04.Te Pae Aronui Redacted.pdf

Evidence, Data and Knowledge
Overview for incoming Deputy Secretary
– Te Pae Aronui
September 2021

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Introduction
About EDK
The  Evidence,  Data  and  Knowledge  Group  (EDK)  is  the  Ministry  of  Education’s  engine  room  for  data,
information and evidence.
The outputs (insights, data and evidence) from the group inform policy development and practice. These aid
the  achievement  of  positive  educational  and  social outcomes  by  helping  the  Ministry,  Ministers,  ākonga,
parents/families/whānau, communities and sector understand and use all that we know about learners and
their needs to inform decisions, actions, and investment.
Our products and services include data and information, reference resources, research, forecasting, insights
and  analysis  on  education  system  related  matters,  along  with  advice  and  assurance  on  information
management, safety, and privacy of data and information - keeping the Ministry, our customers, and – most
importantly ākonga and whānau who are the owners of information we collect – safe. Trust and confidence
are vital. Data  users want to know  that  our data and processes  are robust  and reliable. Data owners  (eg
ākonga,  whānau,  hāpu  and  iwi)  want  to  know  it’s  appropriately  collected,  well-managed,  kept  safe  and
private, and used appropriately.

Data maturity and EDK’s recent evolution
The Ministry is coming off a relatively low level of data and information management maturity, as measured
using a DIA produced government model. It noted that progress is being made,

9(2)(g)(i)

A decision in 2017 was made to invest in improving systems and infrastructure. Among other things this has
resulted in:
•  the development of the Education Data Warehouse (enabling the efficient, safe and secure management,
quality control, authorised and permitted access, and bespoke cross referencing and analysis between
multiple datasets)
•  Te  Rito  (a  platform  that  enables  information  about  ākonga  to  travel  with  them  throughout  their
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education  journey  and  be  available  when  needed,  by  those  authorised  to  access  it,  to  support  the
multiple and unique needs and talents of individual ākonga and their whānau), and
•  an  increased  focus  on  automation,  including  supporting  education  providers  to  collate  and  provide
information and data to the Ministry, and in reporting and data service provision.

The majority of this infrastructure investment has been achieved through baseline funding with the exception
of  Te  Rito.  This  has  resulted  in  reduced  investment  into  other  products  and  services,  particularly  EDK’s
analytical functions.
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At  the  same  time,  the  value  of  (and  demand  for)  trusted  and  reliable  data  and  analytics  has  grown
significantly. For example, as recently as mid 2020 Attendance data was reported once per year, based on a
single  collection  in  Term  2.  We  are  now  reporting  on  a  weekly  basis,  and  are  being  requested  by  key
stakeholders (ie Ministers and Policy teams) to provide significantly more granular levels of information.

9(2)(g)(i)
  If  the  vision  of  Te
Mahau is to be realised in relation to data and analytics, capacity, and capability within EDK will need to be
considered. A lift and shift of EDK, will not achieve the desired benefits. Nor will other groups within the
Ministry duplicating functions, eg setting up shadow data units, Education Workforce for instance.

Alongside this are significant challenges related to recruiting a range of essential technical specialists to key
roles, in the current market. 9(2)(a)

This impacts EDK’s ability to continue to service the range of priorities
(and in recent times has contributed to budget underspends and project delays). There are also challenges
associated  with  the  growth  of  infrastructure,  and  this  requires  determination  about  next  steps,  and  the
appetite for risk and investment.

Nonetheless,  EDK  is  well  positioned  to  support  the  pipeline  of  education  data  and  information  services.
International evidence suggests that when data maturity is relatively low, a centralised data and knowledge
function is important. EDK provides an integrated and collaborative model, where business analysts and data
scientists  can  work  directly  with  staff  involved  in  the  collection  and  warehousing  of  data.  That  interplay
supports better solutions and the ability of skilled staff to move between roles for career progression and
assist in covering absences.

The  profile  and  perceived value  of  data  and  information  is  not  always  recognised  (or only  recognised  by
exception  when  key  information  isn’t  available).  It  is  difficult  to  recruit  staff with the  right  skills.  It’s  also
proving difficult to shift the balance of staff demographics, particularly in terms of Māori and Pacific analysts.

