Memoranda of Understanding and Interagency Agreements
Entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Interagency Agreement (IA) across systems can often be a critical step in ensuring two or more agencies share the same goals and understanding about a particular collaborative effort. When using MOUs to support data sharing across agencies, it is helpful to identify a common purpose for data sharing and address any challenges one or more systems may encounter to successfully collaborate. The MOU creation process will always need to be jurisdiction-specific. No two agreements will look the same.
MOU TIPS
For agencies seeking to formalize the terms of their data exchange, the first step is to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Interagency Agreement (IA). Below are some tips parties can consider as they build their MOUs.
Determine what data each party wants to share.
Identify the specific data elements that could be shared and be clear about the meaning and accuracy of each data point.
Set a clear definition for the cohort of children in foster care that are included (e.g., all children in child welfare custody, all children living in out-of-home care) and a time period for collecting this data (e.g., children in care as of a certain date, at any point during a school year).
Set clear, realistic, and timely expectations about processes and tasks, what the staffing needs are, and the scope of work.
Formalize the data governance process at the same time as the data sharing agreement and connect the individuals who have similar roles (e.g., data custodians, data owners, data analysts/researchers) in the child welfare and education systems.
Determine how often the data will be collected and shared.
Decide the order of operations for data exchange: Who pulls what data and when? Who gives what data to whom?
Determine and document what processes and tools will be used for sharing the data securely.
Consider how many years of data are needed and if the MOU should include sharing prior years of data.
Develop a plan for communicating what is learned through linked data when establishing the data sharing agreement.
Decide what kinds of reports and products to develop.
Develop a clear plan of what will be done with the data after it is exchanged.
Be flexible; capacity or data needs will change over time.
Understand who is using the data on the ground and take their insights into consideration.
*Adapted from the Roadmap for Foster Care and K–12 Data Linkages by Data Quality Campaign and the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education
MOU Data Elements
Data sharing and collaboration between child welfare and education agencies promote positive educational outcomes for students in foster care. These students often experience frequent moves and educational challenges, and require coordinated support from both agencies to facilitate smooth school transitions, identify and meet their educational needs, manage attendance and disciplinary issues, ensure student engagement, and help them graduate. To ensure youth in foster care receive comprehensive educational support, including opportunities for higher education, states must securely connect essential foster care and K–12 data.
MOUs should outline which data points will be collected and shared by which party. At the individual level, a more comprehensive list of data points can give agencies a better picture of a student’s background and needs. At the aggregate level, it can promote accountability and demonstrate areas for improvement.
Learn more about student-specific data and aggregate data elements that agencies can collaborate to share with this resource on MOU data elements.
See also: Roadmap for Foster Care and K–12 Data Linkages “Data Elements to Share” by Data Quality Campaign and the Legal Center for Foster Care and Education.
State Examples
Example for: Sharing aggregate and individual-level data
The MOU clearly lists the data points that will be shared by DOE and DCS, at the individual student and population level. This list includes data points across a range of topics that are important to understanding school success, including grade promotion/retention rates, attendance rates, discipline rates, graduation rates, and testing rates.
The document also outlines how the data will be shared. It describes transmitting the information monthly through a secure file transfer portal.
Additionally, the MOU details steps that should be taken to protect the privacy of student data. These include restricting how the data can be used, who it can be shared with, and who can access it, requiring DOE to establish and maintain secure procedures, networks, and systems to protect the data, and requiring disclosure if any personal data is breached.
Example for: A resource to explain a state MOU to support its implementation
This resource explains the content of Texas’ MOU between their education and child welfare agency but it is presented as an intuitive data-sharing guide. Rather than only presenting the agreement as a legal document, this guide includes graphics and headings that capture attention and promote understanding. The guide also includes an explanation about why data-sharing is important, information about other considerations for students in foster care, and a list of additional resources to learn more.
Example for: A concise agreement that explains Why data needs to be shared, How it will be shared, and What data points each side must share.
This agreement between the Alaska Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Children’s Services (OCS), and the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development, Division of Teaching & and Learning Support is divided into sections including the purpose, background, and authority for the data sharing agreement. It also lists bullet points about why data sharing is important, what data will be shared, and how the data will be shared. A side-by-side list shows which data points schools and OCS should exchange with each other.
Local Example
Example for: Clear and comprehensive county MOU that encourages using data to make improvements.
This MOU describes the responsibilities of the county DHS and school districts, including which data elements they need to share and how they will keep student information confidential. It covers students in foster care as well as homeless students being served by DHS. The MOU also includes an explanation of how student data will be used in reports. It requires DHS to turn that information into action that will support students.
