Data Hub

The term ECIDS is often used to describe a data system that collects, stores, integrates, and maintains data from early childhood programs across multiple agencies within a state. The combined information is used to inform service delivery, public policy, and future investments to ensure all children have access to the supports they need to succeed in school and in life. The ECAC Data Hub is fueled by SC’s Early Childhood Integrated Data System (SC ECIDS). SC ECIDS is a data governance framework governed by the Early Childhood Advisory Council that currently oversees two initiatives, the Palmetto Drive to Five dashboard and the Early Learning Extension of the K-12 Statewide Longitudinal Data System. A data governance framework outlines all of the policies and procedures for participating in integrated data initiatives, as well as data security, confidentiality, sharing, reporting, and requesting.

An early childhood integrated data system (ECIDS) collects, integrates, maintains, stores, and reports information from early childhood programs across multiple agencies within a state that serve children and families. The broad purpose of establishing this in SC is to provide integrated, cross-program data to inform decisions about early childhood policies, services, and education.

The ECAC serves as the governing body for the SC ECIDS responsibility and specific duties as described in the following Charter to accomplish the legislative goals codified in SC State Code (§63-11-1725), particularly goals: “(4) develop recommendations regarding the establishment of a unified data collection system for public early childhood education and development programs and services throughout the State;” “(8) develop and publish, using available demographic data, an indicators-based measure of school readiness at the state and community level.” Each initiative of the SC ECIDS is operationalized by a Data Governance Work Group, led by the ECAC Data Governance Coordinator.

It is the responsibility of participating programs to select the most appropriate representative to serve on each DGWG. The different types of early childhood agencies and program representatives on each DGWG will be - Early Childhood Program Experts, Data Stewards, Technical Data Stewards/Technical Experts and an Advisory Member. The various roles and responsibilities of each representative type is outlined in the Data Governance charter.

The ECAC will serve as the governing body and venue for collective decision making of the ECIDS Data Governance. The DGWG is accountable to the ECAC and will escalate and report on data governance matters via appropriate channels. Each Data Governance Work Group seeks consensus from participating members on decisions related to procedures, processes, and standards to operationalize the SC ECIDS and recommendations proposed to the ECAC. It is the responsibility of the Data Governance Coordinator to facilitate and manage decisions and recommendations of each DGWG, to enable decision-making, and aid in issue resolution.

THE FACTS

The ECAC Data Hub and First Five SC are initiatives of the ECAC, however they are different in how they will support families and children in SC. The ECAC Data Hub is a single place for early childhood experts, policy makers, and the public to access aggregate reports of early childhood data in SC. Two current initiatives featured in the Early Childhood Data Hub are:

1. SC EARLY LEARNING EXTENSION (ELE) OF THE K-12 STATEWIDE LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEM: A key data project the ECAC Data Center is the SC Early Learning Extension (ELE). The ELE will be able to answer key questions about children while they were enrolled in early childhood care and education programs and link those experiences with K-12 outcomes. The technical lead on the ELE is the SC Department of Education.  
2. PALMETTO DRIVE TO 5 (PDT5): The PDt5 will be built for early childhood data, including new data inputs into the SC Integrated Data System and leverage existing data inputs for evidence-based decision-making. The technical lead on this initiative is the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. This is funded by the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Initiative (PDG B-5), Grant Number 90TP0080-01-00, from the Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through April 2023.

THE FACTS

The ECAC Data Center does not collect data. It is a place where aggregate data will be displayed. We are not participating in any project to create a national or multi-state database of personally identifiable student information. 

THE FACTS

The ECAC Data Hub does not collect or warehouse data at all, personal or otherwise. Data is linked together using the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) which is a trusted state entity and is responsible for providing insightful research, analysis, and resources to facilitate informed policy decisions and administration of services. The Data Hub will generate information based on statistics instead of individual data.