I2D2 VISION

Iowa’s early childhood system is effectively and efficiently coordinated among health, social service, and education agencies to support healthy and successful families. This work will be informed by actionable intelligence derived from a statewide integrated data system that comprehensively identifies and addresses the needs of Iowa’s young children and their families.

Mission

Ensure ethical integration and analysis of relevant, cross-system data to:

  • Identify priority areas for policy and program change to support young children and their families.

  • Advance a culture where applied and academic knowledge are effectively brought together to transform theory into practice.

  • Strengthen broad outcome assessment and improvement.

  • Promote a “data literate” community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers.

  • Encourage the use of analytic findings in practice and policy decision-making.

  • Foster an iterative inquiry process that builds, expands and adapts to knowledge gained.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

  • Act first and foremost in the service of improved public good and services.

  • Maintain high standards for data security that protect privacy and confidentiality.

  • Build mechanisms to ensure that all data meet standards for timeliness, accuracy, validity and professional collection methods.

  • Minimize the costs associated with the actionable intelligence inquiry process, while maximizing the benefits to be derived from the data.

  • Engage the community of practitioners, policymakers and researchers in the production and sharing of information generated from the inquiry process.

Transforming Data Into Actionable Intelligence

For decades, programs have aspired to effectively and efficiently serve Iowans. Challenges with siloed systems of government, fragmented service sectors, and disjointed funding models, however, make effective decision-making a tall order.

Our nation’s leaders understand the value of data to inform executive decision-making. Reports from the U.S. Commission of Evidence-Based Policymaking have increased attention on the potential of integrated data systems to address gaps in service coordination, population-level surveillance and service responses.

Here in Iowa, state agency channels already collect multitudes of data about child and family needs and wellbeing for local program access and reporting. With I2D2, we securely and scientifically leverage that data to increase use, to improve data literacy among stakeholder community groups, and to generate cross-systems dialog — fostering greater insight to Iowa’s needs.

With such insight, I2D2 addresses systems-level disconnects. Invisible
populations can be seen. Cross-systems collaborations can be
strategically and deliberately formed to fill gaps and address needs.
Program successes can become clearer. With actionable intelligence
derived from I2D2, our state and program leaders can make powerful,
targeted decisions to improve the lives of all Iowans.

I2D2 integrated data system was created with proven best practices by a unyielding, passionate team that believe an integrated data system in Iowa can make a positive, lasting impact.

HISTORY OF I2D2

latest news and resources

I2D2 Director Heather Rouse has officially been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure at Iowa State University. Congratulations, Heather, on this well-deserved accomplishment!

April 19, 2021

Research from the I2D2 team was recently featured at the 2021 Annual Conference for the Society of Research on Development. Graduate students led two posters co-authored with the I2D2 team and state partners that were designated as Strategic Posters exemplifying policy research related to children’s development. https://www.srcd.org/event/srcd-2021-biennial-meeting View the posters here, available until...

April 19, 2021

Early Childhood Iowa held its Equity Advisory Committee meeting on March 23, 2021, where the I2D2 team led a discussion about how we attend to equity in data collection, integration, analysis, and dissemination. This work uses concepts from the Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP)...

April 1, 2021

https://earlychildhood.iowa.gov/document/whats-happening-early-childhood-iowa

December 21, 2020