Giving Compass' Take:

• Jessica Slusser shares ten steps that schools can take to improve their data culture to benefit their students. 

• How can funders help schools successfully implement these steps? What barriers do schools face when working to make changes of this nature? 

• Learn about one school improving their use of data. 

10 Steps Towards Building a Data Culture at Your School:
  1. Start with a few data champions. Focus on a small number of schools or staff members who are already comfortable with data or are using it in their daily instruction.
  2. Create a shared vision for your data culture and post it every time you meet. How will the data you’re using/collecting contribute to your goals? Challenge your team often to examine decisions, “Is [XYZ] working towards our shared vision?”
  3. Implement a technology infrastructure that has the capabilities necessary based on your vision, such as ensuring real-time data access. Read more about the supportive infrastructure created in Miami Dade in this case study.
  4. Check current privacy policies, ensuring data sharing procedures safeguard student privacy.
  5. Identify key questions data should be answering, such as student growth measures, proficiency in key subject areas, completion rates, etc.
  6. Create expectations for teachers and leaders to establish consistency across the district. What types of data should they be monitoring? When should they have regular meetings? What information should be shared with learners and their families?
  7. Provide professional development from the top down. Building a culture around data will require some staff to build new “muscles.” Support them by providing training on tools and infrastructures. Set them up with their school or district’s champion and encourage PLNs within your district.
  8. Leverage teacher leaders to help standardize usage, expectations and training. These leaders can inspire and encourage their peers to get on board, providing real examples of data culture in action and showcasing the ways in which it has improved their classrooms.
  9. Create data dashboard templates that school leaders can modify to meet their specific needs. This will help with “Where do I begin?” guidance and help establish standards as to which data sets to track and why.
  10. Ensure teachers have time and resources to conduct regular data chats at all levels. This can happen in a variety of ways including with the PLNs. As all educators know, we’re better together, and the opportunity to bounce ideas and talk about what’s working or not working will be crucial in the development of your school’s data culture.

Read the full article about building a data culture by Jessica Slusser at Getting Smart.