Webinar Summary and Recording
Presented by the Staff Alliance for Intergovernmental Leadership (SAIL), a CSG South program supporting state government operations.
State governments collect extensive administrative data through the delivery of public programs and services, creating a valuable source of information for understanding outcomes and informing decisions. But collecting data alone does not ensure that it becomes useful evidence. This webinar examined how states can make better use of existing administrative data to evaluate programs, understand service delivery, and identify opportunities for improvement. Robert M. Goerge, Ph.D., senior fellow at NORC at the University of Chicago, provided expertise on the use of government data and highlighted applications across areas such as human services, education, Medicaid, public health, workforce programs, and criminal and juvenile justice. The session also explored how connecting information across agencies and, where appropriate, across state lines can provide a broader view of the people and programs states serve.
Effective use of administrative data also depends on the systems and capacity behind it. The webinar examined approaches to building data infrastructure and analytic capacity, communicating findings to policymakers and program administrators, and supporting the sustained use of evidence in decision-making. It also considered data governance questions that arise as states expand access and sharing, including who can use information, who determines access and how data can be shared across agencies. Examples from state and local governments illustrated different approaches to building the infrastructure and partnerships needed to turn existing information into evidence to inform decisions about programs, operations, and public services.
Watch the full webinar recording below to learn more.