Iowa has developed a unique ecosystem to set its children up for success. And what’s at the crux of that ecosystem?

Data.

Dr. Heather Rouse, associate professor of human development and family studies at Iowa State University, and Amanda Winslow, Early Childhood Iowa system facilitator at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, join guest host Curt Merlau to discuss how their partnership enabled informed decision-making for Iowa’s early childhood initiative.

Heather and Amanda share the process of building an integrated data system. They explain why it was a crucial piece of their initiative, unlocking insights across various early childhood programs. They emphasize the importance of trust in any data-driven project and share how they have built trust with community partners throughout their initiative.

Resources from this episode:

• Child Trends survey
• Early Childhood Iowa

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How integrated data systems enable better decision-making
• Why trusted partnerships are a vital part of data-driven leadership
• The importance of usability, trust, and data literacy

Things to listen for:

[06:30] The need for an integrated data system

[14:30] What an integrated data system is

[18:45] The importance of usability and trust

[24:00] Promoting data literate communities

[29:30] How Iowa’s integrated data system has enabled better decision-making