The document discusses using data to drive continuous school improvement. It outlines 8 traits of effective school boards, including being data savvy and aligning resources to district goals. The document then provides examples of how school leaders can use data to answer questions, make decisions, and improve student outcomes through examining baseline data, resources, programs/practices, and assessing outcomes. It suggests data forms a cycle of continuous improvement where leaders baseline, align resources, implement programs, assess student impact, and repeat the process.

1. The data made me do it!
Using data for
continuous
school
improvement
An over view of Data First for school leaders

2. 8 traits of effective school boards
1. Commit to a vision of high expectations for students
2. Share beliefs about students’ abilities to learn
3. Are accountability driven, and focused on student
outcomes
4. Have a collaborative relationship with staff and
community
5. Are data savvy
6. Align and sustain resources to district goals
7. Lead as a united team with superintendent
8. Take part in team development and training
SOURCE: Center for Public Education, 2011 2

3. The Key Work governance framework
Data informs board actions aimed at improving
student achievement
National School Boards Association, www.nsba.org 3

4. Answer some questions about the
data contained in this chart
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
4

5. How did we do overall?
Your Which schools were strong?
Turn
Which schools were weak?
Which content area was strong?
Which content area was weak?
5

6. First question: What is the target?
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
6

7. Let’s make color work for us
Made the target
Missed the target
7

8. Which school made a target of 70?
How did we do overall?
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
8

9. What if the targets are different for
each content area?
Reading 70
Mathematics 60
Science 40
Social Studies 50
Remember AYP (Adequate Yearly
Progress) targets are often set separately
for each content area
9

10. Targets: Reading – 70 Math - 60
Science – 40 Social Studies - 50
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
10

11. Targets: Reading – 70 Math - 60
Science – 40 Social Studies - 50
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
11

12. How does it work?
Color Coding
x 12

13. Targets: Reading – 70 Math - 60
Science – 40 Social Studies - 50
Reading Math Science Social
Studies
School A 70 68 51 62
School B 75 65 50 85
School C 68 68 45 45
School D 64 70 55 66
School E 86 81 70 75
School F 72 65 58 60
School G 55 60 30 40
13

14. Data Decision
Making Cycle
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Programs
Student
and
Outcomes
Practices
14

15. Student outcomes by themselves are a reporting
system – not a data-driven decision making cycle.
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Programs
Student and
Outcomes Practices
15

16. Decision making starts with where you are now.
Last year’s outcomes become this year’s baseline.
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Programs
Student
Outcomes and
Practices
16

17. Choices made between baseline and outcomes
are the heart of leadership.
Resource
Baseline Alignment
Opportunity
to
Student
Programs Learn
Outcomes and
Practices
17

18. Our bottom line is student achievement. These
data define our success.
Resource
Baseline Alignment
Programs
Student
Outcomes and
Practices
18

19. Data first – act – monitor – repeat
• Enrollment • Funding
• Environment • Staffing
• Student • Facilities
Continuous Improvement
outcomes
Resource
Baseline
Accountability
Alignment
Programs
Student
and
Outcomes
Practices
• Test scores • Curriculum
• Graduation • Monitoring
• Postsecondary • Supports
19

20. What questions could “baseline” data
answer?
• Enrollment • Funding
• Environment • Staffing
• Performance • Facilities
Your
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Turn Student
Programs
and
Outcomes
Practices
• Test scores • Curriculum
• Graduation • Monitoring
• Postsecondary • Supports
20

21. Get your baseline
Enrollment
• How many students attend our schools?
• What is the racial/ethnic make up? poverty level?
• How many students have disabilities? are ELL?
Environment
• How large are our schools?
• Is student discipline an issue? student attendance?
Performance
• How do our students score on state tests?
• Are they graduating from high school? ready for college
and workplace?
21

22. What questions could “resource” data
answer?
• Enrollment • Funding
• Environment • Staffing
• Performance • Facilities
Your
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Turn Student
Programs
and
Outcomes
Practices
• Test scores • Curriculum
• Graduation • Monitoring
• Postsecondary • Supports
22

23. Align your resources
Funding
• What are our school district’s expenditures?
• Is our school funding equitable?
• How much of our funds are federal, state and local?
Staffing
• Are our teachers knowledgeable in the subject they teach?
• How many teachers meet HQT? Which students do they teach?
Facilities
• What is our average class size?
• Are classrooms & facilities up to date?
23

