Just five years ago, California's education data lagged far behind most other states. The state’s data was incomplete, hard to access, and focused on data use for compliance and accountability.

With California’s new Cradle-to-Career Data System, California leaders are now setting the bar for P–20W data systems design work across the country. With the conclusion of this multiyear effort, the state is on its way from data laggard to data leader.

DQC’s latest resource unpacks the many success factors that contributed to California's successful design process. While the state must now build its data system, the investments and policy decisions made throughout the California's comprehensive and inclusive process provide insight to leaders looking to build or improve systems in their own states.