THE OPPORTUNITY
Connecting early learning experiences to later student outcomes.
Connecting early learning experiences to later student outcomes.
Connecting early learning experiences to later student outcomes.
A national nonprofit provider of early childhood education programs engaged WillBridge to support a partnership with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) focused on kindergarten readiness and longer-term student outcomes. The shared goal was to assess program effectiveness over time, which required NDDPI to collaborate with the nonprofit to enable secure, longitudinal tracking and credible comparisons.
A national nonprofit provider of early childhood education programs engaged WillBridge to support a partnership with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) focused on kindergarten readiness and longer-term student outcomes. The shared goal was to assess program effectiveness over time, which required NDDPI to collaborate with the nonprofit to enable secure, longitudinal tracking and credible comparisons.
For NDDPI, the work needed to be practical and repeatable so it could be carried forward. This required a clear, governed process for exchanging files and linking student records across systems, with enough flexibility to accommodate assessment transitions and scale-score differences that could affect year-to-year comparability.
For NDDPI, the work needed to be practical and repeatable so it could be carried forward. This required a clear, governed process for exchanging files and linking student records across systems, with enough flexibility to accommodate assessment transitions and scale-score differences that could affect year-to-year comparability.
THE SOLUTION
A governed path from secure exchange to longitudinal linkage.
A governed path from secure exchange to longitudinal linkage.
A governed path from secure exchange to longitudinal linkage.
WillBridge created a governed foundation that made it easier for NDDPI to participate in cross-organization analysis without taking on a bespoke, one-off process. WillBridge designed the solution on its DataCommunity platform, a secure data sharing environment built on Microsoft Azure, and established a consistent workflow for how data would be submitted, stored, and prepared for longitudinal linkage.
WillBridge created a governed foundation that made it easier for NDDPI to participate in cross-organization analysis without taking on a bespoke, one-off process. WillBridge designed the solution on its DataCommunity platform, a secure data sharing environment built on Microsoft Azure, and established a consistent workflow for how data would be submitted, stored, and prepared for longitudinal linkage.
To support the operational reality of the project, WillBridge set up secure file drop and pickup and established intake expectations and audits for incoming files so data handoffs could follow a reliable pattern over time.
To support the operational reality of the project, WillBridge set up secure file drop and pickup and established intake expectations and audits for incoming files so data handoffs could follow a reliable pattern over time.
WillBridge applied its proprietary probabilistic matching methodology to link student records across systems using the nonprofit’s Student UUID and North Dakota’s State ID, including a review and manual override step for exceptions. The workflow was designed to protect student privacy: personally identifiable information (PII) was never shared between contributors, and the DataCommunity platform was built to support compliance with standards such as FERPA.
WillBridge applied its proprietary probabilistic matching methodology to link student records across systems using the nonprofit’s Student UUID and North Dakota’s State ID, including a review and manual override step for exceptions. The workflow was designed to protect student privacy: personally identifiable information (PII) was never shared between contributors, and the DataCommunity platform was built to support compliance with standards such as FERPA.
WillBridge also provided contributor-specific extract outputs so NDDPI could perform analysis and reporting using its existing internal tools and processes.
WillBridge also provided contributor-specific extract outputs so NDDPI could perform analysis and reporting using its existing internal tools and processes.
THE WORKFLOW
THE RESULTS
From ad hoc coordination to a documented, dependable approach.
From ad hoc coordination to a documented, dependable approach.
From ad hoc coordination to a documented, dependable approach.
Through this work, NDDPI strengthened its ability to participate in longitudinal evaluation with external partners by moving from ad hoc coordination to a documented, dependable approach.
Through this work, NDDPI strengthened its ability to participate in longitudinal evaluation with external partners by moving from ad hoc coordination to a documented, dependable approach.
The work established a repeatable, governed file-exchange pattern, consistent intake expectations and audits, and a documented student-level linkage process with a review and manual override pathway for exceptions.
The work established a repeatable, governed file-exchange pattern, consistent intake expectations and audits, and a documented student-level linkage process with a review and manual override pathway for exceptions.
Contributor-specific de-identified extracts worked within NDDPI’s existing analysis and reporting tools, while the approach anticipated assessment transitions and evolving data structures that can affect comparability.
Contributor-specific de-identified extracts worked within NDDPI’s existing analysis and reporting tools, while the approach anticipated assessment transitions and evolving data structures that can affect comparability.
The longitudinal linkage WillBridge enabled made it possible for contributors to examine relationships between program participation and student achievement over time. Early analysis indicated that students with access to the provider’s programming and high implementation fidelity demonstrated stronger achievement outcomes in later years.
The longitudinal linkage WillBridge enabled made it possible for contributors to examine relationships between program participation and student achievement over time. Early analysis indicated that students with access to the provider’s programming and high implementation fidelity demonstrated stronger achievement outcomes in later years.
“WillBridge’s support as a neutral third party helped maintain momentum across the data sharing collective. I expect the structured matching approach and collaborative working model to inform how NDDPI approaches similar cross-partner work going forward.”
“WillBridge’s support as a neutral third party helped maintain momentum across the data sharing collective. I expect the structured matching approach and collaborative working model to inform how NDDPI approaches similar cross-partner work going forward.”
“WillBridge’s support as a neutral third party helped maintain momentum across the data sharing collective. I expect the structured matching approach and collaborative working model to inform how NDDPI approaches similar cross-partner work going forward.”
Ellie Shockley, Ph.D.
Institutional Researcher, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
Institutional Researcher, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ellie Shockley, Ph.D.
Institutional Researcher
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction