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This chartbook is the 14th version to be produced for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). The Chartbook describes the diversity of the Appalachian Region on a host of demographic and economic measures and provides an important annual view of the area and its people. The data contained in the 2018-2022 Chartbook describe how residents in the Appalachian Region were faring before and during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020. Nearly half of the years during this time period were pre-pandemic and half were during the pandemic era. Thus, this Chartbook is a blend of these two eras. As future data releases reflect the post-pandemic era, data users will have additional insights on the long-term changes that the pandemic brought to Appalachia's social and economic dynamics. Most of the data shown here come from the 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS), a nationwide study collected continuously every year in every county in the United States by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is designed to provide communities with reliable and timely demographic, social, economic, and housing data each year. To provide as much county-level data as possible, we use ACS 5-year data files which provide reliable estimates for geographic areas with fewer than 20,000 people. Since many counties in the Appalachian Region have fewer than 20,000 residents, these data permit comparable statistics for all 423 counties in the Region. The primary purpose of the ACS is to measure the changing characteristics of the U.S. population in a way that is continually updated. The estimates in this Chartbook, therefore, are data collected over the five-year (or 60-month) period from January 2018 through December 2022. These ACS estimates are not averages of monthly or annual values, but rather an aggregation of data collected continuously over that time period.

This report describes results from the Long-Term Impact of Early College High Schools Study--funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) (#R305A210017)--which aimed to explore the long-term impacts of early college (EC) high schools on students' academic outcomes (e.g., college enrollment, degree attainment) and workforce, financial, and later life outcomes after schooling. In this report--the second follow-up report on our initial EC impact study--we focus specifically on key questions about workforce, financial, and other life outcomes: What were the impacts of ECs on workforce, financial, and other life outcomes in the 12th to 14th years after expected high school graduation? Did the impacts of ECs vary by participant characteristics? This report describes findings which build on a previous EC impact study, which was a multisite student-level randomized controlled trial with randomization based on admission lotteries. The analyses in this report focus on individuals who originally participated in 17 admission lotteries conducted by seven ECs for three cohorts of students, and examined outcomes after formal schooling. Key takeaways include the following: (1) Participants who were admitted to an EC, regardless of whether they attended the EC, did not experience a significant effect on any of the workforce, financial, and other life outcomes measured with survey data 12 to 14 years after expected high school graduation; and (2) EC impacts on workforce, financial, and other life outcomes measured 12 to 14 years after expected high school graduation did not differ significantly by individuals' race/ethnicity, low-income status, or prior achievement. While our initial impact study and first follow-up study found that attending an EC had effects on secondary and postsecondary enrollment, and completion for participants with different background characteristics, we found that attending an EC had no impact on any of the workforce, financial, and other life outcomes that we analyzed 12 to 14 years after participants' expected high school graduation. Future studies could consider examining workforce, financial, and other life outcomes in years before the 12th to 14th year after expected high school graduation using administrative data sources (e.g., IRS or unemployment insurance records). Further research may also examine if other factors, such as EC students' college major or labor market opportunities, influence the impact of ECs on longer-term outcomes.

Researchers have posited various theories to explain supposed declines in teaching quality: the expansion of labor market opportunities for women, low relative wages, compressed compensation structures, and substituting quantity for quality. We synthesize these previous theories and expand on the current literature by incorporating a useful comparison group: the nursing workforce. We document historical trends in skill level, average and relative wages, wage dispersion, unionization rates, and quantity, and find important divergences in the teaching and nursing professions that cannot be explained by previous theories. We posit two new theories that align with our documented trends: technological innovation and occupational differentiation in nursing. We argue that trends in the nursing profession indicate that declines in teaching quality were (and are) not inevitable.

Although more Latinos are entering the STEM workforce, they continue to be underrepresented in high-salary STEM occupations. To ensure America's future, institutions and STEM employers must both play an active role in preparing, selecting, and sourcing Latino talent for a global economy. Excelencia's research demonstrates that select institutions are investing in the recruitment, development, and completion of Latino talent and STEM employers have opportunities to strengthen their workforce. To bridge this gap, Excelencia has analyzed national datasets to connect STEM employers with institutions that are graduating and preparing Latinos for the workforce. This brief identifies the top institutions graduating Latinos (2019-20) in STEM from certificates to the doctorate level. These top 25 institutions are meeting the nation's economic needs by intentionally serving Latino students and producing Latino talent. This brief also highlights institutions and their intentional efforts to support post-completion success by providing educational credentials needed to support the current and future STEM workforce.