With this, and the fact that we don’t have access to informed local insight and contacts, in mind, we see real
potential in our role within Te Pae Aronui, to bring data products and services closer to the frontline and our
regions. We look forward to engaging with and supporting regional leaders and their teams in Te Mahau, and
see  potential  for  supporting,  upskilling  and  potentially  helping  to  resource  data  and  analytical  needs  in
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regional teams, finding new ways to grow our understanding of the information needs they have.

This may mean supporting bespoke data units within the regional entities, and also within Iwi. We recognise
that education data skills and product development is not restricted to the Ministry’s national office.  We
have opportunities to work directly with specific communities to support local initiatives, as we have started
in our early work with Ngā Puhi.

Historically, ‘data shops’ have tended to be viewed as back room, virtually invisible functions. To realise the
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positive outcomes that are anticipated from Future Education, visibility, direct connection to the frontline,
and  increasing  integration  and  collaboration  will  be  critical.  That’s  the  opportunity  and  challenge  for
evidence, data and knowledge capability within Te Pae Aronui.

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EDK’s vision, purpose and strategic priorities
The  group’s  vision  statement  is  that  EDK  delivers  high  quality  evidence  to  inform  policy  and  practice.  To
deliver on that vision, the group’s purpose is to collect, analyse and facilitate the use of evidence to inform
investment and ensure the performance of the education system.
EDK has five strategic priorities:
1.  Producing insights for education and practice
2.  Transforming our data assets
3.  Transforming the way we disseminate knowledge
4.  Developing our analytical capability
5.  Increasing our cultural competence.
Our mission is to make our data, information and products, accurate, timely, relevant, understandable, and
impactful  for  priority  learners/ākonga,  parents/whānau,  teachers/kaiako,  academics,  government,  and,
looking forward, Te Mahau as part of the Te Pae Aronui group, whilst always honoring our Te Tiriti o Waitangi
obligations.
EDK Groups and pipeline
EDK  consists  of  three  main  groups  each  led  by  a  Group  Manager,  along  with a  Director-led  Office  of  the
National Director. EDK provides a collaborative pipeline of data and information products and services – from
collection,  storage  and  refinement  of  data  and  information,  through  analysis,  modelling,  forecasting  and
insight development, to dissemination and publication, including through publicly accessible channels, data
releases, publication of insights and informative papers, and development of bespoke data and information
services.  EDK’s  products  and  services  support  decision  and  policy-making,  investment,  evaluation  of
initiatives  and  interventions,  and  other  actions  taken  at  all  levels  of the education  system  and  sector,  to
support wellbeing and attainment outcomes for ākonga.
The pipeline of data and information across EDK is shown in the diagram on page 9.

EDK Groups:

Data and Information Stewardship (DIS) - Wendy Hamilton, Chief Data Steward
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Responsible for developing and executing policies, practices, procedures and technology (including with ICT
and  other  colleagues  to  help  with  technical  solutions)  to  manage  the  data  and  information  lifecycle  and
deliver on the needs of data and information users. The group champions the safe and appropriate use of
data  and  information  for  better  decision  making,  leads  the  strategic  and  operational  direction  in  data
collection and use, and keeps data and information – and the ākonga and whānau who own that information
– safe and protected. It drives increased automation and time savings in data collection, storage, and safe,
secure storage and access to data sets (for example through the Education Data Warehouse), and supports
urgent priorities such as the Covid-19 distance learning data collection.
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DIS gives you:
•  Useable, high quality, reliable data and information about education, enabling our stakeholders to add
their value through informed decisions, insights, interventions and service delivery (ie we do the heavy
data lifting)
•  Trusted collaboration with Education partners and other agencies to change and save lives through the
safe sharing of information
•  Assurance  that  the  rights  and  interests  of  individuals  and  communities  are  asserted,  respected  and
protected in relation to data sovereignty and ownership
•  Confidence that sector and ākonga data is valued as taonga, ensuring appropriate safety and privacy
settings to maintain high trust in the Ministry’s stewardship and use of data
•  Safe and increasingly automated ways to provide, collect, combine and access data and information. This
saves  time  and  increases  accuracy  and  quality  of  data  that  can  be  used  ākonga,  whānau,  iwi,  hāpu,
communities, agencies and government to improve wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Teams are:
•  Data (Manager: Katrina Young)
•  Data Solutions and Warehousing (DSW) (Manager: 9(2)(a)
)
•  Information Management (IM) (Manager: Selena Smeaton)
•  Te Rito (TR) (Programme Manager: Mark Brumby)

DIS leads data collections and advisory services that support key Ministry  priorities  including  attendance,
school funding, principal salaries, targeted funding to support students most at risk of failing, ECE policies
and operations, achievement, attainment and enrolment, workforce tracking information, data matching and
working with other agencies to enable life-changing intervention and support to young New Zealanders. It
also ensures that our data and information management practices are safe, and earn and maintain trust and
confidence. This includes supporting and advising sector users about the safe collection and use of ākonga
information.

