U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Use of Education Data at the Local Level

From Accountability to Instructional Improvement

Use of Education Data at the Local Level

From Accountability to Instructional Improvement

U.S. Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

Prepared by: Barbara Means Christine Padilla Larry Gallagher SRI International

2010

This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education under Contract number ED-01CO-0040 Task 0002 with SRI International. Bernadette Adams Yates served as the project manager. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred.

U.S. Department of Education Arne Duncan Secretary Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Carmel Martin Assistant Secretary Policy and Program Studies Service Alan Ginsburg Director Office of Educational Technology Karen Cator Director

January 2010

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce this report in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the suggested citation is: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, Use of Education Data at the Local Level From Accountability to Instructional Improvement, Washington, D.C., 2010. This report is available on the Department's Web site at On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818.

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Contents

List of Exhibits......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments................................................................................................................... vii Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. ix 1. Introduction and Approach ....................................................................................................1

Data Systems: A Prerequisite for Data-driven Decision Making..........................................2 Beyond Data Systems: Need for a Systemic Approach ........................................................2 Data-driven Decision-making Framework ............................................................................2 Data Sources for the Report ..................................................................................................5 Contents of the Report...........................................................................................................6 2. District Data System Features and District Use of Data for Decision Making .....................9 A Profile of District Data Systems ......................................................................................10 District Data System Features .............................................................................................13 Districts' Use of Data Systems............................................................................................23 Variations Across Districts..................................................................................................26 Summary .............................................................................................................................27 3. District Supports for Data-driven Decision Making in Schools ..........................................29 District Data-driven Decision-making Support Index.........................................................29 District Strategies for Increasing Use of Data Systems ......................................................33 Challenges to District Efforts to Spread Data-driven Decision Making .............................42 Strategies for Addressing Implementation Challenges .......................................................54 Summary .............................................................................................................................57 4. School Use of Data and Supports for Data-driven Decision Making ..................................59 Nature and Frequency of School Use of Data and Data Systems .......................................59 Year-to-Year Growth in Data Use.......................................................................................62 Stages in Developing a Data-using Culture ........................................................................64 School Supports for Data Use .............................................................................................68 Barriers to School Data Use ................................................................................................76 Perceived Effects of Data Use .............................................................................................80 Summary .............................................................................................................................81

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