State leaders require clear, actionable information to guide decisions that advance economic mobility for all. The Education-to-Workforce Indicators (E-W) Framework developed by the Gates Foundation and Mathematica can help leaders and communities assess their data systems, identify gaps and opportunities in data collection, and improve their ability to answer essential questions.

To help state leaders start this process, Education Commission of the States developed a set of practical resources that can help states use the framework to improve data collection and reporting. 

Our four-part toolkit guides state leaders through improving their data collection and reporting efforts at every stage of the process. 

Using Essential Questions to Guide Data Collection and Reporting.

Learn about the Education-to-Workforce Indicators Framework and how its essential questions can prompt constructive conversations about the data state leaders already have and the data they need to support their efforts. 

Strengthening State Education-to-Workforce Data.

Assess the indicators states most commonly collect, where gaps remain, and how state leaders can modernize or expand their data systems.

50-State Comparison of State Data Dictionaries.

Explore data dictionaries and manuals that detail what every state’s education-to-workforce data systems collect.

State Data Reporting Dashboard.

Identify where states already publish reports or dashboards that map to the indicators and metrics in the Education-to-Workforce Framework.

Learn how Colorado, the District of Columbia and Washington have used the E-W Framework to improve their data collection and reporting.