District Data-Informed Decision Making

• Main Authors: Conrad, William H., III, Eller, Benjamin
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.2003
• Subjects: Case Studies; Data Analysis; Decision Making; Decision Support Systems; Elementary Secondary Education; Information Management; Information Utilization; Portfolio Assessment; Portfolios (Background Materials); Public Schools; Quality Control

A descriptive research project was conducted to investigate how 57 public school districts in the United States used data-informed processes and data support tools like the Quality School Portfolio (QSP) to address key district questions. The research project was a partnership among the American Association of School Administrators, the National School Boards Foundation, and the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing. The project used both survey and case study protocols (four case studies) to investigate school district data use. This paper discusses key themes identified in the study, which include focusing on data use to address student academic achievement and building the cultural, technical, and organizational capacities of school districts to use data. The paper also describes the challenges school districts face as they focus on data use. It makes recommendations to address these challenges and identifies questions for future research on data use to improve the decision-making process. (Contains 2 tables, 3 figures, and 11 references.) (SLD)