- Karie Portillo
- Karie.Portillo@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – This week, Governor Newsom signed AB 132, the higher education trailer bill, which establishes the Cradle to Career Data System and makes a number of historic investments in higher education in California.
“I want to thank the Governor for championing this issue and understanding the value of high-quality data in the decision-making process,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “With the establishment of the Cradle to Career Data System, California will finally bring our disconnected data systems into the 21st Century. California is one of the largest education systems in the world, so this tool will be invaluable to better understand the entire student experience and identify systemic barriers in the education-to-employment pipeline.”
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (Thousand Oaks – D) introduced AB 99, the Cradle-to-Career Data System Act, earlier this year and secured the inclusion of its main provisions in the annual budget package with the support of dozens of social justice, educational equity, and workforce development organizations. By linking California’s existing education, workforce, financial aid, and social service information, policymakers, educators, and the public will be empowered to better address disparities in opportunities and improve outcomes for all students throughout the state.
“Despite California’s leading role in technology and innovation, policymakers and researchers are still unable to answer basic questions about student progression and outcomes. We are also unable to fully evaluate whether policy changes and budget augmentations are actually working as intended,” Assemblymember Irwin stated. “With this investment in a secure yet transparent data system, students, parents, and policymakers will finally have the tools and information they need to successfully chart their path from early education, through K-12 and higher ed, and into the workforce.”
"Champions of equitable educational access across the state should celebrate this significant step forward in the development of the Cradle-to-Career Data System, said Su Jin Gatlin Jez, Executive Director of California Competes. This data system will be the strongest data system in the country and the bedrock of meaningful change in California education policy throughout the rest of the 21st century. California Competes congratulates the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom for choosing evidence-driven reform by acknowledging the need for a carefully considered data system with intentional leadership. Thank you to Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin for her commitment to data-driven policymaking."
The data system will be a neutral source of high-quality information, paired with tools to help a range of stakeholders take action on this information. The public will have open access to dashboards, a query builder, fact sheets, and a research library. Researchers will be able to request access to restricted data for authorized purposes. Students and their families will be able to use a suite of operational tools that support college and career planning, college-eligibility monitoring, electronic transcripts, and access to financial aid and other services.
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin represents California’s 44th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, and Santa Rosa Valley.
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