The nation is facing a shortage of educators prepared to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Latinos are the nation's fastest growing population but are underrepresented in higher-skilled occupations in the classroom and overrepresented in supportive roles with lower wages. This shows the need for employers and institutions to create pathways into the field of education as Latinos see the value to educate others and the community. To ensure America's future, institutions and employers in education must both play an active role in preparing, selecting, and sourcing Latino talent for a global economy. To bridge this gap, "Excelencia" has analyzed national datasets to connect employers in education with institutions that are graduating and preparing Latinos for the workforce. This brief identifies the top institutions graduating Latinos (2019-20) from certificates to the doctoral level in education. These top 25 institutions are meeting the nation's economic needs by intentionally serving Latino students and producing Latino talent. This brief also highlights institutions and their intentional efforts to support post-completion success by providing education credentials needed to support the current and future education workforce.

Determining whether a state's young people are on track for a life of opportunity is a difficult task for governors and state leaders. States can be both awash in data and unable to easily access and use that data to inform policy. State longitudinal data systems that meaningfully connect workforce, higher education, K-12, and early childhood outcome data from multiple state agencies over time are foundational to strong decision-making by state leaders. State leaders are charged with determining how to advance educational and workforce opportunities, particularly for historically underserved populations, including rural students, students living in poverty, English-language learners, and students of color. Policymakers need reliable, relevant, and transparent data from PK-12 to the workforce to inform decisions and allocate resources. Researchers need access to data to assess current conditions and to identify possible solutions. Finally, the public -- including parents -- needs easily accessible, user-friendly information about readiness and opportunity for young people in the state. Well-governed and well-structured state longitudinal data systems can help. Today, most states have disparate data systems that are functionally siloed off by education level, like early childhood or K-12 or higher education. Meaningfully connected and well-governed data systems make it easier to see the relationships between metrics like early-grade reading scores, high school graduation, and wage data. Disaggregated outcome data about the youngest learners up to young adults provide invaluable insights to policymakers, researchers, and parents. This report examines how state leaders should prioritize state longitudinal data systems in legislation and policymaking.

Texas depends on a talented workforce to fuel its economy, and Texans depend on our public education system to prepare them for the jobs of today and tomorrow. But unfortunately, workforce and public education systems often operate independently, making innovation and improvement difficult. Between now and 2036, over 70% of the jobs in Texas will require a postsecondary credential. But far too few Texas students will possess those credentials. Only 22% of Texas eighth graders currently earn a postsecondary degree or credentials within six years of high school graduation. This article examines the Texas Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative. It brings together the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The Tri-Agency is focused on three priorities: (1) Pathways: Support efficient and flexible pathways to earning degrees, certificates, and other credentials linked to high-wage, in-demand jobs; (2) Support: Ensure students receive the support necessary to succeed at all stages of their education in their transitions to the workforce; and (3) Infrastructure: Create a robust infrastructure for interagency collaboration around common goals, data, and processes to ensure improved student outcomes and meet employers' needs.

The Greenville Chamber, in Greenville, South Carolina, conducted the Bridging The Talent Survey (BTTG) campaigns to better understand the skills gap between the educational attainment of their workforce, the needs of local businesses, and to engage incumbent workers in education and upskilling opportunities. This report presents the key findings of the survey including: (1) Employers need workers with a variety of educational backgrounds, including high school diplomas, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and technical certifications; (2) Many businesses are interested in partnering with educational institutions to improve employee education and training opportunities, but few partnerships exist; (3) There is a significant gap between the availability of educational benefits and employee awareness and utilization of these programs; and (4) Many employees have a desire for further education but lack guidance and support in navigating the process. It also examines some of the Chamber's actions and provides recommendations for other communities.