The Chief Data Steward is also the Business Manager for Te Rito, a programme that will enable data and
information about ākonga to travel with them as they move through the education system, strengthening
the  continuity  of  learning  by  ensuring  critical  information  is  available  whenever  it’s  needed,  by  those
authorised to have it. In doing so, Te Rito is supporting ākonga, educators and the sector, whilst also reducing
the  burden  associated  with  re-testing  and  other  duplicative  administrative  processes,  and  keeping
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information safe. A separate briefing will be provided to the Deputy Secretary about Te Rito.

Analysis, Research and Evaluation (ARE) - David Jagger, Group Manager (9(2)(a)
)
A  team  of  evaluators,  data  scientists,  researchers,  forecasters,  modellers,  survey  and  measurement
specialists  and  analytical  project  administrators,  ARE  lead  the  integration  of  research  findings,  analytical
foresight and evaluative thinking into policy development and operational programmes, and are increasingly
seeking to deliver this support and knowledge directly to those interacting with learners on a daily basis. ARE
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aims to provide robust evidence to strengthen the knowledge base around educational outcomes and system
performance, to drive better policy and practice.
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ARE teams provide information and insights about the overall performance and international standing of the
schooling system. It provides an improved understanding of whether initiatives, interventions and policy are
working, and how much investment is required to maintain current settings or make shifts.
The group is further developing its measurement capability to support and improve our understanding of
student wellbeing, and the baseline capability of learners at school entry.

ARE gives you:
•  High quality foresight for planning purposes, through the forecasting of educational expenditure and key
demand drivers and policy costing – ensuring the education sector is appropriately funded
•  Quantified assessment of impact and effectiveness of educational programmes and initiatives – “what
works, for whom, under what circumstances”
•  Analytics and insights to support strategy and policy
•  An evaluation capability programme to increase the sector’s use of data and evidence
•  New tools and measurements to directly support students, the sector, and the system
•  Managed  end-to-end  processes  for  externally  procured  research  and  evaluations,  and  runs  in-house
several large-scale international studies
•  Thought leadership to the broader research and analysis sector.

Teams and Chief Analysts are:
•  Forecasting and Modelling (FaM) (Manager: Isaac Malpass9(2)(a)

•  Educational Measurement and Assessment (EMA) (Manager: Barclay Anstiss)
•  Analytics and Insights (A&I) (Manager: Simon Williamson)
•  Student Wellbeing Measures project (Project Lead: Robyn McLeary-Hooper 9(2)(a)

)
•  Two Chief Analysts: Cheryl Remington & one vacancy

Evidence Synthesis and Dissemination (ESD) - Cathryn Ashley-Jones, Group Manager
ESD is responsible for relaying the stories of the education system - both for students and those who support
them.  This  can  range  from  reporting  students’  educational  achievement  and  wellbeing,  to  forecasting
demand for teachers in the short and mid-term. ESD reports across early learning, schooling and students’
transitions to tertiary education and training.
The  group  ensures  that  education  stakeholders  can understand  the trends  and  changes  in the education
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system  and  have  ready  access  to  timely  data,  useful  interpretation,  and  insights  for  their  decisions  and
actions.
It provides regular updates on new data trends and drivers, generates insights from the data, models current
and  future  needs  of  the  education  system,  demonstrates  ‘what  works  and  for  whom’,  provides  a  rapid
response  service  for  data  requests,  and  manages  the  data  and  knowledge  dissemination  channels  for
customers  (eg  the  Education  Counts  website,  the  Library  and  the  Q-Drive  for  regional  staff).  ESD  is  the
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gateway to data and knowledge for customers.

