SACRAMENTO – Today, Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon appointed Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (Thousand Oaks – D) to serve on the Cradle-to-Career Data System Governing Board. Established as part of the 2021-2022 Budget Act, the Cradle-to-Career Data System will link California’s existing education, workforce, financial aid, and social service information. These tools will help students and families more easily navigate the educational pipeline, as well as empower policymakers and educators to address disparities in opportunities and improve outcomes for all students throughout the state.
“The COVID-19 pandemic and associated learning disruptions have made absolutely clear the need for reliable data that spans across educational segments and institutions,” Assemblymember Irwin said. “This data system will be critical in identifying high impact practices, targeting resources where they are most needed to close equity gaps, and ensuring that all students have access to a roadmap for achieving their goals.”
“I couldn’t be more pleased to appoint Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to the Cradle-to-Career Data System Governing Board,” Speaker Rendon said. “Her wealth of knowledge and experience in systems engineering, education, and cybersecurity are a tremendous asset. I know she will serve California’s students well in this important role.”
Assemblymember Irwin previously secured funding in the 2019-2020 Budget Act to convene more than 200 stakeholders from 15 state agencies, numerous educational institutions, research & policy organizations, and community groups to design a blueprint for the Cradle-to-Career Data System that leveraged existing infrastructure and ensured data privacy and security. Last year, Assemblymember Irwin introduced AB 99, which codified many of the recommendations from the working group and its provisions were incorporated into the higher education trailer bill that ultimately established the data system.
“California is one of just a handful of states that does not already have such a system in place, which is why I have made improving our disparate data systems a priority over the past several years,” Assemblymember Irwin said. “While existing data systems capture student progress in K-12 and higher education, we lack the ability to do so as individuals advance from one level to the next. These key transition points are often where the greatest barriers to success are hidden, which I saw firsthand through my prior efforts to reform placement and remedial education practices at the California Community Colleges.”
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 access to aggregate and de-identified data via publicly facing 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.
“I am thrilled at the opportunity to continue this important work by serving on the Governing Board where I will help ensure this system remains focused on providing all Californians with the complete picture of a student’s journey from early education, through K-12 and higher ed, and into the workforce,” Assemblymember Irwin said.
Assemblymember Irwin’s website: http://asmdc.org/irwin
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.