Project Description

Data-driven decision making has become an essential component of effective governance at all levels. Municipal governments are increasingly recognizing the value of leveraging data to enhance service delivery, optimize operations, and improve transparency within the city and with the community. The city of Tempe, Arizona has demonstrated leadership in the use of data and evidence throughout the organization which resulted in their receiving What Works Cities Platinum certification and recent creation of the Center for Integrated Data Innovation. Building on this foundation, Tempe is now focused on developing organizational capacity through a comprehensive Data Literacy Framework designed to equip city employees with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively utilize data in their work.

The Tempe Team of the Paragon Policy Fellowship's Spring 2025 Cohort has collaborated with the city to support this data and evidence driven culture. Through research on best practices in data literacy education, stakeholder consultations, and analysis of implementation strategies, the team has developed a comprehensive Data Literacy Framework tailored to meet the specific needs of Tempe's municipal government and workforce.

Project Aims

Although various data literacy frameworks have been developed in the education and private sectors respectively, comprehensive frameworks for the public sector are often difficult to access and lack the breadth that is essential for widespread utilization. Our team filled this gap by:
1. Curriculum Development: We constructed a curriculum that is: accessible for learners of all knowledge and skill levels, comprehensive in its scope, and widely applicable across multiple mediums.
2. Training Modules: Beyond providing conceptual information regarding data, our framework includes a variety of interactive applications, including examples from Tempe’s Open Data Portal and assessments throughout.
3. Implementation Recommendations: We took the initiative to suggest methods for implementation that will enable city employees to retain the information provided and eventually utilize the skills learned in their daily work.

Methodology

The research we conducted for this project was all-encompassing and incorporated insights from a multitude of disciplines, including: pedagogy, data science, data security, data ethics, public policy, and the private sector. This allowed us to craft a final product that is as comprehensive and dynamic as possible.
1. Existing Best Practices: In order to gain the best understanding of what data literacy is and the optimal strategies for implementing data literacy education programs on a large scale, we conducted extensive research, spanning over a variety of fields. We identified existing data literacy policies at the municipal level, such as the program currently used in the city of San Francisco. Additionally, we incorporated insights from the work of some of the leading scholars in technological education, including Stephen Downes and Ellen Mandinach. This research allowed us to determine the essential components to be included in our curriculum.
2. Case Studies: We provided case study examples of how data can be used incorrectly, or in some instances outright manipulated, in order to emphasize the importance of responsible and ethical data usage. For example, the COMPAS program utilized biased data in the construction of an algorithm that was intended to predict recidivism rates for criminals. However, the algorithm was trained using biased data, leading to disproportionate prison sentences given to minorities. This case study and others provide a clear example as to the real-world implications of irresponsible data usage.
3. Stakeholder Engagement: In addition to our research, we made it imperative to actively engage with a variety of stakeholders throughout the construction process to ensure that we were on the correct path. We conducted an interview with Arizona State University professor and World Economic Forum consultant Andrew Maynard to acquire insight on why data literacy programs are essential for governments, and how the process of implementation works. We also interviewed a professional curricularist, who provided us with critical information regarding curriculum design. Finally, we maintained frequent communication with our government partners, as well as other Tempe employees, to confirm that their needs were being met throughout the process.

Project Impact and Future Work

Through this cohort, we have developed a comprehensive, accessible, and widely applicable Data Literacy Framework for the city government of Tempe, AZ. This framework can be utilized by our government partners to improve data literacy across all departments, and in turn succeed in their mission of making Tempe a data-driven city. Ultimately, the impact of our work will be widespread, as all residents of Tempe will benefit from a data-driven approach to policymaking and governance.

Moving forward, we hope that future Paragon cohorts will continue our work. Data is a complex subject, and rapid technological advancements make it so that employees will benefit from continued education and training. Providing our government partners with continued support as they implement our framework, and building upon it over time will be essential to the success of this project. Furthermore, our team is considering refining our framework in order to potentially pursue publication and widespread administration in cities across the country.

Contributors