The Communities of Practice project promotes the effective use of state postsecondary data systems and provides a forum for states to work on solutions to common issues with those systems. This work is funded through a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

SHEEO held a Communities of Practice convening on April 11-12, 2023, in Denver, CO. The Communities of Practice convenings are a valuable opportunity for states to connect with their peers and reflect in-depth on the capacities, uses, and barriers to their data systems. This two-day meeting provided an opportunity for state data practitioners, researchers, policy analysts, and finance officers and analysts to explore practical uses of postsecondary data systems for developing and improving funding formulas. This convening will launch an ongoing network for participants to share best practices and shared experiences and to workshop strategies and solutions with their counterparts across the country.

The April 11-12 Community of Practice explored topics such as:

• Developing and implementing equity metrics.
• Operationalizing data elements and metrics that align with state goals (e.g., workforce and economic development).
• Communicating funding formula data elements and metrics to stakeholders.
• Building bridges to improve the sharing and connections between student-level and finance data.
• Using data to improve cost analysis for input-based formula components.
• Integrating data in capital funding processes.
• Using data to support and inform the funding formula review process.

Participants included teams from up to 15 states, SHEEO staff, BMGF staff, and subject-matter experts from national P20W organizations.