Basic Needs Data Academy

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) hosted the second in-person convening for state teams participating in the Basic Needs Data Academy, a three-year initiative developed in partnership with the ECMC Foundation. The Basic Needs Data Academy Convening was held Sept. 15-16, 2026, in Louisville, Kentucky. It supported the seven states in advancing their goals and action plans associated with the academy’s curriculum. The convening featured sessions led by state team members and content experts on identifying and aligning data, integrating survey and system information, adjusting to changing federal and state policy landscapes, using data to enhance storytelling, and creating data-informed narratives for partner engagement. The convening also had dedicated team times for states to discuss session learnings and further refine their academy goals and action steps as they progress into year two.

PowerPoint presentations from the convening are below:

• Emergency Aid: Data, Strategies, and Collaborations for Improving Basic Needs Student Support
• Basic Needs Data Definitions and Governance
• Spanning the Data Ecosystem: Integrating Data from Multiple Sources
• SHEEO Agency & Academic Collaboration to Improve State Basic Needs Data Insights
• Using Data to Tell Your State’s Basic Needs Story: A National View
• Developing, Implementing, and Acting on Basic Needs Surveys: Challenges & Levers for Success
• Effective Data Visualizations & Dashboards for Telling Your Basic Needs Story
• State Team Time Documents