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Will McCoy: Pioneering a Data-Driven Renaissance in Early Childhood Education

Will McCoy: Pioneering a Data-Driven Renaissance in Early Childhood Education

As state agencies strive to provide quality programs for young children and their families, the challenge of effectively utilizing data across various sectors has never been more pressing. Innovative solutions like the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) offer a transformative approach, enabling states to harness comprehensive data sets that ensure all children are counted and represented. At the forefront of this initiative is Will McCoy, whose extensive experience in early childhood education and data systems positions him as a key advocate for change.

Will McCoy’s career spans the education, non-profit and corporate spaces.  As an educator, Will received recognition for his work both in the classroom and as a Principal and School District Superintendent.  His work related to educational equity for all students earned him recognition by both the State of California and The White House, and was named one of the Top 100 Superintendents in the United States.  At the same time, he helped to found two EdTech companies that were recognized as outstanding by both SXSW EDU and EdTech Digest.  He consults for companies worldwide on product development and strategic growth.  He has authored five books on leadership, business, and parenting/education.  He is a sought-after consultant and speaker across industries for his insights into leadership, education, technology, and business culture.  

From Classroom to Cloud

Will McCoy, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Third Sector Intelligence, reflects on his journey into early childhood education and data systems as a full-circle moment. He began his career as a preschool teacher while pursuing his teaching credential at Arizona State University. During this time, he taught four- and five-year-olds, gaining invaluable insights into early development and learning. Although he later taught students across elementary, middle, and high school levels, his passion for teaching was ignited in the preschool classroom, shaping his commitment to enhancing the lives of young people.

When approached by Third Sector Intelligence to help implement innovative technology in state agencies, McCoy felt compelled to contribute. With 10 million active data records in their system, he recognizes the significance of ensuring that these students are acknowledged and represented to decision-makers. He is proud to facilitate the company’s national growth and impact through technological advancements in the early childhood education sector, envisioning a long-term positive influence on young children and their families.

Bridging the Data Divide

Will acknowledges the significant challenges associated with integrating data across different agencies and departments. He expresses admiration for the efforts of state agency staff who strive to deliver quality programs to young children and their families. However, Will points out that many agency data systems are often incomplete or incompatible with one another, which hampers effective communication and limits states’ ability to make fully informed decisions.

He emphasizes the necessity of integrating program, licensing, quality ratings, financial, operational, and research information to create a comprehensive view of the service provision ecosystem. This is where Third Sector Intelligence steps in. Their Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) is designed to ingest data from various agency systems, facilitating the creation of a robust platform capable of addressing critical questions such as: How well are we serving families? Is childcare accessible to all families in the state? How effectively are resources being utilized on behalf of young children? What long-term outcomes can be correlated with the services provided to children and families?

These questions are essential for informing quality decision-making at both state and federal levels. Will sees this work as a lifelong dream and feels privileged to contribute to such meaningful change.

Turning Insights into Impact

Will shares that the team at Third Sector Intelligence has achieved remarkable success in forming partnerships with current and potential state clients through a collaborative approach. One of their standout initiatives is the free platform, CUSP Public, which allows states to access and analyze their early childhood population data in innovative ways. Many state agencies previously ran reports only once a year, using data aggregated at the state level. However, CUSP Public enables them to create population representations down to the county level using various public data sources and verified methodologies. This provides states with the ability to run analytics and scenarios that were previously unavailable, even with this free tool.

Will emphasizes the importance of support from their Client Services team, which conducts regular check-ins and fosters ongoing collaboration with state clients. They offer Adaptive Services, working closely with clients to generate meaningful insights from their data. Data experts are available to assist clients not only with daily software usage but also with strategic data approaches that maximize their investment in programs and services for children.

Additionally, Will highlights the creation of a Community of Practice for Early Childhood Data Users, a public forum for state and federal agency staff to learn and share best practices. Existing clients are also part of the CUSP Network, where they are encouraged to collaborate, discuss, and innovate to enhance the utility of the products for all users.

