Teacher Leader KnowledgeBase

Using Data

Using data effectively involves understanding how to use it and being aware of the challenges that entails. The lists offered from Getting Excited About Data (2nd ed): Combining People, Passion and Proof to Maximize Student Achievement highlight how high performing schools use data as well as listing challenges and impediments faced.

Answering Questions That Count

This article from ASCD's Educational Leadership publication explores questions that should be addressed when analyzing student data.

Data Analysis: Analyzing Your State Assessment Data

This link is to the School Improvement in Maryland website's information on data analysis. Though intended for Maryland districts, the content may be useful to educators in other states.

Data Sources by State

This document contains links to national and state education data sources. The content may be useful to educators when developing a school profile.

Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making

This link is to an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide on the use of student achievement data. As noted in the document's overview, "The purpose of this practice guide is to help K-12 teachers and administrators use student achievement data to make instructional decisions intended to raise student achievement."