California Introduces “Cradle-to-Career” Data System

On April 22, 2025, California launched Phase 1 of its Cradle-to-Career (“C2C”) data system, making education and career data accessible to everyone on a statewide level. Specifically, Cradle-to-Career’s website centralizes important data across multiple sectors, demographics, and regions. 

The first phase of C2C is the “Student Pathways Dashboard” which focuses on pathways to post-graduate education and careers.  Some examples of datasets include how many graduates from each school district earned a bachelor’s degree, the length of time spent towards achieving that goal, and average income post-graduation.

The purpose of C2C is to provide transparent, uniform, and verified data about post-graduate options to assist parents and students with college and career pathways. Statewide proponents of  C2C also tout the website’s functionality, which includes visually appealing charts, guided questions, and drop-down menus to assist users. 

Additional C2C dashboards will be rolled out in the future, which are expected to focus on earlier stages of the K-12 experience, transfer data and financial aid, as well as a better understanding of workforce training programs, to name a few. 

With an increased focus on educational and career pathways, the C2C initiative could have a significant impact on helping students truly examine their options to promote a positive future.

Cradle-to-Career links data sets from school districts, institutions of higher education, workforce organizations and social services to help students plan their education and careers.

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