Data Governance

Securing and aligning data to improve outcomes for South Carolina's children

The SC Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) plays a critical role in establishing the policies and procedures that protect and govern data on South Carolina's children and families. As the state lead for early childhood data governance, the ECAC ensures that data systems are secure, aligned across agencies, and used to inform better programs and policies for children and families.

Governance Structure and Purpose

The ECAC houses a Data Governance Coordinator who leads strategic planning and stakeholder engagement to align data systems across South Carolina’s early childhood programs. Data governance is operationalized through Data Governance Work Groups (DGWGs), which oversee specific initiatives and ensure compliance with the ECAC’s Data Governance Charter.

Each DGWG includes representatives from participating programs, chosen for their expertise and alignment with the group’s purpose. These workgroups define how data is collected, shared, and used to make informed decisions about early childhood programs statewide. The ECAC relies on the leadership of DGWG members to manage data requests and ensure the responsible use of collective data to improve outcomes for children and families.

Current Data Initiatives

The ECAC Data Hub consolidates data dashboards and reports from early childhood programs across the state. Two key initiatives within the Data Hub include:

• Early Learning Extension of the K-12 Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS): Integrates early childhood data with the K-12 system to track children’s progress from early learning through school.
• Palmetto Drive to Five Dashboard: Connects data from multiple early childhood-serving agencies into a single, comprehensive dashboard.

The ECAC Data Governance Work Groups ensure that these initiatives follow the Data Governance Charter and align with state legislation under SC State Code 63-11-1725. The ECAC’s governance framework ensures that all participating programs are aligned and data is managed responsibly, supporting transparency and accountability in statewide early childhood programs.

Resources

[Note: Key data governance documents go here.]