Foster Care and Education Data Guide — Legal Center for Foster Care & Education

Foster Care and Education Data Guide: A Process and Tools for Collection, Analysis, and Collaboration

Children in foster care often face poorer educational outcomes compared to their peers, making collaboration between education, child welfare systems, and those with lived experience essential. Effective data practices are key to identifying successes and addressing areas in need of improvement. This Guide supports child welfare agencies, education systems, and third-party partners in improving educational outcomes for youth in foster care through effective data collection, sharing, and reporting. It provides actionable steps to assess data capacity, address gaps, and foster cross-system collaboration, offering practical tools, examples, and strategies tailored to diverse contexts and goals.

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Chapter One: Foundational Processes for Data Practices

· Steps for forming collaborative teams, establishing a shared vision, and setting measurable goals to guide data initiatives.

· Tools: Teaming Checklist Tool to Build an Effective Self-Assessment Team; Shared Vision and Goals Discussion Tool.

Chapter Two: Identifying Data Needs and Capacity Practices

· Guidance on identifying data needs, assessing readiness, addressing gaps, and improving data quality through collaboration.

· Tools: Tool to Develop Evaluation and Research Question; Data Capacity Assessment Tool

Chapter Three: Data Collection Practices

· Strategies for standardizing data definitions, developing secure data-sharing agreements, and complying with legal and ethical requirements.

· Tools: Data Collection Planning Tool; Data Collection Methods Selection Tool

Chapter Four: Data Analysis and Reporting Practices

· Approaches to ensuring data accuracy, handling missing data, and analyzing quantitative and qualitative information, including best practices for presenting findings to diverse audiences.

· Tools: Data Analysis and Reporting Plan Tool

Chapter Five: Using Data Findings for Continuous Quality Improvement

· Strategies for interpreting findings, engaging stakeholders, and applying results to drive program enhancements and policy changes.

· Tools: Tool for Using Data Findings

Agency Self-Assessment Tools:

A set of tools designed to help child welfare agencies, education agencies, and their partners assess their capacity to collect, share, and use data effectively to improve educational outcomes for youth in foster care.

Recap of key principles and steps, emphasizing collaboration and the importance of continuous improvement.

Appendix of Tools:

Blank template tools to support data practices, promote cross-agency collaboration, and address specific capacity needs.