Case Study: Use Google’s Free Tools to Animate Your Data
Originally posted on the Nonprofit Technology Network blog
At the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, we publish data on children’s health and well being in California through our own www.kidsdata.org website. The site makes it easy to find, describe, and share wide-ranging facts – millions of data points in all – about how kids in California are faring.
With a robust data website like ours, why, then, would we want to make use of Google’s own data offerings, as we did on this blog post about the rise in autism diagnoses (http://www.kidsdata.org/blog/?p=2113)? In short, the charts that Google makes available are slick, especially in the way they animate data, and Google’s tools can be of benefit to wide-ranging nonprofits that work with data.
In our case, Google’s chart animation allowed us to clearly communicate the increase over time in autism diagnoses, as compared to other special education diagnoses. In the post above, click on the bar graph tab in the 2nd graph, then press play to see how Google makes it easy to animate data. The effect can be quite powerful and attention-grabbing, which is a key consideration for an organization like ours working to raise the priority of children’s health.
It’s relatively easy for nonprofits to create these charts: Just upload your own data into Google Docs (the data can be on any topic of interest to your organization), build your animation, then grab the code to put on your site/blog. Even better, Google offers this service for free (other than the roughly 30 minutes to an hour it will take you to build your animated chart).
In addition to integrating these charting capabilities into Google Docs for individual users, the search giant also is building out a comprehensive site, Google Public Data Explorer, which, so far, offers dozens of indicators from data sources worldwide.
Our foundation is experimenting with Google’s Public Data Explorer, too (nonprofits can upload public data into this system). Our thinking is that if we can make data available through Google itself, we may get even more exposure to the issues to which we’re trying to bring attention.
Unlike Google Docs, however, we’ve found that Google’s system to upload data into Public Data Explorer – called Dataset Publishing Language (DSPL) – is somewhat cumbersome to use, requiring us to have at least some programming knowledge. This requirement has slowed us down, but we’re still trying to figure out how this new language works, especially as Google transitions DSPL into something more user-friendly for those uploading data.
The upside of using Public Data Explorer is too significant for us to ignore. After all, given its reach, Google has the capacity to draw more attention to our data than we potentially can through kidsdata.org (the same surely applies to most nonprofits). And, once these data are uploaded, Public Data Explorer offers some engaging data displays. So we’re hoping that Google will simplify the upload process for Public Data Explorer – that is, the DSPL language – to the point where it will be worth our time to add our data to Google’s own site.
Posted by Andy Krackov
Tags: Data Challenges
Even More Data Available for Small Regions – See How Kids in Your Community Are Faring
Nine measures of demographic and income data recently were updated on kidsdata.org. These data, which come to us from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, include three-year estimates (2007 – 2009) for California counties, cities, and school districts with 20,000 or more residents. Data for these regions are aggregated across three years in order to provide reliable estimates. These data can be helpful in understanding population trends and planning services and investments for children and families. Soon kidsdata.org will offer five-year estimates for regions with populations of at least 10,000.
Data updates for regions of 20,000 residents or more include:
- Households with and without children
- Family structure among households with children (single or married parents)
- Children in poverty
- Median family income
- Child population
- Foreign-born population by age group
- Children in the care of grandparents
Here are some interesting highlights of the ’07-’09 data:
- Of all California counties with available data, San Francisco had the smallest percentage of households with children (18%). Click here for a large-scale, interactive map of the data to see regional differences.
- The percentage of households with kids headed by married couples in California also varied by county, from over 75% in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Marin, to about 53% in Del Norte.
- Of California cities with available data, Cupertino, in Santa Clara County, had the highest percentage of foreign-born children ages 5-17, with 23%, compared to 8% statewide. Two other cities have 20% or more – Arcadia and Glendale, both in Los Angeles County.
- From ’05-’07 to ’07-’09, the percentage of children living below the federal poverty level increased in 28 California counties.
- Median family income varies widely across California cities, from $32,534 annually in Corcoran (Kings County) to $184,837 in Los Altos (Santa Clara County) in ’07-’09. Here is another map highlighting these regional differences across the state.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: New Data
Just Added: Survey Data About Health Care, Asthma, and Teen Sexual Health
Our most recent addition to kidsdata.org: 2009 data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) on health care, asthma diagnoses, and teens who say they have not had sex. Highlights of these data are noted below.
