Sponsor: Public Health
Title
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Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Minnesota for Participation in the Minnesota Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System
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Recommendation
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1. Approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the State of Minnesota on behalf of its Department of Education for participation in the Minnesota Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System.
2. Authorize the County Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding.
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Background and Rationale
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Minnesota’s Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System (ECLDS) is an evolving tool that answers questions about young children and their development, and it is Minnesota’s foundation for filling gaps in knowledge on children. This innovative tool combines data by the state departments of Education, Human Services and Health into one online interactive database. This system honors the privacy of the individual child, by only showing population results, as all data is de-identified. The system shows children’s growth and achievement in relation to their participation in a variety of education and social programs over time. This information is a tool used for early childhood research and evaluation to provide timely and relevant information to inform policy and practices.
In 2018, Public Health began exploring the ECLDS through a revenue agreement with Child Trends, Inc. Over the last three years, Public Health’s Family Health Division has been a committed partner with Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) in the continued development of the ECLDS. A Family Health Manager serves on the Governance Body and provides input on the strategic direction and decision making authority for the system. Family Health Data Analysts serve on the Research and Data Committee and provide input on operational direction of the system.
Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Public Health will continue to be a contributing agency to ECLDS. The MOU establishes responsibilities and expectations of both Public Health and MDE to support its partnership in ECLDS. This work will raise up and align our strategic priority work of strengthening the families we serve. Analysis of Public Health’s Family Home Visiting data will promote quality insights into public health factors that affect children’s readiness to learn, grow, and thrive.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
The county is committed to racial and healthy equity for all of its residents which includes experiencing fair outcomes, achieving the highest level of health and wellbeing, and having opportunities for advancement and growth. Contributing data and supporting the ECLDS clearly aligns with strategic priorities of racial and health equity along with strengthening the families served through county programs. Public Health has determined that providing Family Home Visiting de-identified data in combination with variables from other partnering agencies, will promote quality insights into public health factors that affect all children’s readiness to learn, grow and thrive.
In 2020, Public Health’s Family Home Visiting program provided services to diverse communities: 32.8% Asian, 31.9% Black/African American, 0.7% American Indian/Alaskan, and 17.3% Hispanic, with 18 different languages spoken. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities face the greatest disparities especially in health and education. In order for the county to change the trajectory of the BIPOC disparities there is a need for sophisticated tools and systems such as ECLDS to work with and continuously inform stakeholders of the most vulnerable populations as it relates to education, health and cumulative effects of racial inequities. Coordinating efforts with community in connecting families to services and early childhood resources reflects the county’s continued commitment to this strategic priority.
Community Participation Level and Impact
The community is informed of this action through county board documentation that is published on the county’s website at <https://ramseycountymn.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx>.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this Memorandum of Understanding.
County Manager Comments
County Board approval is required for inter-governmental agreements.
Last Previous Action
None
Attachments
1.Memorandum of Understanding for Participation in ECLDS