Progress Board Experience

1. Using Indicators to Engage Citizens:The Oregon Progress Board Experience Jeffrey Tryens Civil Society Session OECD Statistics, Knowledge & Policy Conference OECD World Forum “Statistics, Knowledge and Policy”, Palermo, 10 - 13 November 2004 2

3. Strategic Planning in Oregon • Oregon's Strategic Plan -Oregon Shines -Drafted in 1989 -Updated every eight years -Encompasses the entire state • Oregon Progress Board -Monitors implementation of plan -Chaired by the Governor -Created -1990/reauthorized -1997

4. The focus is on the Oregon Benchmarks. Results Not Effort

5. How Benchmarks Are Developed • Benchmarks are reviewed biennially by the Progress Board. • Anyone can suggest a change. • Since 1989, Over 8,000 Oregonians have been involved in the process. • Benchmarks must meet certain criteria....

6. Link to an Oregon Shines' goal • Emphasize results, not effort • Be measurable • Be policy relevant • Be understandable • Be comparable to a standard • Be economical to gather An Oregon Benchmark should:

7. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters • Articulate a Vision for the Future • Encourage Collaboration • Assess Progress • Improve Government Performance

8. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters

9. Use #1: Identify What Matters • Benchmarks have been in place for 14 years. • About 25% of Oregon adults have heard of the Oregon Benchmarks. • Virtually no criticism of the measures per se. • Benchmarks are identified in many policy arenas as guide posts. Oregon Experience – Works well.

10. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters 2. Articulate a Vision for the Future

11. The Elements of Oregon Shines  Economy: Quality jobs for all Oregonians  People: Safe, caring and engaged communities  Environment: Healthy, sustainable surroundings

12. Use #2: Articulate a Vision • Many benchmarks flow out of Oregon Shines. • Vision informs benchmark targets. • To many, the benchmarks are the vision. • Most leaders know little of the details of Oregon Shines. Oregon Experience – Worth doing.

13. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters • Articulate a Vision for the Future 3. Encourage Collaboration

14. Benchmarks have been part of many collaborations in Oregon. Partners for Children and Families K – 12 Education Reform Early Immunization Initiative Key Industries Initiative Central Oregon Health Council Oregon Option Juvenile Crime Reduction Strategy

15. Collaborationwas credited for a county’s dramatic drop in teen pregnancy. Oregon Health Division

16. However recent data, post-collaboration, shows similar results. Oregon Health Division

17. EXAMPLE Juvenile Crime Prevention Initiative

18. Juvenile Crime Prevention Juvenile Arrests Academic Achievement Peer Association Family Environment Alcohol & Drug Use Behavior Friends who: • have been suspended • carry a gun • smoke • have stolen a vehicle • dropped out of school • use drugs • have been arrested • drink alcohol • Runaways • Training school commitments • Arrests • Vandalism • Absenteeism • HS graduation • School mobility • Drop out • Truancy • Disciplinary problems • Test scores • Alcohol use • Drug use • Tobacco use • Child abuse • SCF cases • Foster care placement • Family management discipline conflict history support for conventional activity 88 Agency Performance Measures

19. Use #4: Encourage Collaboration • “Benchmarks are magnets for collaboration!” • Getting disparate people to work toward a common result is powerful. • Setting up the collaboration is hard; holding each other accountable is…….. • Benchmarks are important for collaboration but necessary. Oregon Experience – Some success.

20. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters • Articulate a Vision for the Future • Encourage Collaboration 4. Assess Progress

21. Benchmark Performance Reports are the Progress Board’s bread and butter. Answers the question - Are we making progress? • Published biennially • Provides data, targets, and analysis on all benchmarks • Looks at both long-term trends and target attainment

22. Use #4: Assess Progress • One of the Board’s key roles is assessing progress based on benchmark trends. • Major papers usually give the report good coverage. • Finding an appropriate setting in the legislature for review has been difficult. • Assessments only occasionally figure prominently in budget or policy decisions. Oregon Experience – Good, but underutilized.

23. Oregon Uses of the Benchmarks • Identify What Matters • Articulate a Vision for the Future • Assess Progress • Encourage Collaboration 5. Improve Government Performance

24. Any organization, public or private, has only partial influence over Benchmarks. Oregon’s Progress Benchmarks External Influences Organization’s Performance Performance Measures

25. Is society benefiting? High Level Outcomes (Benchmarks) So we “link” benchmarks to agency output measures … Intermediate Outcomes Are strategies working? Is work happening? Outputs

26. EXAMPLE Pre-K Expansion

27. % of children coming to school "ready to learn" High Level Outcome % of eligible children who completed the program Intermediate Outcome % of family needs assessments completed Output Creating a Measurement System: A Linked Set of Pre-K Measures

28. Use #5: Improve Government Performance • This is the state’s primary focus for using benchmarks, today. • All agencies have performance measures linked to benchmarks, more or less. • Without this function, the Progress Board would no longer receive state funding. • Benchmarks require agency staff to look beyond their day-to-day worlds. Oregon Experience – Most promising!

29. What has the Oregon Shines’ process accomplished in Oregon? • Oregon Shines’ economic strategy is established. • The level of discourse about the state’s future has been raised. • Benchmarks are the top level quality of life measures for the state. • State government is more aligned toward outcomes. • Better outcomes - ????

30. Involve leadership. • Strive for simple and clear. • Link goals and measures. • Start from where you are. • Be inclusive. • Be relentless. • Be realistic. • Just having the data is not enough. What have we learned?

31. www.econ.state.or.us/opb • Oregon Shines II • Oregon State of the Environment Report • 10 Ideas for Improving Oregon State Government • Oregon Business Plan: How is Oregon Doing? • Performance Measure Guidelines for State Agencies • 2003 Benchmark Performance Report • 2002 County Benchmark Data Book • Achieving Better Health Outcomes: The Oregon Benchmark Experience