Health Care Data Highlights:
- In most regions for which data are available, more than 90% of children were insured in ’09.
- The percentage of California children with employer-based health care has decreased, while the percentage with public insurance increased.
- Read our recent data advisory for more details.
Teen Sexual Health Data Highlight:
- An estimated 81% of California teens ages 14-17 in ’09 reported that they have not had sex, similar to previous years.
Asthma Data Highlights:
- About 13% of California kids have been diagnosed with asthma, according to survey estimates.
- Statewide, asthma diagnoses declined slightly from 2005 to 2009.
The California Health Interview Survey is sponsored by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. For more data from the survey, visit http://www.askchis.org.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: New Data
The Changing Demographics of U.S. Kids and Families and More Top Stories
Following are some recent news highlights about children and families from our April News Round-Up:
Demographics
White Children to Become the New Minority Within the Decade, Report Predicts
(NY Times, 4/6/11, by Tavernise)
Study: 40% of Adoptions in America Involve Kids Whose Race Is Different from that of Their Adoptive Parents’
(USA Today, 4/11/11, by Jayson)
Census Shows Rise in Multiracial Population of Youth
(NY Times, 3/24/11, by Saulny)
Divorce Becoming More Common in Rural America, Changing the Face of Its Families, Census Data Show
(NY Times, 3/23/11, by Tavernise and Gebeloff)
See the Data:
In California, White children already are a minority (30.6%); Latino children account for about half of the child population.
The overall California child population rose from about 9 to 10 million from 1995-2009.
The number of multiracial kids in California rose steadily from 2000 to 2005, but leveled off since then, to about 369,000 in 2009.
Juvenile Arrests
Counties Differ Radically Across California on Handling of Youth Offenders
(The Bay Citizen, 4/17/11, by Bundy)
See the Data:
The juvenile felony arrest rate in California varies widely by county, from 7.7 to 34.7 arrests per 1,000 youth ages 10-17, according to 2008 data.
Substance Abuse
Teen Substance Abuse in the U.S. on the Rise Over Past 3 Years, Study Finds
(LA Times, 4/6/11, by Marsh)
Study: Many Teens Don’t See Harm in Drinking 5 or More Alcoholic Drinks a Day
(San Jose Mercury, 4/6/11, by Kerr)
See the Data:
In California, roughly one in five 11th graders reported binge drinking at least one time in the past 30 days, according to 06-08 data.
In 2010, about 15% of California children lived in households with smokers, according to a survey of California parents.
Posted by Jordan Handcox
Tags: Child Health Issues
Child Welfare in California: A Slideshow of Key Findings
In case you missed our recent advisory, kidsdata.org now has updated child abuse and foster care data. To summarize some of the key findings, we’ve compiled a slideshow to tell the story of child abuse and foster care in California. You can view the slideshow at http://www.kidsdata.org/childwelfare/.
A few key findings:
- In 2009, there were more than 90,000 substantiated (verified) cases of child abuse/neglect in California.
- In 2009, neglect – not physical, emotional, or sexual abuse – accounted for the majority of substantiated child abuse/neglect cases in California.
- The youngest children in California – those under age 3 – accounted for more than 25% of substantiated cases of child abuse/neglect in 2009, a percentage that has increased slightly over the last 10 years.
- Young children in California also are the most likely to be placed in the foster care system. Infants, for example, entered foster care at a rate more than 6 times that of teenagers in ’07-’09.
Check out the slideshow for more key findings with accompanying graphs, and please feel free to share with your colleagues.
Posted by Jordan Handcox
Tags: New Data
Report Card Sheds Light on How Kids Are Faring in San Joaquin Valley
Widespread poverty emerged as the main headline in the Kern County Report Card, released this week by the Kern County Network for Children.
The report, which includes 160+ measures of child and youth well being, notes the toll that the recession has taken on youth in the area, with family income dropping, unemployment rising, and 25% of kids living below the federal poverty line. But the report showed some areas of improvement as well, including notable decreases in rates of child abuse and children in foster care.
We applaud the Kern County Network for Children for producing this report for 13 years, as data reports such as these help policymakers and community leaders make informed decisions on behalf of kids across California. To read the full report, visit http://www.kcnc.org/stories/storyReader$1328.
