KYSTATS is an official statistical agency within the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Education and Labor Cabinet. The agency collects, links, and publishes data for all Kentuckians who can benefit from greater insight into our state’s education and workforce systems and the overall conditions in our local communities. With its focus on making timely, accurate data widely accessible, KYSTATS can serve as a powerful resource for grant professionals in our state.
What is KYSTATS?
KYSTATS fulfills its mission by operating two distinct pieces of data infrastructure. Their Labor Market Information section produces aggregate economic statistics, including:
- Labor force statistics (e.g. local area unemployment rates)
- Employment projections and wage estimates by occupation (e.g. “How many job openings are estimated to be produced within a given occupation in the next 10 years in my local area?” or “What is the typical entry-level salary for a specific occupation near me?”)
- Industry employment and wages (e.g. “How many jobs has a specific industry accounted for in my local area over time?”)
KYSTATS also operates one of the country’s premier State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS), which links administrative data from the state’s major education and workforce agencies in order to characterize the Kentuckians’ outcomes along the birth-to-workforce continuum. For example, the SLDS can speak to the interactions between the following domains:
- Adult Education
- Career and Technical Education (CTE)
- Early Childhood
- Workforce (e.g. employment and wages)
- K-12 Students
- K-12 Teachers/Staff
- Financial Aid
- Postsecondary Education
- Social Benefit Programs
How can I access KYSTATS data?
Data from KYSTATS can generally be accessed in one of three ways:
- Many users find that KYSTATS’ dashboards are the most convenient way to access data. On the Reports page of their website, users can click the theme buttons at the top of the page to filter their catalogue by topic area
- Static spreadsheets are also provided for users with interest in diving into data on their own. At the top of each dashboard, there is a link to a Public Access Data File, which is a Microsoft Excel workbook containing that dashboard’s underlying data in a tabular format, and additional spreadsheets are available on their Labor Market Information page
- KYSTATS recognizes that even the largest catalogue of pre-prepared products wouldn’t be enough to speak to all of the questions that their data systems could reasonably answer. For that reason, users are welcome (and encouraged!) to use the Data Request form to reach out directly to the agency to see if a custom request can be filled
One unique feature of KYSTATS’ data system is that the agency can receive data about individuals from outside parties, match those individuals into their own system, and then provide users with summary outcome data for those individuals (note: the data returned to users will not be individual-level). So, for example, imagine a nonprofit that operates a job training program and that is interested in characterizing how successful the program is for grantseeking or reporting purposes. That nonprofit could submit a request via the Data Request form on the KYSTATS website, and, after a preliminary discussion, securely transmit the individuals who’ve received training through the program to KYSTATS. Then, KYSTATS could return outcome data to the nonprofit, including the post-program employment rates of the trainees, the average wages they went on to earn, the industries in which they went on to work, etc.
While the agency does operate on a cost-recovery model for particularly labor-intensive requests that involve matching data into their system or complex statistical analyses, potential cost should never deter a user from reaching out to KYSTATS in order to at least have a preliminary discussion about the premise of the request, its feasibility, and/or the availability of free aggregate data that might suffice for the user’s needs.
How Grantseekers Can Use KYSTATS in the Needs Section of a Proposal
A strong needs statement is specific, measurable, localized, and supported by credible sources. KYSTATS helps grantseekers demonstrate need using official Kentucky data, compare local conditions to benchmarks, and describe trends over time.
KYSTATS can help grant seekers do the following:
- Prove the need with official Kentucky data. Grant writers can use KYSTATS statistics to show that the problem they want to address is real and measurable. The grant writer could include statistics showing higher unemployment, lower labor force participation, lower wages, or lower credential attainment compared to Kentucky averages.
Example grant language: “County-level labor market information from KYSTATS shows unemployment consistently above the Kentucky statewide average, indicating persistent employment instability that this project will address through targeted training and placement supports.” - Localize the need to a nonprofit’s service area. KYSTATS tools often include county- and workforce-area level detail. Localized data helps funders see why an organization’s community specifically needs the proposed intervention.