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ESD gives you:
•  Regular reporting and publication of a comprehensive range of education and wellbeing data, and a range
of data, information and education resources, including the Ministry’s Library service
•  Channel ownership and development for the dissemination of education data and information, insights
and analysis and other publications and resources
•  A programme of work supporting the understanding of  workforce supply and demand, including the
EWIS project which is transforming complex workforce data into an accessible and standardised database
•  An information requests service providing responsive data and information services for the Ministry and
increasingly the frontline
•  Best Evidence Synthesis programme providing insights into practices that are valuable for teachers and
educational professionals
•  Reporting of nation-wide trends and changes in early learning, school attendance and attainment, and
student’s transitions to tertiary education. These provide key insights for the Ministry and Ministers and
monitor  a  number  of  plans  and  strategies  to  understand  education  system  performance  and  how
education is changing.

Teams are:
•  Customer Strategy and Channel Management (Manager: Dean Alexander)
•  Information Requests (Manager: Dean Alexander – Acting)
•  Evidence Synthesis & Reporting (Manager: Debra Taylor)
•  Workforce & Strategic Analysis (Manager: Rebecca Burson)
•  Chief Advisor Evidence Synthesis: (Dr Adrienne Alton-Lee)

Office of the National Director - Director: Sam Jolly (9(2)(a)
)
Provides operational and business support and strategic and policy advice to the Deputy Secretary, including
EDK’s relationship with Ministers’ offices, coordination of commissioning and Ministerial responses, finance,
procurement, human resources, risk management, planning, reporting, administrative support, EDK culture
and communications, and internal ministry liaison.
In addition to six direct reports, two other positions within the Office are supported by the Director, and are
direct reports of the National Director:
•  Chief Education Scientific Advisor (Prof. Stuart McNaughton)
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This role is 0.6 FTE and the incumbent is seconded from the University of Auckland

•  Chief Advisor Priority Learners
Provides intellectual and strategic leadership of the story of achievement and performance to Ministry
and other agencies and decision makers, with a particular focus on Māori and priority learners. Takes a
lead role in working in partnership with key stakeholders and customers (eg iwi) to strengthen the
knowledge base about lifting Māori and priority learner achievement and to ensure increased use of
data and knowledge for decision making. Leads connection across Ministry and other agencies advising
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on issues and informing decisions about collecting, using, analysing Māori data.
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EDK value chain

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Key information for incoming Deputy Secretary
Immediate decisions needed:
•
Resourcing and recruitment
Resources are oversubscribed and decisions needed on highest priorities so we can advise what can
be done within current resourcing and on options for high priority work that falls outside current
resourcing. Recruitment is challenging - market for skilled staff is competitive and we need decisions
about  where  the  delegations  for  approving  recruitment  sit  and  an  efficient,  timely  process  for
approvals is very important.
•
Budget issues
Managing within our budgets is difficult in the current settings, and is common across the Group.
9(2)(g)(i)
•
Advice and support to sector – Privacy
For future consideration in relation to Te Pae Aronui. There is a gap in service provision of privacy
advice and support to the sector, particularly schools. Te Rito deployment has demonstrated value
and  need  for  privacy  training,  and  how  to  apply  privacy  settings  to  information.  DIS  has  some
expertise but is not resourced to extend this service broadly to regional offices and the sector where
there is real need. Privacy function in Corporate is only 1.5 FTE and focuses (correctly in our opinion)
on supporting the Ministry’s privacy needs. Consideration should be given to formalising a function
in Te Mahau that increases privacy support and advice to the sector. DIS could be the home of this
function but capacity would have to be increased.
•  Pending approvals / signouts
2021  Teacher  Demand  and  Supply  Planning  Tool  update  will  be  ready  for  sign-out  at  the  end  of
October. This is a key input into workforce decisions and is keenly sought by the Workforce supply
group and the Minister.
NELP TES monitoring indicators Education Report and infographic is due at ELT in late September and
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will need to be submitted to the Minister in October.

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Priorities and deliverables in the first 60 days

Note that detailed work plans and descriptions for each group within EDK are available.
•  9(2)(f)(iv)

•  Reliable  and  consistent  attendance  reporting  at  more  granular  levels  than  previously  possible,
particularly to support:
o
Post-Covid  attendance  –  greater  understanding  of  weekly  attendance  profiles  in  various
areas/regions sliced by various demographics and attendance codes
o
Responding  to  select  committee  for  attendance  –  again,  will  require  increased  levels  of
granularity than currently provided
•  Commence scoping and planning how the Equity Index will be integrated into our data 9(2)(f)(iv)

