External Supports for Educators Implementing Data-Driven Decision-Making Presented to the CCSSO

1. External Supports for Educators Implementing Data-Driven Decision-Making Presented to the CCSSO September 9, 2008 Michelle LaPointe

2. Data-Driven Decision-Making Data-Driven Decision-Making (DDDM) is using data and evidence to guide decisions. DDDM in education refers to teachers, principals, and administrators, systematically collecting and analyzing various types of data, including input, process, outcome and satisfaction data, to guide a range of decisions to help improve the success of students and schools. (Rand Corporation)

3. Why use data for decision making in K-12 education? ? • No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2001) requires that states develop annual achievement tests and all levels of the education system are held responsible for states and schools meeting the adequate yearly progress (AYP) targets. • “Decisions in school districts have been made according to tradition, instinct, and regulations. More access to better information enables educational professionals to test their assumptions, identify needs, and measure outcomes.” CoSN (The Consortium for School Networking) http://www.cosn.org/

4. Barriers to DDDM • Data may not be relevant to school and district improvement (data for compliance v. school improvement) Mandinach, 2008; LaPointe, Brett, Kagle, Midouhas & Sanchez, forthcoming • Educators face difficulties in transforming data into actionable knowledge Massell, 2000; Chen, Salahuddin, Horsch & Wagner, 2000; Hassler, Buck & Torgesen, 2004; Love, 2004; Lang, Goldwyn, Schatschneider, Roehrig-Bice, and Johnson, 2007 • Difficulties sometimes stem from a lack essential knowledge and skills Brookhart, 2001; Hassler, Ogawa, Ossont, Nahmias, Roehrig, Johnson & Diefenbach, 2006; Impara, Flake & Pager,1993; Stecher & Hamilton, 2006; Lang, Goldwyn, Schatschneider, Roehrig-Bice, and Johnson, 2007

5. Supports for DDDM • Educators need external supports to develop the capacity to use data Feldman & Tung, 2001; Lachat, 2001; Ikemoto & Marsh, 2007 • Supports can be provided by SEAs, universities, or by contracting with a professional development provider Feldman & Tung, 2001; Lachat, 2001; Ikemoto & Marsh, 2007; LaPointe, Brett, Kagle, Midouhas & Sanchez, forthcoming

6. Data-Driven Decision-Making Initiatives and Professional Development Services in the Northeast and Islands Region This project focused on how state policy supports developing the capacityof district and school leaders to use data to adjust instruction and organize schools to improve student achievement. The REL Northeast and Islands serves: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Puerto Rico*, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin Islands * Puerto Rico did not participate in this study.

7. Data-Driven Decision-Making Initiatives and Professional Development Services in the Northeast and Islands Region Goals of the Project √ To understand the implementation of state initiatives to support DDDM in schools and districts. √ To develop profiles of the initiatives implemented in our region to help other jurisdictions understand the range of supports to develop the capacity of district and school leaders to use data. √ To develop both a listing of service providers and profiles that detail the services provided by three different types of organizations. √ To provide feedback to the states about service providers that provide professional development/technical assistance for DDDM.

8. Methodology  Conducted interviews with one individual at the State Education Agency (SEA) in 8 jurisdictions.  Based on our interviews we compiled a list of service providers working in our region.  Interviewed staff at service providers, observed professional development activities, and reviewed documentation.

9. Preliminary Analysis: Statewide Initiative • Highly coherent, systematic and aligned SEA policy around data use for all districts • Supported by professional development for district and school leaders, teachers • Designed to support the capacity of district and school leaders to use data • Increased focus on data storage, but working on professional development to support data use • Some more focused on professional development

10. Availability of Supports • Few SEAs provide support to all districts • SEA initiatives tend to focus on specific types of schools or grant programs: e.g. Low performing schools, Title I schools; Reading First, special education • SEAs support and encourage data use by providing professional development and other supports (e.g. on-line access to test score, data tools)

11. Range of Supports • School-focused supports: SEA employees work directly with school improvement teams/school data teams • District-focused supports: Consciously allowing districts to support schools in their use of data with little explicit support or guidance from the SEA to schools; but with SEA support to the districts • Provider-focused supports: Allowing professional development services through the state assessment developer (e.g. training on data tools, test interpretation workshops) • Limited-support: Little focus by the SEA on DDDM and minimal support for districts or schools

12. Service Providers in Support of SEA Initiatives • SEA staff have limited capacity to reach district and school leaders, teachers • SEAs have limited numbers of employees • SEAs employees have limited expertise in DDDM • Therefore, SEAs contract out to provide support for DDDM in districts and schools

13. Criteria for Selecting Service Providers • Service providers working with multiple SEAs and districts within across the region • Providing a range of professional development services focused on data driven decision making • Range of providers to best highlight types of service providers available for use by states and districts

14. Preliminary Analysis: Service Providers in our Region 1. Types of organizations 2. Primary clients 3. Professional Development on culture v. tools 4. Continuum of technology

15. Service Providers:Type of Organization Each SEA named one organization that they partner with. (One SEA named two.) • Most were for-profit companies that create data warehouses and data tools • Two were intermediate education agencies that provide professional development to schools. • Two were non-profits that create assessments and provide professional development on formative assessment

16. External Service Providers:Primary Clients • State-wide contracts • Individual districts in states • Groups of districts • Low performing school districts

17. External Service Providers:Type of Supports Provided • Professional development on the process of DDDM (creating data teams, facilitating a process to review data and evidence, instilling a cycle of inquiry). • Training on using and understanding the data tools • Training on data tools combined with professional development on the process of using data for decision-making

18. External Service Providers:Continuum of Technology Service providers vary in their use of technology to support data-driven decision making • Some use paper reports and excel spreadsheets • Some have fully integrated data warehouse systems • Some have basic data storage with a focus on generating reports for use by educators and decision makers

19. The final report has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for technical review. More information is available at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/ • Additional information on REL Northeast and Islands is available at: http://www2.edc.org/relnei/

20. Reference list available upon request mlapointe@edc.org