“If you want to understand usable knowledge, read Data-Driven School Improvement. It brings together essays by some of the best people working on linking research to practice and clarifies the theories behind and the challenges involved in data-driven decision making.”
—Ellen Condliffe Lagemann, Harvard University

“It is reassuring to know that at least some of the data being generated in our data-driven age are being used to make wiser decisions. We can all learn from these illustrative accounts.”
—David C. Berliner, Mary Lou Fulton College of Education, Arizona State University

“Replete with examples from real schools and districts, this volume provides a multi-layered portrait of what it takes to establish a culture of data use. Readers will come away with an appreciation of the systemic changes needed to reap the full potential of data-driven decision making.”
—Barbara Means, Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International

With federal and local demands for increased accountability, educators at all levels are now expected to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be effective data users and decision makers. This book brings together stakeholders representing a variety of perspectives to explore how educators actually use data and technology tools to achieve lasting improvement in student performance. The first comprehensive examination of the field, this volume introduces the history of testing and data use, explores current practices and tools, and presents a groundbreaking model for data-driven decision making.

Book Features:

• A valuable framework, based on a three-year project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, describing how data are transformed into usable knowledge.
• Informative case studies illustrating how schools are using data to inform best practice.
• Suggestions for how digital resources can be used to improve teaching in the classroom.
• A thought-provoking treatise on educational reform from the state perspective.

Contributors: David V. Abbott, Carrie Amon • Jonathan Bertfield • Cornelia Brunner • Fred Carrigg • Jere Confrey • Katherine R. Conoly • Valerie M. Crawford • Chris Dede • John Gasko • Greg Gunn • Juliette Heinze • Naomi Hupert • Sherry King • Mary Jane Kurabinski • Daniel Light • Lisa Long • Michael Merrill • Liane Moody • William R. Penuel • Luz Rivas • Mark Schlager • John Stewart • Sam Stringfield • Ronald Thorpe • Yukie Toyama • Jeffrey C. Wayman • Viki M. Young.

Ellen B. Mandinach is Senior Project Director at the CNA Corporation in Alexandria, VA. Margaret Honey is Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Research for Wireless Generation, a Brooklyn-based software development company.

Developed in association with the Center for Children and Technology, Education Development Center, Inc., New York, NY.