Florida has been recognized for years as an early adopter of education data, but a new report from the Florida College Access Network (FCAN) highlights just how far the state has progressed. According to the report, Florida is:
- The only state to meet all 10 essential criteria for a statewide longitudinal data system (SLDS)
- One of just 26 with the ability to securely connect early childhood, K–12, postsecondary, and workforce data
- A leader in using cross-sector data to understand student journeys over time
Within that landscape, one regional model stood out for its depth, coordination, and measurable outcomes: CFEED — the Central Florida Education Ecosystem Database.
CFEED: A Collaborative Regional Model with Statewide Value
CFEED was built through a partnership among four major Central Florida institutions:
- Orange County Public Schools
- School District of Osceola County
- Valencia College
- University of Central Florida
The mission across all partners is clear:
use longitudinal data to improve transitions, remove barriers, and support students from their first high school course through bachelor’s completion.
This shared system enables partners to:
- Follow individual students across multiple institutions
- Complete 50–60 applied research projects per year
- Compare outcomes over time to strengthen programs and pathways
- Access insights that are immediately actionable
CFEED is not a data repository — it is an operational model for collaboration, continuous improvement, and regional alignment.
From Insights to Impact
What makes CFEED effective isn’t the volume of data; it’s the way partners use it to improve decision-making across the entire student journey. The FCAN report highlights several examples of insights that have translated directly into institutional change.
Transfer Readiness
CFEED research found that students who complete at least three major-relevant courses at Valencia before transferring to UCF graduate at significantly higher rates.
That insight helped secure a $1.3M Helios Foundation grant, establishing new advising guidance and scholarship support for students early in the pipeline.
Toxic Combinations & Synergistic Pairs (New)
Using advanced course sequencing analysis, CFEED identified:
- Course combinations that consistently lead to GPA drops or increased retakes
- Synergistic pairs that meaningfully improve performance when taken together
Partners now integrate these insights into program maps, advising tools, and degree planning conversations.
CPP: Common Program Prerequisites (New)
Through longitudinal analysis, CFEED surfaced which prerequisite courses most reliably predict success in upper-division coursework.
This allows institutions to refine advising strategies, remove unnecessary detours, and guide students toward earlier mastery of essential skills.
AI-Enhanced Analysis (New)
A new AI-driven interface allows partners to instantly search CFEED’s entire research portfolio — past and present — making cross-study comparisons faster and expanding access to insights that previously required dedicated analyst time.
Dual Enrollment Readiness
Readiness indicators now help schools proactively enroll students in dual enrollment and AP courses, ensuring advanced learning opportunities reach students who are ready for them — even when traditional indicators might overlook them.
Early Risk Mitigation
Predictive models now flag early “shock events,” including withdrawal spikes, GPA declines, and enrollment pauses.
Institutions use these alerts to intervene long before momentum is lost.
Why It Matters Now
Florida’s 2030 workforce education goals require systems that can see across the entire educational pipeline — from K-12 to college to career.
CFEED demonstrates that multi-institutional data sharing isn’t only possible; it is practical, sustainable, and highly effective.
The FCAN report encourages states to expand research capacity, strengthen cross-sector alignment, and invest in infrastructure that supports long-term analysis.
CFEED is already delivering on those recommendations.
What's Next
CFEED’s next phase will incorporate workforce outcomes into the same integrated system, giving partners the ability to:
- Understand employment and wage trajectories
- Measure economic mobility
- Align academic programs with labor market demand
- Strengthen career-connected learning pathways
This will complete the region’s K–12 → Postsecondary → Workforce pipeline — a model few regions in the country have achieved.
A Blueprint for Student-Centered Data Systems
CFEED’s strength comes from collaboration. By aligning four institutions around shared analytics and shared goals, Central Florida has created a replicable model that other regions are already looking to adopt.
Every project, model, and insight supports one outcome:
helping students move confidently and successfully through every stage of their educational journey.
Explore more about CFEED’s work and impact:
https://cfeedhome.com/impacts/
Learn More & Connect
To see how CFEED’s initiatives can benefit your institution or to get involved, visit CFEED’s Homepage and follow us on LinkedIn for updates and discussions about enhancing student success across Central Florida. For more information, please contact Diana Pienaar, CFEED Director at Valencia College, via email at dpienaar@valenciacollege.edu.
About CFEED
Central Florida Education Ecosystem Database (CFEED) is a partnership, comprised of the Helios Education Foundation, the School District of Osceola County (SDOC), Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), Valencia College (Valencia), and the University of Central Florida (UCF), along with Midtown Consulting Group, that is engaged in a collaborative program to develop insights and create impacts for students in Central Florida.