But at this week's NASCIO Midyear conference, many state chief information officers characterized their data literacy programs as in their infancy. That admission tracks with recently released survey data from NASCIO, which found that more than 80 percent of state respondents lacked a formal program for data literacy.
In Minnesota, data literacy is built into new employee onboarding, with training at the time of hire and annually thereafter.
As far as practical applications of this data maturity, the state has recently created a new Department of Children, Youth and Families that unites the work of a few different agencies. CIO Tarek Tomes characterized the move as an opportunity to use data to benefit residents.
"To share data in different ways, to break down some of those data silos really ends up meaning huge opportunities for Minnesotans,” Tomes said.
Texas, meanwhile, established a formal program for data literacy in 2022. With elements for both data experts and business leaders, the program could serve as a resource for other jurisdictions at earlier stages of their data journey.
Amanda Crawford, Texas CIO, emphasized the importance of both aspects of the program.
"We want to make sure that leadership understands the value of data and the importance of supporting those sorts of programs and how it can drive better business decisions by using strong data," she said.