24. What questions could “programs &
practices” answer?
• Enrollment • Funding
• Environment • Staffing
• Performance • Facilities
Your
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Turn Student
Programs
and
Outcomes
Practices
• Test scores • Curriculum
• Graduation • Monitoring
• Postsecondary • Supports
24

25. Examine programs & practices
Curriculum
• Do our students have access to rigorous high school
courses?
• What courses are required for graduation?
Supports
• What percent of our students are enrolled in in
prekindergarten?
• Do our students have access to technology?
Monitoring
• How is student progress monitored individually, by
subgroup, by classroom and by school?
• How do we know if our programs are working?
25

26. Instructional Programs and Practices
Equal Opportunity to Learn
Rigorous curriculum and
research-based practices Teacher Quality
Continuous Instructional Collaboration and
feedback interventions Building Capacity
26

27. What questions could “student
outcomes” answer?
• Enrollment • Funding
• Environment • Staffing
• Performance • Facilities
Your
Resource
Baseline
Alignment
Turn Student
Programs
and
Outcomes
Practices
• Test scores • Curriculum
• Graduation • Monitoring
• Postsecondary • Supports
27

28. Assess outcomes
Test scores
• Are our students meeting state proficiency standards?
• Are our schools making AYP?
• Are our students ready for college as measured by SAT, ACT?
Graduation
• Are students graduating on time with a standard diploma?
Postsecondary
• Are our students enrolling in college?
• Are our students successful in postsecondary careers, training
and education?
28

29. What would a data-driven board do?
Your district has a persistently low-achieving
school. Your superintendent has data showing
this school also has high teacher turnover and
a high proportion of new teachers. She wants
the board to approve an incentive plan to lure
the district’s best teachers to this school.
Parents in high-achieving schools protest.
29

30. The decision-making cycle
Teacher quality and student achievement
• Enrollment • Qualifications
• Student • Distribution
Continuous Improvement
outcomes • Equity
Accountability
Baseline Resource
Alignment
Programs
Student
and
Outcomes
Practices
• State Tests • Monitoring
• Local • Working
Measures Conditions
• HR Policies
30

31. What would a data-driven board do?
• Identify your need
• Examine your teacher distribution data
• Look at best practices in teacher recruitment &
retention
• Involve your teachers, engage your community
31

32. Student performance
100%
Advanced
Proficient
Basic
Below Basic
0%
high needs district ave low needs
32

33. What would a data-driven board do?
• Identify your need
• Examine your teacher distribution data
• Look at best practices in teacher recruitment &
retention
• Involve your teachers, engage your community
33

34. Assignment by teacher experience
100%
>4 years
2-4 years
1 year
0%
High Needs District Ave Low Needs
34

35. What would a data-driven board do?
• Identify your need
• Examine your teacher distribution data
• Look at best practices in teacher recruitment &
retention
• Involve your teachers, engage your community
35

36. Recruitment & retention
• Improve working conditions, eg., supportive
leadership, strong induction programs for new teachers
• Provide effective professional development
• Use targeted financial incentives such as housing
assistance to attract highly-qualified teachers.
SOURCE: Center for Public Education, 2012 36

37. What would a data-driven board do?
• Identify your need
• Examine your teacher distribution data
• Look at best practices in teacher recruitment &
retention
• Involve your teachers, engage your community
37

38. Determining Return on Investment
(ROI) of particular policies and
programs informs better decisions and
helps school leaders explain
potentially unpopular decisions to the
community.
here’s how it works …
38

39. Implementation score –
Degree of Difficulty and Cost
1. High cost or great difficulty to implement
2. Significant cost or difficulty to implement
3. Moderate cost or difficulty to implement
4. Little or no cost or difficulty to implement
39

40. Results score –
Degree of Impact or Change
1. Very little or no impact or opportunity for
change
2. Some impact or opportunity for change
3. Strong impact or opportunity for change
4. Greatest impact or opportunity for change
40

41. High
Impact 4
3
2
Low 1
Impact
1 2 3 4
Difficult/High Cost Easy/Low Cost
Key Work of School Boards, 2009
© Katheryn Gemberling 41

42. B U I L D I N G T H E F O U N D AT I O N
High
Impact 4 Retain but Retain
simplify or as is
reduce cost
3
2
Eliminate Redesign or remove
Low 1
Impact
1 2 3 4
Difficult/High Cost Easy/Low Cost
Implementation Implementation
Key Work of School Boards, 2009
© Katheryn Gemberling 42

43. The data
made me do
it!
43