Data Will Inform Policy and Promote Better Systems of Care for California's Children and Their Families

MENLO PARK, Calif. - September 16, 2003 - Independent research institute SRI International has launched an innovative system to consistently track the activities and successes of First 5 California programs that promote school readiness through services that support the health, development, and well-being of children from before birth to age five.

The Proposition 10 Evaluation Data System (PEDS) is First 5 California's web-based system to provide meaningful data across hundreds of wide-ranging programs funded by First 5 County Commissions throughout California. To date, 25 of the state's 58 First 5 County Commissions have signed up to use PEDS.

To support initiative-mandated accountability and continuous improvement processes, PEDS collects data such as the types of program participants, the number of services provided, and outcomes for those children and families intensively served. The system may serve as a model for other states seeking better ways to track the success of their early childhood development and school readiness programs.

"In an era of increased accountability to both the public and the California legislature for education and social services programs, PEDS provides information vital to the creation of better policies, stronger programs, and better systems of care for young children and their families," said Mary Wagner, director of SRI's Center for Education and Human Services.

PEDS is expected to benefit the funded programs in a variety of ways. The system will:

• Support community outreach efforts by identifying gaps in service delivery among client populations
  
• Facilitate gathering and sharing of data between programs to inform care systems and promote service delivery and referrals
  
• Provide information to support grant-writing and other efforts, including success stories and pre- and post-data on key outcomes for intensively served participants
  
• Provide First 5 County Commissions with real-time activity and outcomes reports

PEDS can be accessed free of charge by agencies and programs involved in First 5 activities, with free in-person training and technical assistance via a toll-free help desk.

To create PEDS, SRI partnered with the Corporation for Standards and Outcomes (CS&O), an organization that designs and manages healthcare delivery systems.

Background on First 5 California

First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission, was established after voters passed Proposition 10 in November 1998, adding a 50 cents-per-pack tax on cigarettes to fund education, health, childcare and other programs for expectant parents and children up to age five. Prop. 10 was designed to address the lack of public funding and support for early childhood development in the wake of a growing body of scientific evidence indicating that the emotional, physical, social and developmental environments to which children are exposed have a profound impact on their ability to reach their greatest potential in school and to become productive members of society.

After completing a competitive bid process that concluded in May 2002, First 5 California selected SRI's Center for Education and Human Services to lead a $23 million, three-year evaluation of First 5 California-funded programs and the First 5 School Readiness Initiative. SRI's evaluation will be presented in annual reports to the state legislature and the governor, and in policy and practitioner briefs.

In addition to CS&O, a major subcontractor in this effort is the Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Additional partners include Harder + Company Community Research, the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Child Trends, the Center for Health Literacy and Communication Technologies at MAXIMUS, and Philliber Research Associates.

More information about First 5 California is available at http://www.ccfc.ca.gov or by calling (916) 323-0056. For more information on the SRI-led evaluation, go to http://www.first5eval.com .

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (http://www.sri.com) is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of clients for more than 55 years. The nonprofit research institute performs contract research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and private foundations. In addition to conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.