Early care and education (ECE) programs are central to a thriving community: they support the well-being of children as well as their families. In Contra Costa County, approximately 260 child care centers serve children from birth through age five, along with 765 family child care providers operating in their own homes. These nurturing and vibrant learning environments reflect the ECE workforce, a highly skilled yet undervalued professional group of nearly 4,000 individuals. Building on the "California Early Care and Education Workforce Study," this report provides a snapshot of the state of the licensed ECE workforce in Contra Costa County. Chapter 1 offers a profile of its core members: family child care providers and center-based educators (directors, teachers, and assistants). Chapter 2 describes the state of educator well-being, and Chapter 3 explores stability for center- and home-based programs and for professionals in the field. [This report was funded by First 5 Contra Costa, the Contra Costa County Office of Education/Local Planning Council, the Contra Costa County Employment Human Services Department's Community Services Bureau, and CoCoKids.]

Rural America has long been perceived as "left behind" by policies that leave it struggling while benefiting bustling urban cities and suburbs. That narrative holds some truth: rural America has a declining population, along with lower educational attainment and lower workforce participation than urban America. But while rural America certainly faces challenges, it also has its own strengths and assets. "Small Towns, Big Opportunities: Many Workers in Rural Areas Have Good Jobs, but These Areas Need Greater Investment in Education, Training, and Career Counseling" counters some of the negative stereotypes and finds that working adults in rural America are almost as likely (50 percent) as working adults in urban America (54 percent) to have a good job.

The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) rewards students who strive to excel in high school and continue their education in degree and certificate programs in Alaska. This report covers the high school, postsecondary, Alaska residency, and workforce outcomes of the APS program between Fall 2011-2023. [This report was prepared by Resource Data, Inc.]

In 2023, Wilder Research in St. Paul contracted with the Minnesota departments of Education (MDE) and Human Services (DHS) in partnership with the Minnesota Children's Cabinet to conduct an Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Survey. The purpose of the study is to describe characteristics of the ECE workforce, assess educators' economic well-being, and describe their motivations for participating in training and professional development opportunities. The study included a survey of and focus groups with early childhood educators. For the purposes of this study, the authors defined "early childhood educator" as those who care for children professionally, regardless of their title. This study includes early childhood care and education professionals in the following types of programs: (1) Licensed family child care providers; (2) Licensed child care centers; (3) School-based early childhood programs, including public preschool/prekindergarten programs, Early Childhood Family Education, and Early Childhood Special Education; (4) Head Start and Early Head Start programs; and (5) License-exempt child care programs, both certified and uncertified, that serve preschool age.

Companies are facing a persistent and growing skills gap, which has been exacerbated by the tight labor market. Employers use industry certifications, college degrees, boot camps, and badges to measure job skills, but until recently it was impossible to compare certifications or degree attainment. This paper describes credential transparency and its benefits--how it provides specific details on a credential program's length, cost, competencies, skills provided, level of mastery targeted, earnings potential, and employment outcomes, and allows individuals to compare credentials to see which is more likely to result in a preferred career or higher wages. The federal government has taken steps to promote the use of credential transparency and currently 26 states are engaged in important work around its use, allowing them to measure return on investment, align credential offerings with economic needs, and support the creation of digital transcripts and learning and employment records.

While diversity within the technology industry has been critical for developing robust and creative technology solutions, recruiting and retaining diverse tech talent in today's society has been a challenge worldwide, especially for Black learners and workers. Subsequently, the technology field is left lacking in diversity of thought and perspective among technology industry practitioners and leaders. By examining peer-reviewed journal articles, statistical data from research reports, and website material from professional associations, this landscape scan synthesizes existing research and curates programs, services, and supports that effectively promote the success of Black learners and workers within technology career pathways. [Funding for this project is provided by Walmart through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity.]

