Kentucky

In 2018, Kentucky established a Chief Data Officer position to “coordinate and oversee the sharing of data” and “implement effective data governance strategies designed to maintain data integrity, confidentiality, availability, security, and to promote access to data.” Kentucky’s Chief Data Officer is the senior executive responsible for leading data management with the support of Agency Data Officers, who coordinate data management practices within their respective agencies. Agency Data Officers meet monthly to share best practices and support the state’s data initiatives.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) collects and links high-quality, actionable data from six state agencies to improve education and workforce programs in the state. KYSTATS has a data request hub, which includes a data access and use policy, data-sharing agreement, and a data dictionary to facilitate the exchange of data with requestors. In 2019, Kentucky released a Master Data Agreement for use by all executive agencies, which are also subject to the state’s Enterprise Privacy Policy. KYSTATS also has a Security Policy that contains procedures for securing the confidentiality of the data maintained by KYSTATS.

Issue Areas: Economic Mobility, Education, Workforce

A 2013 Kentucky law established the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS), which collects and links high-quality, actionable data from six state agencies to improve education and workforce programs in the state. By providing data sets, publishing reports, and fulfilling research requests, the center provides state-specific insights with appropriate data privacy and data access controls. It has more than 40 staff members who are dedicated to “developing reports, responding to research requests, and providing statistical data about these efforts so policymakers, agencies, and the general public can make better-informed decisions.” The Center is run by an executive director with oversight from a board composed of participating state agencies, and the center has developed a research agenda for 2020-2022 focused on issues of equity.

Issue Areas: Economic Mobility, Education, Equity, Workforce

The Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS) has a 2020-22 Research Agenda, which details four primary research areas to identify barriers to education and workforce opportunities: (1) expand data access and data use to inform equity issues; (2) evaluate outcomes and barriers for education and workforce programs over time; (3) connect supply and demand of the state’s future workforce; and (4) measure the impact of out-of-state education and workforce migration. All research results are made publicly available.

Issue Areas: Economic Mobility, Education, Equity, Workforce