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Frequently Asked Questions

>Background

What is data science? What is the relationship between data science and data literacy?

ANSWER In short, if you're drawing insights from data, that's data science. Data science skills are essential to 21st-century living and create data literate individuals who are comfortable visualizing, analyzing, and making decisions based on data. This is already necessary for both work and personal life.
While not all data literate individuals become data scientists, they will all become data users and consumers. By designing and paving the way for data science education, we ensure that today's learners can apply those skills in a wide range of contexts.
Visit www.datascience4everyone.org for more informational resources.



Is data science just for mathematics or technical disciplines?

ANSWER No. Many believe that data science is a technical skill, only for statisticians or machine learning experts. But the reality is data literacy is a skill for all. Anyone in any role who interprets, visualizes, or communicates data is leveraging data science skills — and the approach goes well beyond math. Data scientists process, analyze, and draw insight from data. ​ Students who are data-literate must be able to read, work with, analyze, and argue with data. They must be competent and comfortable reading, understanding, and synthesizing information displayed in the many forms data may take (graphically, in a data table, written words, etc.).



What is the Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign?

ANSWER The Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign seeks to elevate the importance of data science and data literacy. It encourages policy and programmatic changes to ensure more students gain the data literacy skills necessary to thrive in the future - and an understanding of key issues in responsible data science including equity, ethics, privacy, and fairness. Specifically, we are calling upon all education stakeholders, from students to school administrators to the private sector, to work together and commit to increasing access and quality of data science education.



What is the Data Science for Everyone Coalition?

ANSWER The Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign seeks to elevate the importance of data science and data literacy. It encourages policy and programmatic changes to ensure more students gain the data literacy skills necessary to thrive in the future - and an understanding of key issues in responsible data science including equity, ethics, privacy, and fairness. Specifically, we are calling upon all education stakeholders, from students to school administrators to the private sector, to work together and commit to increasing access and quality of data science education.



Why now? Is there existing momentum to expand access to data science education?

ANSWER Yes! The DSE Coalition mobilized more than 150 organizations and individuals to call for the incoming Biden Administration to prioritize Data Science education in a letter aimed at spurring executive actions. There are already initiatives underway across the country, including more K-12 schools offering data science classes, college accepting data science as a math prerequisite, states rewriting math standards to include data science as an advanced course, and organizations creating public data sets to make sure all communities and stakeholders have access.



Who is organizing the Data Science for Everyone Commitments Campaign?

ANSWER The organizing team includes members at the University of Chicago Center for RISC, Schmidt Futures, Citadel LLC, the Learning Agency and Concord Consortium. For partnership or press opportunities, contact dse@the-learning-agency.com.



 
 

>Commitments Process

Who is eligible to make a commitment?

ANSWER Everyone has an important and unique role to play in this effort! We invite any individual to participate. If you are younger than 18 but want to make a commitment, please have your parent or guardian fill out the form for you.



What is a commitment?

ANSWER Strong commitments have 3 components: the stakeholder(s) committing, the action you’re committing to, and when you will fulfill the commitment. Commitments are unique ideas that may expand or replicate efforts currently underway - or take a completely new approach to elevating data science education. ​ Whether through influencing policy, designing courses or materials, supporting teacher professional development, initiating new research, or promoting emerging talent, we all have a role to play in elevating the importance of data science. ​ Commitments are powerful because they have a cascading effect - inspiring others to act and creating a platform to step up publicly, find collaborators and hold each other accountable. ​ See here for commitment ideas.



When will the Commitments Campaign take place?

ANSWER The Call for Commitments opens on March 15 and runs through May 16. The DSE Team will provide rolling feedback to commitment makers and an opportunity to identify partnerships and collaborators. Commitment-makers can submit final commitments to be published in an interactive guide until June 14. The Commitments Campaign will culminate in a virtual event on June 28.



Why should I make a commitment?

ANSWER Making a commitment is a great way to showcase your work and gain free visibility in front of potential partners and funders looking to support this important work. Your organization will be able to step onto the national stage to take action on a topic that is in demand, fills a growing need, and is gaining momentum. ​ The Commitments Event also offers the opportunity to connect with others, learn from experts in the field, and forge new partnerships. Event attendees will include a data science expert from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as representatives from major foundations and companies. ​ More broadly, you should make a commitment because this topic is current. Recent job reports show that 7 of the 10 fastest growing careers are data centric - from machine learning engineer to software developer to customer success manager. Despite this shift, the prevailing school curriculum does little to support students in developing the vital data literacy skills required to interpret and work with data. We have an opportunity to continue the momentum building to expand data science learning opportunities by committing to tangible actions and creating systemic change together.



