§ 12B — Data advisory commission; composition; report

[ Text of section added by 2024, 140, Sec. 31 effective July 1, 2024. See 2024, 140, Sec. 264.]Section 12B. (a)(1) There shall be a data advisory commission to make recommendations to improve the use of state, provider and program-level data related to the cost, quality and utilization of early education and care services.(2) The data advisory commission shall utilize data received by the department, including, but not limited to, data collected pursuant to clause (v) of the second paragraph of section 2, to identify, analyze and make recommendations on high-impact, cost-effective data strategies for assessing the needs of families and children, including, but not limited to: (i) establishing a uniform data collection and reporting system to track the data that the department is required to collect pursuant to clause (v); (ii) strengthening the department's capacity to analyze and report on staffing, scheduling and financial data to support strategic resource allocation decisions; (iii) strengthening the department's capacity to use data to inform strategic resource allocation and implementation decisions; and (iv) streamlining data reporting, including, but not limited to, eliminating duplicative reporting requirements. In making its recommendations, the commission shall consider the needs and capabilities of early education and care providers located in rural areas.(b) The data advisory commission shall consist of: the commissioner of early education and care or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the secretary of education or a designee; 12 members who shall have demonstrated knowledge and experience in data collection and analysis for the purpose of improving access to high-quality and affordable early education and care services, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Association for Early Education & Care, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by Neighborhood Villages Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Head Start Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Common Start Coalition, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, 1 of whom shall be appointed by The Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, 1 of whom shall be appointed by Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Alliance of Massachusetts YMCAS, Inc., 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Inc. and 1 of whom shall be appointed by Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc.; and 5 members who shall be appointed by the commissioner, 1 of whom shall be a family-based early education and care provider, 1 of whom shall be a center-based early education and care provider, 1 of whom shall be a parent of a child currently enrolled in an early education and care program, 1 of whom shall have professional experience and knowledge in the area of data collection, quality and usage in establishing education policy and improving child and family outcomes and 1 of whom shall be a prospective early education and care educator enrolled in a training or degree program. Appointees on the advisory commission shall reflect geographically diverse regions of the commonwealth to ensure regional equity within the commission.(c) Annually, not later than December 1, the data advisory commission shall submit a report with recommendations and findings to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on education. The report shall be made publicly available on the department's website.