Using Data

When you hear "data," you may think of a million-dollar research project that requires a team of experts in statistical analysis.

But you can also gather and analyze useful data in simple, practical ways. For instance, a principal might want feedback from parents or students about a new program, or a school-improvement team may wish to find out more about a specific concern such as equity.

This site is designed to help school and district practitioners and community members use data to improve their schools.

> DATA FOCUS: Archives
   – Peer Observation
   – Surveys

> Tools
 Database of tools for school improvement.
> School-Improvement Guide
 Describes and illustrates a step-by-step process.


WHY USE DATA?
Everyone can – and should – use data to drive school-improvement efforts. The Annenberg Institute believes that any effective accountability system must be grounded in the continuous and reflective collection and analysis of good data – and lots of it.

No one form of data can accurately assess how a school is doing. Test scores, along with graduation, attendance, and dropout rates, are important for measuring school and student outcomes, but they cannot explain those outcomes. Other kinds of data – surveys, classroom observations, etc. – are also needed to help fill in the picture.

In the Using Data section, you'll find resources to help you use data effectively in your school-improvement efforts, including a Data Focus topic that will be updated periodically.

DATA FOCUS: Students as Researchers
Student Engagement icon
Students are a valuable but underused resource for school improvement. Students can act as effective school-improvement researchers by applying tools and producing data that maximize the impact of their unique voice on policy-makers and other adults.
> More about Students as
   Researchers

> DATA FOCUS: Archives

Using Data for School Improvement
In this report, schools share experiences about how they are using data to improve student performance. It includes broad learnings from an Annenberg Challenge site practitioner's conference, a framework for rethinking accountability, data collection examples from schools doing the work, resources, and more.
> Download PDF [58 Pages, 1 MB]