•  Update on Student Wellbeing Measures project – Briefing Note / Ed Report (Minister Tinetti cc Minister
Hipkins)
•  Letters going out to over 650 schools in October/November to invite them to participate in large-scale
assessments during 2022. These include schools participating in NMSSA, PISA and TIMSS
•  Finalising National Student Roll Projections – potential for a Briefing Note subject to decisions at the
upcoming the ELT session
•  Supporting the formal OBU Education Report from Finance to Treasury
•  A joint ELT paper (with Te Uepu Reo Māori, ELSA) outlining rationale for developing an assessment for
Māori-medium settings
•  2021 Teacher Demand and Supply Planning Tool update (as above). Results are used by Te Puna Ohumahi
Mātauranga as one input into their decisions on workforce policy, and sector is very interested in the
results
•  NELP TES monitoring indicators (as above). Due to be submitted to the Minister in October
•  Attendance  reporting  at  present  comprises  our  weekly  COVID-19  reporting  (which  is  on-going)  and
reporting of regular attendance by term. Term 3 regular attendance report will be available late October
•  2022 Data Release Schedule due to Ministers late November. This is a routine forward looking annual
update which provides the Ministers and their offices the schedule of data releases for the year ahead
•  2021 ECE census update scheduled for release in December 2021. It provides key information on early
learning that is not available in any other data collections
•  Māori education – Māori-medium teacher count and teacher subjects. Iwi profiles which are a tool for
iwi to access timely data on their members are in the process of redevelopment. Priority to get this back
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on track and deliver
•  Best evidence synthesis evaluations (timing yet to be decided):
o  The  independent  evaluation  of  Taonga  Mō  Ngā  Tamariki  is  to  be  released  -  a  joint  initiative
between the Ministry and Corrections, is a whānau reading and literacy intervention based on
an  adaptation  of  the  Early  Reading  Together®  and  Reading  Together®  Te  Pānui  Ngātahi
programmes. It is delivered to parents and caregivers in the care of Corrections
o  A summary of evaluations and implementation exemplars of Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi
o  Oversight  of  the  evaluation  of  the  expansion  of  Reading  Together®  Te  Pānui  Ngātahi  being
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funded by PICI.

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Key risks and issues

•  EDK resourcing and recruiting
o  High staff turnover and prevailing market shortage of skillsets in competitive recruitment market –
results in lack of skilled staff in key roles and potential delays in delivery, loss of Intellectual Property,
and work continuing without necessary oversight
o  Demand for some products and services is reactive by need, whilst work programmes take a long
term  focus.  Matching  demand  with  available  resources  requires  prioritisation  and  a  strategic
approach noting not all demand can be met with available talent
o
o  9(2)(g)(i)
•  9(2)(g)(i)
•  Proliferation of siloed datasets
If the take up and use of integrated and well-curated datasets from agreed sources including the EDW is
low, siloed datasets risk different answers to same questions from different data
•  Teacher and sector workforce shortage
Likely to escalate as borders open and there is movement of teachers. This will put pressure on our small,
highly skilled workforce analysis team in ESD
•  Attendance reporting and analysis
There is a significant focus on attendance, including a select committee. Whilst an opportunity to support
front line services with timely data and responsive insights, also a risk if we are not resourced to front
foot opportunities
•  Through resetting of our role in Te Pae Aronui, there is a risk that FaM could become increasingly involved
in basic operational modelling and rate-setting activities, at the expense of more technical forecasting
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and policy modelling capabilities and ability to stay tuned into knowledge of policy developments. We
have  worked  hard  to  build  a  team  of  expert  forecasters  and  modellers  equipped  to  drive  forward  a
forecast improvement programme to continually increase the accuracy and quality of Ministry demand
and  expenditure  forecasts.  We  want  to  guard  against  changes  of  focus  which  reduce  our  capacity  to
deliver these developments and bring risks to staff morale and retention
•  We  have  noted  increased  difficulties  in  meeting  the  high  response  rates  required  to  meet  the
international quality standards for our large-scale assessment studies. Covid-19 could potentially impact
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this  further  with  schools  reluctant  to  commit  time  or  permit  access,  as  well  as  increased  student
absenteeism.  We  are  working  with  the  sector  engagement  team  to  identify  the  best  channels  for
engaging with schools so they are aware well in advance of their requested participation and we are able
to provide support to schools where necessary
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Appendix 2: EDK Structure Chart
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