What is the difference between the individual submission form and the organization submission form? How do I submit?

ANSWER The individual submission form is for anyone interested in learning about and committing to tangible, pre-written action items, like talking to their principal or signing a petition. The organization submission form is organizations, policymakers, K-12 actors, funders, institutions of higher ed, private sector actors other entities that can contribute to widespread impact in data science education



How do I submit my commitment?

ANSWER If you represent an organization or other entity, go here. If you are an individual, go here to submit your commitment.



Do you have commitment ideas or tips for making a strong commitment?

ANSWER Yes, you can find our tips here.



Can I get feedback on my commitment?

ANSWER Yes, there are multiple ways to get feedback. ​ ​1. When you submit a commitment as an organization or other entity, you will hear back from the Data Science for Everyone team with personal feedback about your commitment. ​ 3. Contact the Data Science For Everyone team with any questions: dse@the-learning-agency.com



Will all commitments be public?

ANSWER There is strength in numbers, so we want to publicize the great commitments you all will come up with. By agreeing to the Terms and Conditions on the submission form, you give us permission to include your information in the interactive commitment guide and other materials that come out of this campaign. If you have concerns about this, please contact us at dse@the-learning-agency.com



What are the terms and conditions of submitting a commitment?

ANSWER Goal The Commitments campaign is calling upon schools and universities, industry leaders, policymakers, funders, and individuals to commit to action so that all students have the opportunity to gain data science skills. ​ The Commitments campaign will culminate in a virtual launch event where commitment-makers, education experts, policymakers and advocates will discuss data science education, announce major partnerships and opportunities, and celebrate forthcoming action. CAMPAIGN SPONSOR AND ADMINISTRATOR The Learning Agency (the “Sponsor” or “we” or “us”), which is located at 702 12th Street NW. Suite 700 PWB 93369, Washington, DC 20005, is the sponsor and administrator of the Campaign. PRIVACY We will collect the information provided in this form, including name, affiliations, contact information, and commitment. We will use the information in connection with the Data Science for Everyone programs and activities and may share the information with our partner organizations. We will not sell any personal information. ​ If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a minor under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a minor under 18, please contact us at DSE@the-learning-agency.com. COMMITMENTS You, on behalf of yourself and your organization (if applicable), authorize the Campaign to publish your and/or your organization’s name, commitment, and other related information on the Data Science for Everyone website or on other publications or notices related to the Campaign. PHOTO AND IMAGES If you submit a photograph, logo or video clip in connection with the Campaign (collectively, “Photograph”):

  • You warrant that you are the person in the Photograph or have prior approval from the person in the Photograph that it may be submitted in connection with the Commitments Process;
  • You agree that we have the right to publish and communicate to the public the Photographs in any media including, but not limited to, online, at all times without restriction or limitation throughout the world;
  • You acknowledge that we may edit the Photographs in our sole discretion;
  • You agree that we have the right to use entrants’ names, likenesses and other personal information in connection with the Photographs;
  • You agree not to bring any actions, suits, claims and demands against us in respect of defamation or any infringement or violation of any personal and/or property rights of any sort from our use of the Photographs; and
GOVERNING LAW All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Terms and Conditions or the Campaign will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s laws.



 

>Getting involved

Who is eligible to make a commitment?

ANSWER Everyone has an important and unique role to play in this effort! We invite any individual to participate. If you are younger than 18 but want to make a commitment, please have your parent or guardian fill out the form for you.



What is a commitment?

ANSWER Strong commitments have 3 components: the stakeholder(s) committing, the action you’re committing to, and when you will fulfill the commitment. Commitments are unique ideas that may expand or replicate efforts currently underway - or take a completely new approach to elevating data science education. ​ Whether through influencing policy, designing courses or materials, supporting teacher professional development, initiating new research, or promoting emerging talent, we all have a role to play in elevating the importance of data science. ​ Commitments are powerful because they have a cascading effect - inspiring others to act and creating a platform to step up publicly, find collaborators and hold each other accountable. ​ See here for commitment ideas.



