Clear Outcomes: An Interview With Strada Chief Data Ecosystem Officer Jon Furr

Can you explain what education-to-employment data are, and why they are an important part of connecting education to opportunity?

Whenever we are talking about data, I always encourage people to focus less on the technical weeds and more on what the data actually represent. Data are just another way to understand people. Education-to-employment data help us understand how individuals are participating in education programs and whether they are then moving into fulfilling jobs after completion. So without good data, there’s no way to know whether the more than $1 trillion Americans spend on education and training beyond high school is having the intended impact. Education-to-employment data also help individuals make informed decisions about college and workforce training – and that could be a young person or adult worker choosing to invest in a program, a college leader seeking to improve their programs, or an employer investing in their own talent pipeline.

Strada often says everyone deserves access to clear outcomes so they can make informed decisions about their education choices. What do clear outcomes mean to you?

While there are a number of reasons that people pursue education after high school, research shows that the primary reason is to improve their career prospects. Access to clear outcomes means individuals have access to the information they need to determine whether an investment in education after high school is worth it. That includes information such as: Did individuals who started a program complete it? Do the graduates of postsecondary education programs secure college-level jobs? Are they earning a life-sustaining wage? Clear outcomes are also critical for those who are leading postsecondary education and training programs and the policymakers who seek to support and improve them.

The Strada State Opportunity Index report lays out the 10 key elements of state education-to-employment data systems. Why are these 10 elements important? How did you develop this list?  

The 10 elements in the State Opportunity Index represent the key attributes needed for state data systems to better connect education and employment opportunities. They were developed by Strada staff, many of whom (including me) have prior experience with integrated data systems, and with the engagement of an expert group of state postsecondary data system leaders. The 10 elements are organized in a framework highlighting four functions: Collect, Integrate, Provide, and Impact. Starting with the Collect elements— you can’t have a strong integrated data system if you don’t collect the most important data. The Integrate elements focus on how data are connected across systems, including from high school and college into employment and also across state lines. The Provide elements address how the data reach all stakeholders through multiple methods, including open data files, interactive resources, and research access. Finally, the Impact elements address whether data systems are empowering individuals who want to use their own data to unlock college and career opportunities and policymakers wanting to use data to improve decision-making.

What are the biggest challenges facing state leaders and policymakers in their efforts to build more comprehensive and transparent data systems?

A major barrier for states is their lack of dedicated capacity to analyze data and generate education-to-employment insights. Often, these functions aren’t the “day jobs” of state officials tasked with them; their primary roles are collecting data for compliance and program administration. But states like Virginia, Kentucky, and Nebraska are developing dedicated units to analyze and generate education-to-employment insights. Strada will be working alongside a number of partners, including the state-led Postsecondary Employment Outcomes Coalition, in coming years to support and accelerate state leaders seeking to make data system progress.

In addition to state leaders, what other stakeholder groups need to be involved in this work?

If states want to develop better education-to-employment data systems, they need to meaningfully incorporate the voices of those who are affected by these systems and who will be the ultimate users of the data. This starts with students and families, who need outcomes data to inform their investments in postsecondary education. Institutions and educators also need to be engaged because, in my experience, they all hunger for better data to improve value for the individuals they serve. Finally, employers need to be involved so they can articulate their talent needs and access reliable information to guide their partnerships with education and training providers.

You have children in college and high school. Have you had any success discussing with them the need to consider what the data say about where their education choices will lead?

In our house, the kitchen table is where I speak with my kids about high school and all things related to college, including which courses to take, declaring a major, and internship opportunities to explore interests. Because of my work in this field, I’ve been able to weave in a number of data-informed insights without pulling up a data dashboard or citing a research study. The unfortunate reality is that too many young people considering education after high school don’t get to have those really important kitchen table conversations. It makes me proud to know that I have colleagues at Strada who are working on quality coaching solutions that support the data work we are doing.