PDG Sandbox

Just as children learn best through play, adults also need to dig, explore and try out different tools. Our team is on a mission to build a “research sandbox” big enough for all of us to find answers to our questions, notice trends, encounter new information we had never considered and dream up opportunities to grow.

At the links below, you will find a series of data displays allowing early care and education professionals, community leaders, and policy makers the opportunity to play with data in a virtual sandbox. This research:

• Describes the range of programs and services that make up Wisconsin’s ECE landscape.
• Can be used to support strategic planning, draft realistic and measurable goals, and drive objectives for local and statewide innovation projects.

As the grant progresses, you can expect to see more information and tools added to our PDG Sandbox to address the impact of COVID-19, report the results of our regional listening sessions and present personal stories of how this data impacts lives and communities. The PDG team would love to hear your reactions and suggestions to enhance this research. Please email us at wipdg@wisconsin.gov.

Use the Sandbox FAQ for tips and answers on how to interpret what you find in the Sandbox.

Get Started!

The PDG Sandbox is an interactive website that also includes downloadable files:

• Needs Assessment Summary
• Explore the interactive county and regional data on health, employment, education and poverty.
• Learn how Wisconsin counties are affected by accessibility, affordability, quality and workforce within a context of equity and inclusion.
• Regional Snapshots of the Early Care and Education Landscape (Pre-COVID-19): present information by regions
  • Northeastern Wisconsin
  • Northern Wisconsin
  • Southeastern Wisconsin
  • Southern Wisconsin
  • Western Wisconsin
• Listening Session Summary Report
• PDG Sandbox Toolkit PowerPoint slides
  • Support you in sharing and discussing Sandbox research with colleagues and stakeholders
  • Include PDG overview information, data summary slides and reflection questions to guide your exploration of the Sandbox
• Check out the data on how many providers were helped by the Child Care Counts: COVID-19 Emergency Payment Program.

Comments? Questions? Email wipdg@wisconsin.gov