Building an Inclusive Data Landscape

Will explains that the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) was developed with a strong emphasis on integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) principles into its data systems. One of the primary goals of CUSP is to help state agencies ensure they have a comprehensive data set that accurately represents all children in their state. He notes that many state systems currently capture only 70 to 80 percent of the information on the young children residing there. The remaining 20 to 30 percent often go unidentified or unrepresented for various reasons, which poses challenges when designing systems meant to support all children.

To address this issue, CUSP leverages U.S. Census data, along with and other sources and proprietary techniques to construct a complete dataset that ensures all children are accounted for. This data is then combined and deduplicated with state data, resulting in an analytic model that includes 100 percent of the children in the state. According to Will, this complete dataset serves as the foundation for decision-making and analytics related to all early childhood programs and services. He emphasizes that ensuring every child is counted—regardless of their background—is central to the mission of Third Sector Intelligence (3Si).

Revolutionizing Data Integration

Will highlights several standout features of the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) that set it apart from other early childhood data systems.

First, CUSP is the only scalable Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) software solution that operates within a state’s secure cloud environment. This design allows for deep engagement with data while minimizing security risks associated with importing and exporting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) beyond the state’s control, which is crucial for data privacy.

Additionally, CUSP excels in its ability to utilize and ingest data from a wide range of sources into its data lake architecture. Will notes that this capability, combined with the team’s extensive experience in early childhood education, enables them to derive valuable insights and support decision-making across multiple state agencies. They can analyze data from sources such as census data, subsidy programs, licensing, Quality Rating Systems (QRS), finance, and State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS). The only limitations stem from data governance agreements established by the state, as there are no technological constraints.

Will also emphasizes that CUSP is faster and more cost-effective than custom solutions built for state agencies. Many states have invested millions of dollars over several years in custom systems that fail to answer essential questions. In contrast, CUSP can be installed in less than a month, with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) ready in 6 to 9 months using state agency data. He notes that their speed is contingent on the state agency’s pace.

Finally, Will describes CUSP’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model as fair and consistent across all state agencies. They provide a single annual price divided into monthly payments, which includes all technical support, analytic support, and updates. He stresses that there are no unexpected fees, as CUSP is already built, allowing them to focus on supporting state government agencies that serve children rather than generating additional revenue through hidden costs.

Turning Data into Dreams

Will explains how success is measured for programs that utilize the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP), focusing on two key areas.

On a basic level, he highlights the importance of user engagement and frequency of use. States that interact with the system daily derive significantly greater value compared to those that use it less frequently. Will emphasizes that part of the value provided to clients comes from consistent engagement with the platform.

On a larger scale, he points to the impact that CUSP has on decision-making related to young children and their families. Will proudly notes that the system now encompasses tens of millions of young children, meaning their data is actively informing decision-makers. To date, CUSP has influenced client decisions regarding Early Childhood programs, facilities, and investments totaling over a billion dollars. This measurable impact underscores the effectiveness of the platform in enhancing early childhood education and services.

Shaping Inclusive Policies Through Data-Driven Insights

Will explains how Third Sector Intelligence (3Si) ensures that its solutions remain relevant and effective in the changing landscape of early childhood education policies.

He emphasizes the importance of informing policies, programs, and political decisions as they are being developed. Will believes that the best policies are grounded in facts and data, and 3Si’s role is to provide state and federal decision-makers, as well as politicians, with accurate data and analysis. This empowers them to create effective policies and programs for young children and their families.

Will underscores the significance of representation, stating that good policies must include every child in a state, particularly those who have been overlooked, underserved, or underrepresented in the past. By prioritizing inclusivity and data-driven insights, 3Si remains committed to shaping effective early childhood education solutions.

Harnessing User Insights for a Data-Driven Revolution

Will shares how Third Sector Intelligence (3Si) incorporates user feedback into future iterations of the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) and highlights the role of end-users in this process.