With the emergence of digital credentialing and platforms to support learners and workers with entering and traversing the increasingly skill-based education and workforce ecosystem, Learning and Employment Record (LER) technologies have been identified as a promising solution for individuals to share and access their learning- and skills-data and to education and career opportunities. However, learning journeys are rarely continuous; opportunities, challenges, and evolving circumstances can result in both the development of skills and competencies and a change in the way in which individuals demonstrate and get recognized for their skills and competencies. Further, systemic barriers and inequities disproportionately impact learning transitions for historically and systematically excluded (HSE) communities, barring access to supports and resources to enter and persist in the education and workforce ecosystem. To help inform the the design of LER technologies to be of value and useful in supporting HSE learners and workers during learning transitions and along multiple pathways, this report highlights the following: (1) co-design methodologies and experiences that center HSE learners and workers in LER design, development, and testing; (2) recommendations and insights from HSE learners and workers on the opportunities and challenges of utilizing LERs through education and career pathways; and (3) seven learning transition design principles that support the multiple and often fluid transitions between education and the workforce that many HSE communities experience. These findings will inform the future work in developing a certification that guides developers to center HSE learners and workers as they design LER technologies to support individuals over time and through learning transitions. Based on these findings, LER developers, postsecondary education providers, and the workforce ecosystem, may develop a more inclusive skills-based learning and employment record system.

Nationally, more than 75% of individuals who are credentialed to teach are prepared in traditional college- or university-based teacher education programs (TEPs). But the college and employment pathways that prospective teachers take to TEP enrollment and completion have not been comprehensively examined. A better understanding of how credentialed individuals find their way into TEPs helps us understand the sources of new teacher supply early in the prospective teacher pipeline. With that in mind, we analyze pathways into and through TEPs using historical postsecondary and unemployment insurance data from Washington state. We find that the pathways are quite varied with around 40% of bachelor's-level TEP completers spending at least some time in community colleges and less than 40% enrolling and finishing at the same university directly after high school. Pathways to master's TEP completion are even more varied, with almost half of the completers having prior employment experience. For researchers, this varied landscape raises important questions about the relationship between pathways, candidate persistence, and eventual job performance. For policymakers, the results suggest that efforts to recruit the next generation of teachers need to look beyond the pool of students already enrolled at a 4-year university to include students at 2-year colleges or in the labor force who might be interested in entering a TEP.

"The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2017-2021 American Community Survey," also known as "The Chartbook," draws from the most recent American Community Survey and comparable Census Population Estimates. The report contains over 300,000 data points about Appalachia's economy, income, employment, education, and other important indicators--all presented at regional, subregional, state, and county levels. Though that data was collected before, and during the initial ten months of, the COVID-19 pandemic, they provide a critical benchmark for comparison when more pandemic and post-pandemic information becomes available. [For the 2016-2020 Chartbook, see ED625962.]

This report aimed to identify the key characteristics of Utah postsecondary graduates pursuing a graduate degree. Besides demographic data, the percentage of students who earned a graduate degree outside of Utah and those who attended private institutions are included. Additionally, this report explored how many students can fill Utah's high-demand and high-wage jobs at the post-baccalaureate level. Finally, the following question is answered: what is the picture of underrepresented populations seeking graduate degrees from institutions within the Utah system of Higher Education?

For decades, states have been investing in statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) that connect individual-level data over time from early childhood, K-12, postsecondary, and workforce. Because of these investments, most states have a powerful tool that could provide people with the information they need to make decisions at key transition points along their journey through education and into the workforce--but don't yet. Right now, state leaders have an opportunity to build and maintain data systems that meet people's access needs. DQC's latest resource lays out a vision for ensuring that everyone has tailored access to information to drive student success, economic mobility, and systemic change. This resource describes the types of data access that people need to successfully navigate decisions through education and the workforce, details four use cases in which SLDSs are necessary to support decisionmaking, and describes clear ways that state and federal leaders can take action to make this vision a reality.

As children grow and develop, child care workers play a vital role in fostering learning and providing support in a safe and nurturing environment. High-quality child care jobs, where workers are valued and respected, benefit both workers and the children and families they serve. Unfortunately, the United States has historically undervalued the child care workforce and failed to foster healthy labor conditions in this industry. In addition to more federal and state investments, strong unions for child care workers are part of the solution. This brief walks through some of the history and current landscape of the child care workforce, including which states have collective bargaining policies in place for home-based child care providers, who fall outside the traditional employer-employee bargaining model and lack a mechanism for collectively organizing and advocating for themselves. It also outlines how such policies benefit workers, families, and the economy, sharing successes from across the nation.

