In summer 2021, California passed legislation to create the Cradle-to-Career System, which will be a suite of user-friendly resources focused on early learning through K-12 and higher education, as well as on the financial aid and social services that help students reach their goals. It will include:

• Planning and application tools for students, families, and educators to streamline the college and financial aid processes and monitor student progress.
• A linked research data set that will be accessible via dashboards, query tools, and an analytical data set for researchers, policymakers, educators, and community members to inform research, advocacy, and policy analysis.
• Community engagement and training to raise awareness of the data system and ensure it can be used by students, families, educators, researchers, and policymakers.

In spring 2022, data sharing agreements with 15 education, social services, and workforce entities were signed, and the state started procurements that will ensure the system is efficient, secure and leverages modern tools.  

The Cross-Systems Analytics and Assessment for Learning and Skills Attainment (CAAL-Skills) is an interagency initiative that integrates data from workforce system partners in employment training and development, apprenticeship standards, social services, education, and corrections to enable the analysis and evaluation of programs. It is actively undergoing an academic evaluation and technical improvements to allow it to interface with other systems.

California Nature is a public Geographic Information System that supports efforts to conserve 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030 for biodiversity protection (30×30) and to use Natural and Working Lands (NWL) to mitigate climate change and increase resilience to its effects. CA Nature is built on authoritative data about the state’s biodiversity, land management, land cover, and present and projected climate.      

Additionally, the state launched the first of its kind integrated data system for people experiencing homelessness. Through this dashboard, California policymakers and the public can understand and create novel insights of people experiencing homelessness to end homelessness.