He emphasizes the company’s commitment to engaging with users on a regular basis. As members of the CUSP Network, clients have ongoing opportunities to provide feedback, share ideas, and request product features. Will explains that if these suggestions are scalable and beneficial to the broader CUSP Network, the team collaborates with the Product Development Team to analyze and prioritize them for future releases. This iterative approach ensures that user insights play a crucial role in shaping the platform’s evolution and enhancing its effectiveness.

Will expresses his enthusiasm for the future of Early Childhood Integrated Data Systems (ECIDS) and early childhood data analytics.

He highlights the growing interest in early childhood data, noting that states are beginning to recognize the improved decision-making enabled by the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP). He envisions a two-phase approach: first, onboarding all states to significantly enhance their data and decision-making capabilities. Then, he looks forward to guiding these states in asking the right, big questions about their data and programs to improve overall systems, efficiency, and outcomes for children.

Will emphasizes that CUSP, in its current form, serves as a major capacity multiplier by integrating existing silos into a single robust platform. This integration is already exponentially better than previous systems. When combined with CUSP’s advanced analytics, dashboards, features, and reporting, the potential for impact is immense.

Empowering Policymakers for Meaningful Change

Will explains how the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP) aids organizations in strategically allocating resources to address specific service gaps in early childhood programs.

He begins by emphasizing the importance of building comprehensive data sets that include all children. CUSP uses sophisticated algorithms to map these children geographically within the state, then overlays provider data to match various datasets. This process enables quick identification of areas where children are underserved, marking these locations as child care deserts or service gaps.

Additionally, Will notes that CUSP helps states analyze program resource provision through licensing, Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS), enrollment, attendance, subsidy data, and service outcomes. With access to this extensive data, organizations can examine each child’s individual experience within the system. This capability allows for tracking a child’s progress from birth through entry into K-12, providing valuable insights into where programs excel and where improvements are needed to better serve families.

Will discusses how his organization engages with policymakers to ensure it effectively leverage data insights provided by the Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) in its decision-making processes.

He highlights the rapid growth of the company, noting that it currently serves clients such as California, Washington, Wyoming, Georgia, and Massachusetts, with plans to onboard more in the coming year.

Will acknowledges that one of the biggest challenges is connecting with the right decision-makers who influence early childhood data policies. His team works diligently to encourage these officials to think ambitiously about their questions and goals for data utilization. Despite being a smaller company operating within a niche market, they strive to capture attention by demonstrating the transformative potential of the Child Universal Success Platform (CUSP).

Once policymakers see the capabilities of CUSP, it becomes easier to establish the necessary steps for implementation. Will proudly notes that the organization boasts a high retention rate with clients, largely due to the significant advancements it helps clients achieve in data practices, strategies, and outcomes.

A Journey of Compassionate Leadership

Will reflects on his career trajectory and the personal experiences and mentors that have shaped his approach to leadership in the early childhood education sector. He expresses gratitude for the opportunity to engage with thousands of students and families over the years.

Will notes that in the tech world, there can often be a disconnect from those they aim to serve. However, with over twenty-five years of experience working with children and families, he remains grounded in his mission to help more kids each year. He recalls how, as a teacher, he directly impacted 30 children, and as a superintendent, he reached thousands. In his current role, he has the opportunity to help tens of millions of children be “seen,” counted, and included.

As an empathetic technologist, he emphasizes the importance of ensuring that their work directly or indirectly benefits individual children. He views the children he serves as his mentors, constantly reminding him of the significance of serving others, even as he navigates this mission through technology.

For Print and Design

Name: Will McCoy, 

Designation: VP of Strategic Partnerships

Organization: Third Sector Intelligence, 3Si

Quotes: 

“I believe that the best policies are grounded in facts. By providing decision-makers with accurate data, we empower them to create effective programs that truly benefit young children and their families.”

“Our work at Third Sector Intelligence is about breaking down silos and fostering collaboration. Together, we can transform how states use data to enhance early childhood education.”

“My journey began in the preschool classroom, where I learned the profound impact of early education. Every child deserves to be seen and counted, and that commitment drives my work today.”

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