The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow to ensure all children have the best start in life and are prepared for school. This includes the requirements for staff: child ratios for all providers delivering the EYFS and the qualification levels that practitioners must hold in order to count within the ratios. The EYFS framework was updated in 2021, the main focus of the changes were on learning and development and assessment requirements with the primary aim of improving outcomes for children. This consultation asked for views about the suitability of the proposed revisions to the Early Years Educator Level 3 qualifications criteria and any cost implications of changing the criteria on businesses. The Early Years Educator Level 3 criteria set out the minimum expected standards for what a practitioner qualified to Level 3 should know, understand, and be able to do when delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS). The consultation was conducted online over an 8-week period from Monday 28 November 2022 to Monday 23 January 2023, with the option to respond by email. All responses were received via the online form. The consultation questions requested yes/no/not sure answers, as well as free text, allowing respondents to express views on the proposed criteria. This review contributes to the Early Years Recovery Programme (EYRP) by updating and improving the Early Years Educator Level 3 criteria, responding directly to sector feedback on the need for improving the quality of Early Years Educator Level 3 qualifications.

This report provides a deep dive into higher ed admissions employees, who play a key role in the future sustainability of colleges and universities. In addition to highlighting the pay and size of the admissions workforce, the report focuses on time in position, diversity, and pay equity. Taken together, we find that colleges and universities have long relied on admissions positions with high turnover and young employees to do a great deal of the legwork of building the next graduating class. Trends in age and turnover were similar over time and not due to the Great Resignation. We argue that colleges and universities would benefit from considering how they could reconceptualize crucial admissions positions, particularly admissions coordinators and counselors, to encourage higher retention. Efforts to increase retention among admissions coordinators and counselors should be combined with a focus on recruiting and retaining people of color. Asian and Hispanic or Latina/o employees were underrepresented in admissions positions relative to U.S. bachelor's degree holders. In addition, the representation of people of color declined at each subsequent level of the admissions workforce, indicating gaps in the promotion of underrepresented minorities. Finally, the admissions workforce has many areas of strength in pay equity, with some notable exceptions. Hispanic or Latino men who were heads of admissions are paid only 87 cents on the dollar to White men who are heads of admissions. Further, 52% of chief admissions officers are Black or White women, yet they are paid less than White men. A pay equity analysis that includes market rate data would help identify areas for improvement at the institutional level.

This report examines factors that are associated with the labor force participation behavior of working-age men and women in the United States with a focus on the connection between labor force participation and human capital skills and educational attainment. The analysis reveals very different patterns of labor force attachment for American men and women over the past 50 years. Findings suggest that policies targeted to bolster the human capital abilities of the working-age population to increase their labor force participation are likely to be more effective among women than among men.

In June 2021, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated significant investments in child care, using $537 million in Child Care and Development Funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARP). Investments included: $304 million in direct payments to providers through Child Care Stabilization Grants; $22.5 million for Child Care Facility Grants for facility improvements, minor renovations, and related equipment and services; and $1 million for the Retaining Early Educators through Attaining Incentives Now (REETAIN) program. This money was temporary and provided much needed relief, as well as a unique opportunity to try novel approaches to solving a variety of challenges that exist in early education. The goal of this project is to understand the impact of ARP funds on increasing wages and retention of the early childhood education workforce to inform future investments. This brief explores the initial impact of that federal funding on Minnesota's child care industry. Ongoing analysis will further determine the impacts on the early childhood workforce; an in-depth report will be forthcoming in 2024.

The decision to close schools in March 2020 was a massive disruption to public education. But pandemic-related closures did more than put in-person instruction on hold. School closures also meant that teacher candidates could not complete their student teaching experiences. Three years later, the negative consequences of school closures for students are well known: learning declined and pre-existing inequities grew. But how (if at all) changes to licensure requirements affected teachers and students is less clear. To provide an initial picture of what happened, this research brief describes the nature of pandemic-era licensure modifications, how many teachers they might have affected, and why we should care. The rough estimate suggests that around 100,000 graduates of traditional preparation programs might have entered the profession under changed licensure rules in 2020-2021. Most of these teachers likely would have entered the teacher workforce, regardless of the changes to licensure rules. Still, under normal circumstances, some of them might have failed their licensure test or balked at the costs of entering the profession; virtually all of them would, absent the changes, have completed student teaching before being hired.

