Data for the People (D4TP): A Movement to Democratize Access to Data
Why Data for the People Matters
Advocating for stronger, more connected education and workforce data systems that better serve students-from early learning through career.
Data for the People (D4TP) began over a decade ago as a statewide policy campaign and has since grown into a cross-sector coalition of nonprofit organizations, co-led by EdTrust-West and Young Invincibles, advocating for education and workforce data systems that truly work for students and communities.
- Centers and meaningfully engages students and families first, not just institutions
- Uses data to inform systemic, asset & equity-oriented change
- Counts all students and disaggregates data across the cradle-to-career continuum, including those often excluded or invisible in traditional systems
- Provides public-facing, accessible tools that communities can use to make informed decisions
- Protects student privacy, especially for undocumented students and vulnerable populations
By the Numbers
In California, disparities in instructional quality, course placement, and ongoing support compound from early grades through college. This isn’t a reflection of student potential; it’s the predictable result of systemic barriers. The data below reveals the compounding impact of these structural failures:
Latest Resource
The D4TP Coalition’s 2026 Policy Agenda outlines how California can modernize its education and workforce data infrastructure to serve students better and advance equity.
What Needs to Change
At EdTrust-West, we believe math should open doors, not shut them. If California is serious about expanding opportunity, we must move from isolated fixes to a coherent education system that is designed for access and success. That means:
01
Build an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS)
So the state can understand access, services, and outcomes before TK–12.
02
Strengthen TK–12 Instructional Data Reporting
Including courses, multilingual instruction, and program access.
03
Expand Multilingual Learner Data Across Systems
So MLL students are visible across early learning, postsecondary, and workforce outcomes.
04
Improve Dual Enrollment Data and Transparency
To track who has access, where barriers exist, and which pathways lead to success.
05
Align Education & Workforce Systems Through Interagency Coordination
So the state can understand access, services, and outcomes before TK–12.
06
Strengthen Student Debt Data Reporting
To better understand affordability barriers and inequitable debt outcomes.
07
Expand Workforce Pathway Insights
Connecting credentials to employment, wages, and long-term outcomes.
Student Pathways Dashboard
- How students transition from public high schools into post-secondary systems
- Where opportunity gaps emerge
- Which pathways lead to strong postsecondary and workforce outcomes
Take Action
Our Progress
Past Resources
Join the Movement
- Students of color, multilingual students, and students experiencing poverty
- Early childhood, TK–12, higher education, and workforce equity
- Youth voice, family engagement, immigrant justice, and student privacy
- Research, policy, and data as tools for systems change
- Advocate for student-centered data systems that reflect real pathways and experiences
- Advance aligned, cross-sector policy priorities at the state level
- Hold state agencies accountable for equitable, transparent data practices
- Translate complex data into actionable insights for communities, advocates, and decision-makers
