Using Large-Scale Data to Inform ECE Policy: Highlights of Virginia’s Research Practice Partnership

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Research to Action: Collaborating With State Education Agencies to Support High-Quality Early Learning (Table 13)

Abstract

Purpose & Perspective
Many state agencies lack the infrastructure to collect data across the diffuse early care and education (ECE) system made up of publicly funded and private programs (Whitebook et al., 2018). Data limitations have made it difficult for agencies to target resources strategically and for researchers to study the experiences of early educators, children, and families. This presentation will describe how SEE-Partnerships and the Virginia Department of Education have used their ongoing to collaboration to work towards two primary goals: (1) build data systems that improve the field’s understanding of the links between the ECE workforce, access, and quality; (2) evaluate ECE policies that aim to improve educator wellbeing, access and quality.

The panelist has worked closely with the state partners at VDOE to help develop and execute evaluation plans, rapid analyses, and formal reports/briefs using administrative and survey data. She has communicated research results from this partnership to a variety of early education stakeholder groups, including teachers, advocacy groups, and policymakers.

Methods & Data Sources
Over the course of the partnership, the research team has combined large-scale administrative and survey data to answer important policy and research questions. These data sources include:
• A recurring survey of the ECE workforce including teachers and leaders working in publicly funded child care, Head Start/Early Head Start, and school-based preschool programs;
• A recurring survey of all child care programs serving any children under 5, including those who are registered but unlicensed and/or home-based providers;
• A one-time survey of families who applied for Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program;
• The LinkB5 portal, which as of Fall 2023, collects workforce, enrollment, curriculum, and quality data from all publicly funded ECE programs operating in Virginia.

Results & Significance
The presentation will share policy-relevant research findings made possible by these data sources. As an example, the research team used LinkB5 and workforce survey data in an evaluation of the RecognizeB5 program, which has provided cash bonuses to teachers who stay at the same publicly funded ECE program for 8 months. Because of the close partnership between the research team and VDOE, they were able to use a unique opportunity and limited funding to conduct an RCT on the impact of a financial incentive on teacher retention (Bassok et al., 2021). This study provided compelling evidence to support the expansion and continuation of RecognizeB5 and expanded the field’s understanding of how compensation can impact early educator retention. We will also share insights into Virginia’s ECE workforce and families’ ability to access care.

Authors

• Kate Miller-Bains, University of Virginia

• Anna J. Markowitz, University of California - Los Angeles

• Daphna Bassok, University of Virginia