This document summarizes and reviews several articles and book excerpts on the topic of using data to inform instruction. The key points covered are: 1) Five phases of an effective data analysis cycle are outlined: collection, organization, analysis, accountability, and engagement at district and building levels. 2) Formative assessment and ongoing feedback are important for improving teaching and learning by identifying student needs and informing future instruction. 3) Four building blocks of effective data-driven instruction are identified as assessment, analysis, action, and developing a data-driven culture. 4) An eight-step process called "Data Wise" is presented to guide school leaders in becoming more data-driven through preparing, inqu

1. Data ~ Data ~ Data ~ Oh My….
Review of a Collection of Articles and Book Excerpts
By Lori Cottle
EdPsych 510
You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data.
Daniel Keys Moran

2. “Making Sense of the Data”
Chapter from Align the Design
by Nancy J. Mooney and Ann T. Mausbach
This chapter explains the five phases of a data analysis cycle: collection, organization analysis,
accountability and engagement at the district and building level. It covers the importance of
properly collecting, analyzing and presenting data to support school improvement.
AGREE
• Determine what data is important
• Simple & organized data
collection within one document
• Use multiple sources of data to
see trends and patterns
• Data is valuable when decision
are used to target areas of
concern and focus on school
improvement.
ASPIRE
• Create a clear and concise “state of the school
report”
• Prepare a school portfolio – reflect on student
achievement data, school values, and
improvement goals in an organized document to
increase understanding of data and accountability
• To understand the current data at district and
building level
• Share this information with several audiences
ARGUE
I question the idea of working through data on your own to gain a
deeper understanding.
“…through collaboration, professionals achieve more than they
could alone.” (DuFour & Eaker, 1998). I believe the power of
collaboration is vital to data analysis.

3. “The Bridge Between Today’s Lesson and Tomorrow’s”
by Carol Ann Tomlinson
This article clarifies how ongoing formative assessment improves student achievement and assists teachers
to focus their instruction on what REALLY needs to be taught. Ultimately students need to be an active
participant reflecting of their own work. They must understand the information and need to think about
what is the next step to achieve their goal.
AGREE
• Formative assessment has potential to improve
teaching and learning
• Immediate feedback provides valuable
information to move from what was taught
today to where we need to go tomorrow
• Feedback needs to user friendly – elicit a
cognitive response for the learner not an
emotional one
• Feedback is differentiated, clear , challenging
and achievable, next steps are in place.
• To maximize each student’s growth formative
assessment needs to be ongoing
ASPIRE
• Create a building culture which allows
everyone to make mistakes and
understanding that we grow and get
better from those experiences.
• Provide “better fit” of instruction to all
students through the use of formative
assessment.
NOT to ARGUE
A classroom that focuses on formative assessment fosters an environment for the growth mindset - assessment is
about learning.
–based on research from Carol Dweck of Stanford University
“When teachers use formative assessment …students can learn in six to seven months what will normally take
an entire school year to learn.” (Leahy, Lyon, Thompson & William, 2005)

4. “Driven By Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction”
by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo (Jossey-Bass, 2010)
This article is a summary of a book entitled, Driven By Data. The article focuses on four
building blocks to ensure effective data driven instruction. The components are
assessment, analysis, action and data driven culture.
ARGUE
“For professional development to be effective, adults need to generate the content they are
learning to be invested in it and to retain it longer.”
* I do find validity in this, but I believe with adult learners you initially need to create an emotional
or real world connection to the importance of data-driven instruction prior to any professional
development.
ASPIRE
• Generate a common way to report
data ie. one page/class- templates
• Create user friendly data reports
• Establish a strong leadership team
• Build a culture within the school
which supports “building by
borrowing”
• Offer opportunities for professional
growth and development
AGREE
• Using data to inform teaching practice is
the most effective way to help student
achieve success.
• Standards are meaningless until you define
how you will assess them.
• Use “Dig In” questions to answers questions
to data
• Data driven instruction improves student
achievement when implemented correctly
• Data driven instruction does not require
teacher buy-in it creates it

5. “The ‘Data Wise’ Improvement Process”
by Kathryn Parker Boudett, Elizabeth A. City and Richard J. Murnane
This article walks the reader through eight steps school leaders could use to become “data
wise”. They organized the eight steps within three phases: prepare, inquire and act. The
article encourages and supports the importance of collaboration.
AGREE
• Data must be organized so teams can
work collaboratively
• Dig into student data to identify a
“learner-centered problem”
• Use data to generate effective
instruction- examine practice and
compare to what type of instruction is
needed.
• Use a wide range of data, not just results
from standardized tests
ASPIRE
• Help staff develop assessment literacy
• Facilitate opportunities to engage
teachers and other administrators in
constructive conversations in data review
• Always look at data to find something
new, “embrace the unexpected”
ARGUE
Data team for the school?
Teachers should work on collaborative teams to analyze student data for the students
they work with daily. The team also needs to collaboratively decided on what common
formative assessments will be used to.

6. “Sustaining School Improvement-Data Driven Decision Making”
McREL Web site
This article shares three key components of an effective data program. First … the
collection of data must be purposeful, second… resources and time need to be designated
to support the collection and reflection of data and third… strategies need to be in place
to support communication about the data collection process and findings.
AGREE
• With purposeful data collection educators can
enhance student learning
• Educators can determine the effectiveness of
their instruction with the use of data
• School leadership team should not be used as a
data team
• “It (data) helps get people on board when they
see the evidence in black and white.”
• “Teachers enjoy seeing the results of their
work reflected in data on student achievement.
It validates what they’re doing makes a
difference.”
ASPIRE
• Create a school improvement plan focused on
identified needs
• Model for others how to facilitate and work as an
effective member of a collaborative team.
• Establish open communication with all staff
establishing a trusting culture.
• Provide adequate time to analyze data
• Ensure training is available to support staff when
asked to do something new
• Provide opportunities for all voices to be heard from
the beginning of the process to the end.
ARGUE
To consider different types of data i.e. demographic, student outcome, perception
I agree it gives you the overall picture of a student but…. I believe we need to
focus on what we have control over.
“It is not the label that should determine interventions, but the child’s needs.”
(Buffum, Mattos & Weber, 2012)

7. “Building a High-Performing Data Culture”
by Nancy Love
This chapter focuses the steps between using data
and the end result of student achievement.
AGREE
• Discussing student data makes teachers
accountable for their results and more
mindful of their influential position.
• Teachers need to aspire to lead wanting
to become a change agent
• Create opportunities for ALL to learn
• Use data continuously, collaboratively
and effectively to guide effective
interventions
• Stop blaming students and their
circumstances
ASPIRE
• Create a school culture which embraces
“collaborative inquiry”
• Build relationships based on trust, candid
talk and openness
• Facilitate opportunities for staff to
construct meaningful learning goals,
instruction and assessments
• To ensure every child is learning
NOT to ARGUE
-response-ability-
“create a school wide system of interventions that
provides all students with additional time and support
when they experience difficulty in their learning”
(DuFour, DuFour, Eaker & Karhanek, 2004)