The number of jobs across the United States requiring postsecondary education continues to grow. Concerns expressed by business leaders, policymakers, and the public include too few students enrolling in higher education, the affordability of college, and decreasing levels of college completion. One solution to address these issues has been to enroll students in college-level courses and certificate programs while still in high school. Students are enrolled in college acceleration courses where they are awarded college credit toward technical or degree-granting colleges upon completion and often receive high school credit. Students who enroll in college acceleration courses are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college within one year of receiving their diploma, and are less likely to need developmental college courses. While most studies examined courses in which students receive both high school and college credit, the present analysis looks at all college courses students participated in regardless of whether they received high school credit. The project presented in this report aims to describe the landscape of high school students who enroll in college acceleration courses facilitated by the Utah System of Higher Education institutions.

This paper assesses the reliability and validity of cognitive and socioemotional skills measures and investigates the correlation between schooling, skills acquisition, and labor earnings. The primary data from Pakistan incorporates two innovations related to measurement and sampling. On measurement, the paper develops and implements a battery of instruments intended to capture cognitive and socioemotional skills among young adults. On sampling, the paper uses a panel that follows respondents from their original rural locations in 2003 to their residences in 2018, a period over which 38 percent of the respondents left their native villages. In terms of their validity and reliability, our skills measures compare favorably to previous measurement attempts in low- and middle-income countries. The following are documented in the data: (a) more years of schooling are correlated with higher cognitive and socioemotional skills; (b) labor earnings are correlated with cognitive and socioemotional skills as well as years of schooling; and (c) the earnings-skills correlations depend on respondents' migration status. The magnitudes of the correlations between schooling and skills on the one hand and earnings and skills on the other are consistent with a widespread concern that such skills are under-produced in the schooling system. [This report was prepared by the World Bank Group's Development Research Group, Development Economics. Funding was provided by RISE and World Bank's Strategic Research Program Fund.]

Robust longitudinal education and workforce data are integral in addressing disparities in educational opportunities and economic outcomes. However, not all states link their P-12, postsecondary, and workforce data sets. Kentucky and Tennessee are two state examples that proved success in linking data from different agencies. TICAS' brief analyzes the two states' data systems and offers key lessons on how to develop a robust data system that can successfully inform decision makers in allocating resources to improve educational opportunities and economic outcomes.

"The Improving the Pipeline for Tennessee's Workforce: Academic Supply for Occupational Demand Report" is the second joint report between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD), Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). This year's report maintains the Career Cluster structure, grouping occupations and aligned training programs in one place. Accompanying dashboards and data downloads are also available for readers who prefer to work with the data directly. This report includes a few new features, including a revised approach to measuring degree completers' employment and wages, as well as a simplification of report layout to improve readability and flow. Multiple state agencies facilitate this report's completion and there are many audiences for this report. Each year, efforts to refine and improve the report and associated outputs will continue to ensure the report is useful in education and workforce planning. This report: (1) Identifies in-demand occupations and aligned academic programs at the postsecondary and secondary levels as well as registered apprenticeships organized across 14 career clusters; (2) Includes in-demand occupations tables identifying the number of region(s) where the occupation is in-demand, entry level wages, indicators for jobs which are STEM fields and those which support TNECD's target industries, and the typical training level required for employment; (3) Contains aligned academic programs tables with information about degree production and completers, matriculation into Tennessee's job market, and first-year wages for those identified in Tennessee employment data. The calculation for employment outcomes changed in this year's report; (4) Spotlights select agency initiatives promoting education and workforce alignment in K12, higher education, and the workforce; and (5) Offers an overview of data, methods, and sources highlighting existing data use and areas for further exploration. [For the 2022 report, see ED624524.]