How We're Approaching a County-Level Education Data System Engagement

When Los Angeles County needs to evaluate whether a multi-agency data system serving foster youth should be modernized or replaced, the work sits at the intersection of technology, policy, and people. That's exactly where we operate.

The Opportunity

The LA County Office of Child, Youth, and Family Well-Being is looking for a consulting team to analyze the Education Passport System (EPS), a shared data platform that connects 80+ school districts with the Department of Children and Family Services and the Probation Department. The system exists to ensure that when a foster youth moves between placements, their education records follow them.

The question on the table: does the current system meet the needs of all stakeholders, or is it time to move to something new?

What the Work Involves

This is a 12-month engagement with five major deliverables:

Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis - Working directly with LACOE, DCFS, Probation, school districts, and child welfare advocates to map what the system does today versus what every stakeholder actually needs.

Comparative Analysis - Examining what other California counties and out-of-state jurisdictions have built, what works, what failed, and whether any existing platforms could serve LA County better than what they have.

State-Level Assessment - Identifying where state policy, legislation, or system architecture is creating barriers to local implementation. CALPADS, CWS-CARES, and the patchwork of state data systems all play a role.

Recommendations - Delivering a written report and presentation with concrete options, each with cost estimates, staffing requirements, implementation timelines, and trade-offs.

Stakeholder Vetting - Presenting recommendations to county leadership, school districts, charter schools, and Board of Supervisors offices, incorporating feedback, and finalizing.

Why This Matters

There are roughly 30,000 children in the LA County foster care system at any given time. When a child moves placements, which happens frequently, their education records need to follow them immediately. Credits need to transfer. IEPs need to be accessible. Enrollment needs to happen without delay.

When the data system works, a child doesn't lose a semester. When it doesn't, they fall behind in ways that compound across their entire life.

Where We Fit

Our team brings the AI governance and systems analysis layer. We specialize in evaluating how organizations use technology, whether those systems are governed properly, and what it takes to modernize without breaking what already works.

For this engagement, we're assembling a small, focused team. We're looking for 1-2 strategic partners who bring direct experience with child welfare data systems, K-12 education data infrastructure, or multi-agency government data interoperability at the county or state level.

This is not a general call for collaboration. We're selecting operators who have been inside these systems, not just studied them.

If This Is Your World

If you've worked directly with foster youth education systems, child welfare data platforms, CALPADS, CWS-CARES, or similar infrastructure at the county or state level, we should talk. The deadline for this engagement is April 24, 2026. We're moving now.

Reach out directly:

• Email: [email protected]

• WhatsApp: wa.me/18184399770

• Schedule a call: calendly.com/levelsofself/zoom

Arthur Palyan - Founder, Levels of Self - AI Governance and Systems Analysis - levelsofself.com

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