Also see data about Kern County kids on kidsdata.org, at http://www.kidsdata.org/kern.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: Child Health Issues, Data Projects
Organizations Statewide Win Grants to Use Data to Promote Children’s Health
Last fall, kidsdata.org launched a pilot program to offer grants to organizations statewide that want to make better use of children’s data in their work. Our goal: To encourage creative strategies for using data to bring attention to key issues facing children, and to promote the use of data in efforts to improve children’s lives.
Interest was strong; we received dozens of worthy proposals from across the state. We ultimately chose 14 proposals, all of which are for approximately $10,000. The grants will be used for a range of purposes, including data analysis and development, training and education, and public information campaigns. Much of the data to be used in the projects will come from kidsdata.org, and the grants will serve children across the state, from Shasta County to Stockton to San Diego. See the full list of grantees >>
As we begin to see results from these grants over the next year, we’ll showcase the projects on kidsdata.org and through this blog. And while this program is a pilot, we encourage you to sign up to be notified of any future kidsdata.org grant opportunities.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: Data Projects, News About Kidsdata.org
Child Welfare in California: A Snapshot of Legislation
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and we’ve just updated child abuse and foster care data on kidsdata.org — seems like the perfect time to check in on recently passed and upcoming child welfare legislation.
We’ve noted a few key bills below, and you can find more child welfare legislation passed into law in this report from the County Welfare Directors Association. And, if you know of other bills, please note them here.
Child Welfare Legislation Passed in 2010:
- AB 12, introduced by Assemblymember Jim Beall (D-San Jose), is the California Fostering Connections to Success Act, which extends foster care to age 21 if the youth is working or enrolled in school full time.
- AB 743, authored by Assemblymember Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge), strengthens state policy to keep siblings together in the foster care system.
- AB 1933 from Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) allows foster children to remain in their school of origin, even if placed with a family in a different area.
- AB 2322, authored by Assemblymember Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles), helps county employees better identify instances of child abuse and neglect, helps social workers fashion plans of action for potentially abused children, and provides strict protection for the privacy of children and their families.
Proposed Child Welfare Legislation for 2011:
- AB 73, from Assemblymember Feuer, would provide for public access to dependency court proceedings.
- AB 181, authored by Assemblymember Portantino, would create a mental health bill of rights for foster youth.
- AB 194, from Assemblymember Beall, would offer priority enrollment for foster youth in post-secondary education.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: Child Health Issues, New Data
Federal Data Resources In Jeopardy
As the Federal government struggles to vote on a budget that affects many programs for children, we note some valuable data resources that may be in jeopardy.
According to the Sunlight Foundation, Federal data transparency tools such as data.gov, usaspending.gov, and the IT Dashboard are at risk of having most of their budgets cut. The cuts are so drastic that they might mean the elimination of these programs altogether.
Websites such as these have been used by journalists to shed light on government spending, and offer context to health issues.
Here at kidsdata.org, we value these trusted public data sources and hope they can be retained. On its website, the Sunlight Foundation offers may ways you can voice your opinion on these proposed cuts.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: Data Challenges
Physical Fitness Data Released: 1/3 of CA Kids Score “Healthy”
As you may have seen in the news, the California Department of Education last week released ’09-’10 physical fitness data for school districts statewide. These data show that roughly one-third of public school students in California meet all six fitness standards. A summary of these data are available on the California Department of Education website. In the coming weeks, we’ll update our fitness and weight indicators on kidsdata.org to include the ’09-’10 data, so that you can customize for your region, and view the data as trend graphs, bar charts, or maps. In the meantime, you can view historical data on kidsdata.org.
Here’s a summary of local coverage of fitness test results from around the state:
Contra Costa Times: Only One-Third of County Students Could Pass Physical Fitness Test
Inland Empire News: 2 of 3 Students Fail Fitness Test
KFMB-AM: San Diego Students Score Slightly Better in Fitness Tests Compared to State
LA Times: Only 1 in 3 California Students Make the Grade in Physical Fitness Test
Monterey County Herald: County Lags State in Youth Fitness
North County Times: Local Kids Beat State Averages for Fitness Tests
Redding Record-Searchlight: North State Students Slip in State Health Test
San Francisco Chronicle: Couch or Calisthenics?
Santa Cruz Sentinel: State Fitness Test Results Reveal Stubborn Plateau
SJ Mercury News: California Students Continue to Score Poorly on Fitness Tests
Have you seen other local coverage? Post it here.
Posted by kidsdata.org
Tags: New Data