IA Data Drive

Reliable data to inform community planning and statewide decision-making

The IA Data Drive brings together the data and tools communities need to understand family well-being and plan services that reflect local needs and assets. Originally created during Early Childhood Iowa’s (ECI) , the IA Data Drive was designed to give state and local leaders easier access to data they need regularly need for strategic planning, but was not readily accessible in one easy to use platform. It prioritized ECI’s Board Approved Indicators used to monitor early childhood collaboration and coordination efforts statewide. As the ECI Board also serves as the State Advisory Council for Head Start (Section 642B(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act) and a statewide resource for input and advisory support for other efforts including the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program and Child Care Development Fund State Plan, subsequent efforts have informed growth in the IA Data Drive to meet more comprehensive sets of needs. Since 2019, the IA Data Drive has adding new features to reflect changing priorities and community needs, including additional indicators used for annual needs assessment and strategic planning for Head Start Community Assessments [45 CFR §1302.11(b)] and Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting community risk assessments.

The latest version of the IA Data Drive builds on this foundation with an expanded set of indicators, new community planning tools, and a more streamlined, user-friendly interface. By simplifying access to high-value information, the IA Data Drive helps partners monitor trends, compare local and statewide patterns, and use evidence to guide decision-making.

As we continue to roll out additional features of the new IA Data Drive, the original site will remain available for a short period of time to aid users with the transition. Please find the original IA Data Drive here.

Users can explore detailed indicator definitions, data sources, and methodology notes in our IA Data Drive Manual. Additional support including community planning tools, interactive maps and charts, and tutorials will be available soon. Please stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates as they become available. 

As Iowa’s needs evolve, so will the IA Data Drive. Future updates will continue to add indicators and features informed by community input and state priorities.