Use the data that are already being collected.

We know that data, used strategically by educators, lead to better outcomes for students and that schools collect loads of data. Education technology companies desperately want the information. Parents and advocates want to protect it. Yet study after study shows that teachers have it and either can’t or don’t always know the best way to use it.

Ensure alignment between success and practice.

Our survey also revealed a substantial disconnect between what data schools say are important for success in special education and what they are actually doing in practice.

Notably, though almost 70 percent of schools consider staff collaboration to be a key driver for a successful special education program, only 35 percent of schools have structures to facilitate planning between special education and general education teachers. Furthermore, our survey revealed that having formal structures for collaboration directly correlates to using more data for special education programming. Clearly, schools looking to make advances on behalf of diverse learners should find ways to build systems for collaboration into their schedule.

Enhance tools for special education programming.

After hearing from more than 500 schools, it is clear that there is no single solution that adequately tracks special education programming in ways that facilitate decision-making on behalf of individual students with disabilities as well as schoolwide planning. Schools may not be using data for special education programming as much as they could because state and local reporting systems, currently used by more than 50 percent of schools, inadequately track special education outcomes.

Read the full article about three ways school can use data by Sarah Berger Sandelius at The 74.