When will the Commitments Campaign take place?

ANSWER The Call for Commitments opens on March 15 and runs through May 16. The DSE Team will provide rolling feedback to commitment makers and an opportunity to identify partnerships and collaborators. Commitment-makers can submit final commitments to be published in an interactive guide until June 14. The Commitments Campaign will culminate in a virtual event on June 28.



Why should I make a commitment?

ANSWER Making a commitment is a great way to showcase your work and gain free visibility in front of potential partners and funders looking to support this important work. Your organization will be able to step onto the national stage to take action on a topic that is in demand, fills a growing need, and is gaining momentum. ​ The Commitments Event also offers the opportunity to connect with others, learn from experts in the field, and forge new partnerships. Event attendees will include a data science expert from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as representatives from major foundations and companies. ​ More broadly, you should make a commitment because this topic is current. Recent job reports show that 7 of the 10 fastest growing careers are data centric - from machine learning engineer to software developer to customer success manager. Despite this shift, the prevailing school curriculum does little to support students in developing the vital data literacy skills required to interpret and work with data. We have an opportunity to continue the momentum building to expand data science learning opportunities by committing to tangible actions and creating systemic change together.



What is the difference between the individual submission form and the organization submission form? How do I submit?

ANSWER The individual submission form is for anyone interested in learning about and committing to tangible, pre-written action items, like talking to their principal or signing a petition. The organization submission form is organizations, policymakers, K-12 actors, funders, institutions of higher ed, private sector actors other entities that can contribute to widespread impact in data science education



How do I submit my commitment?

ANSWER If you represent an organization or other entity, go here. If you are an individual, go here to submit your commitment.



Do you have commitment ideas or tips for making a strong commitment?

ANSWER Yes, you can find our tips here.



Can I get feedback on my commitment?

ANSWER Yes, there are multiple ways to get feedback. ​ ​1. When you submit a commitment as an organization or other entity, you will hear back from the Data Science for Everyone team with personal feedback about your commitment. ​ 3. Contact the Data Science For Everyone team with any questions: dse@the-learning-agency.com



Will all commitments be public?

ANSWER There is strength in numbers, so we want to publicize the great commitments you all will come up with. By agreeing to the Terms and Conditions on the submission form, you give us permission to include your information in the interactive commitment guide and other materials that come out of this campaign. If you have concerns about this, please contact us at dse@the-learning-agency.com



What are the terms and conditions of submitting a commitment?

ANSWER Goal The Commitments campaign is calling upon schools and universities, industry leaders, policymakers, funders, and individuals to commit to action so that all students have the opportunity to gain data science skills. ​ The Commitments campaign will culminate in a virtual launch event where commitment-makers, education experts, policymakers and advocates will discuss data science education, announce major partnerships and opportunities, and celebrate forthcoming action. CAMPAIGN SPONSOR AND ADMINISTRATOR The Learning Agency (the “Sponsor” or “we” or “us”), which is located at 702 12th Street NW. Suite 700 PWB 93369, Washington, DC 20005, is the sponsor and administrator of the Campaign. PRIVACY We will collect the information provided in this form, including name, affiliations, contact information, and commitment. We will use the information in connection with the Data Science for Everyone programs and activities and may share the information with our partner organizations. We will not sell any personal information. ​ If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a minor under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a minor under 18, please contact us at DSE@the-learning-agency.com. COMMITMENTS You, on behalf of yourself and your organization (if applicable), authorize the Campaign to publish your and/or your organization’s name, commitment, and other related information on the Data Science for Everyone website or on other publications or notices related to the Campaign. PHOTO AND IMAGES If you submit a photograph, logo or video clip in connection with the Campaign (collectively, “Photograph”):

  • You warrant that you are the person in the Photograph or have prior approval from the person in the Photograph that it may be submitted in connection with the Commitments Process;
  • You agree that we have the right to publish and communicate to the public the Photographs in any media including, but not limited to, online, at all times without restriction or limitation throughout the world;
  • You acknowledge that we may edit the Photographs in our sole discretion;
  • You agree that we have the right to use entrants’ names, likenesses and other personal information in connection with the Photographs;
  • You agree not to bring any actions, suits, claims and demands against us in respect of defamation or any infringement or violation of any personal and/or property rights of any sort from our use of the Photographs; and
GOVERNING LAW All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Terms and Conditions or the Campaign will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s laws.