Utilizing Data to Drive Change
For some, data seems dull. For others, complex and overwhelming. Yet, when used correctly, data is a powerful tool that has the ability to change hearts and minds.
At Milwaukee Succeeds, data is at the core of what we do. It informs our priorities, drives our decisions and aids us in advocating for change. Still intimidated? That’s alright. Our impact manager, Lorna Dilley, and ECE data analyst, Kristin Kappelman, helped break it down for us in order to demonstrate the true power of data.
What is data?
Put simply, data is information. It can come in a variety of forms, from facts and statistics to qualitative feedback. Data isn’t just “numbers.” In reality, it’s any points that can be utilized for analysis or as a point of reference – even observational findings or responses from open-ended questions.
“Numbers don’t necessarily tell a full story,” says Dilley. “Context matters. And people’s lived experiences matter. Those things also count as data.”
Kappelman adds, “[Data] is whatever you can use to provide a story.”
Where does our data come from?
“I have a Google spreadsheet that lists almost 100 different data sources,” says Kappelman.
The data we utilize at Milwaukee Succeeds isn’t located in one convenient place. Instead, our team gathers it from numerous sources – like the U.S. Census Bureau, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Oftentimes, though, the data we need doesn’t exist – or it doesn’t tell the whole story.
“Sometimes you have to go directly to the people you want to learn from,” says Dilley.
By going straight to our lived experience partners – whether that’s child care providers or youth navigating high school in Milwaukee – we can discover stories that matter and data points that drive action.
“It’s that combination of the head (data and research) and the heart (personal stories) that often makes the most impact,” states Kappelman.
How is this data presented?
One common misconception is that data is boring. In truth, it might be the presenter who’s the boring one! The same goes for data that seems complicated and unrelatable. The fault doesn’t lie with the data itself, but rather with how it’s being communicated.
“It’s important to understand your audience and to consider what might be most meaningful for the task at hand,” advises Dilley.
It’s not about big words and flashy charts. It’s about making a connection and understanding what the audience needs – whether you’re speaking to advocates or politicians or peers.
“I’ve also found examples to be really helpful,” adds Kappelman. “Saying that child care takes up 35% of a typical family’s income when the national guidelines suggest it should cost 7% might not mean much – until you start using actual money. Comparing $7 to $35 might resonate more with the typical audience.”
How does this data drive action?
Data is a crucial building block of change. Our ultimate goal at Milwaukee Succeeds is to improve Milwaukee’s educational system, particularly for Black and Brown children. We can’t do this without data. Yet our two priority areas – high school success and early childhood education – both utilize data in different ways.
On the high school side, which is still in its early stages, we employ data to determine our focus areas. This is done through disaggregation – or separating data into its component parts. Effectively, this helps us see the outcome disparities between different groups.
“For example,” says Dilley, “when we learn that in Milwaukee, suspensions are given to Black males at a very disproportionate rate … it leads us to ask more questions about why that’s the case and what’s wrong with this picture.”
It also helps us to shift the narrative, making it possible for us to lift up more voices and showcase the depth of talent among Black male youth.
On the early childhood education front, the recent Parents Advocating for Child Care Fellowship, organized by the Wisconsin Partnership and facilitated in part by Milwaukee Succeeds, taught participants the value of data – and how to use it as champions for the ECE sector. Similarly, our established ECE Coalition has primarily utilized data to advocate for change. From the advocacy work around local and state budgets to recommendations on the disbursement of COVID relief funds, providers and activists have used our data to demonstrate how critical high-quality ECE is to Milwaukee.
In one particularly inspiring example, the data Kappelman collected regarding child care closures went full circle, from the ECE Coalition to decision-makers and back.
“Because we had so many amazing people advocating on behalf of ECE,” she says, “the data really started to resonate with the decision-makers, and they just started using it themselves. It really shows the power of data.”