Example grant language: “KYSTATS labor force participation data for our local workforce area indicates fewer working age adults are engaged in the labor market than the Kentucky benchmark, reflecting barriers such as transportation, childcare, and limited training access.” - Show trends over time to explain why action is needed now. Trend data strengthens the case for urgency. Grant writers should include multiple years of data or quarterly or monthly releases when this is available.
Example grant language: “KYSTATS economic analysis reports show persistent wage stagnation in key service sector occupations over the last several years, which supports the need for training pathways leading to higher wage employment.” - Support root-cause logic by linking education and workforce outcomes. Education-to-workforce transition data helps grantseekers describe root causes and justify program strategies.
Example grant language: “The KYSTATS High School Feedback Report indicates lower college persistence for graduates of our local high schools, supporting the need for advising and transition services to improve postsecondary success and long-term employment outcomes.”
How Grantseekers Can Use KYSTATS to Set Targets for Objectives, Outputs, and Outcomes
KYSTATS data supports target setting by helping nonprofits establish baselines, compare benchmarks, and align targets with current conditions and projected demand. Targets should be ambitious but attainable and clearly tied to the nonprofit’s program strategies.
Below are some steps nonprofits can take to set their targets:
- Step 1: Establish a baseline. Use KYSTATS to identify baseline values for the community or participant group. Baselines may include unemployment rate, average wages, employment levels in target occupations, or projected job openings.
Example baseline statement: “According to KYSTATS Employment and Wages by Occupation data, the median wage for medical assistants in the region is below the statewide benchmark. This project will increase access to credentialed training that improves earning potential.” - Step 2: Compare to a benchmark. Benchmarks help illustrate the size of the gap and justify why an organization’s goal matters. Common benchmarks include Kentucky statewide averages, neighboring counties, or regions.
Example benchmark statement: “The county unemployment rate exceeds the Kentucky statewide rate, indicating a measurable gap that justifies expanded job training and support services.” - Step 3: Set ambitious but attainable targets. Use KYSTATS projections and trend reports to ensure targets align with labor demand and realistic scale.
Example target framework: “Based on KYSTATS occupational projections showing sustained growth in healthcare support occupations, the project will train 40 participants annually, with at least 28 earning credentials and 20 placed into related employment within 90 days of completion.” - Step 4: Connect Outputs to Outcomes. Outputs describe what an organization will deliver as part of a funded project. Outcomes describe what changes. KYSTATS helps nonprofits justify how their outputs will drive outcomes using evidence on job demand, wages, and workforce trends.
Example logic chain:- Output: 60 participants complete occupational training
- Output: 45 participants earn an industry-renowned credential
- Outcome: 30 participants obtain employment in high-demand occupations within 90 days
- Outcome: Average wage for placed participants increases relative to baseline wage levels
- Long-term outcome: Local unemployment declines over time as participants enter stable employment
Suggested reports
County Data Almanac
The County Data Almanac provides a comprehensive snapshot of county-level data across the Commonwealth. It focuses on essential metrics within six categories: Childhood/Early Education, Education, Labor Market, Population, Public Health, and Resource Availability. Users can select their own combinations of counties to calculate values for custom areas/regions.
Kentucky Commuting Patterns Report
Nearly two million people commute to or from Kentucky for their primary job. Where are they going? This interactive report shows commuting patterns for each county in Kentucky, allowing users to view where people are coming from and going to for work.
High School Feedback Report
Postsecondary credentials are increasingly serving as prerequisites for high-paying jobs in growing sectors of the economy. Are Kentucky students successfully graduating from high school, earning credentials, and gaining employment? This interactive report allows users to explore data to help answer these questions.
Postsecondary Feedback Report
Earning a postsecondary credential can unlock opportunities, but a student’s odds of success can vary based on the institution they attend, the credential they pursue, and the content area of their studies. This interactive report allows users to explore outcomes for students by Kentucky’s postsecondary institutions, major, credential type, and demographic.
Career and Technical Education Feedback Report
This interactive report examines high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) trends in Kentucky and its association with employment and postsecondary outcomes later in life. The report also displays training locations and future demand for employment.