Ellen B. Mandinach

WestEd

February, 11, 2013

Innovative Data Use:Examples from REL West and

Beyond

“Education data have to be useful, useable, and used.”

(Schneider, 2013)

A Recent Quote

» The Virginia Department of Education

» The Arkansas Department of Education

» The Hawaii Department of Education

» The Maryland Department of Education

» The Oregon Department of Education

Examples of SEA Innovations

» Data-minded chief state school officer.

» Had one of the few research directors at an SEA who could bridge the needs of the program staff, SLDS, research, administration, and REL.

» Has an established SLDS with excellent direction that captures the vision of the SEA and has outreach to the LEAs.

» Includes in licensure requirements, the need to demonstrate competency in data use.

Virginia Department of Education

» “If Walmart can do it, why can’t we?” quote by former

commissioner

» Committed SLDS director trained in data systems and data use.

» Recently established research arm for the SLDS.

» Created understandable and useable graphical displays.

» Training across the state on formative assessment, with an SLDS component to incorporate those data.

Arkansas Department of Education

» Wrote into their SLDS proposal substantial educator training in data use.

» Creating an Longitudinal Data System training site for current educators, future educators, policymakers, educational staff, and other stakeholders.

» Opening up the LDS training site to educator preparation programs.

» Consulting with the Oregon Data Project and other professional development providers.

Hawaii Department of Education

» Goal – “how to make data part of the culture.”

» Wrote into their SLDS proposal a large training component.

» Creation of a Learning Management System, dashboard, webinars, seminars, workshops, self-serve portal with diverse resources.

» Hiring professionals to conduct the training.

» Train the trainer model. Train data coaches.

» Training for legislators, superintendents, and principals.

Maryland Department of Education

» Integrated data training into their SLDS proposals.

» Created the Oregon Data Project, an arm of the ODE.

» ODP has conducted training in a large proportion of the state’s LEAs.

» ODP has established a training model that is hopefully sustainable.

» ODP includes collaborations with five state institutions of higher education.

» Dean of Western Oregon who enculurated data there, joins ODE to further enculturate data use.

Oregon Department of Education

» Jefferson County Public Schools (KY)

» Kenton County Public Schools (KY)

» Charlottesville City Schools (VA)

» Loudon County Public Schools (VA)

» Tucson Unified Public Schools (AZ)

» Washoe County School District (NV)

» Mamaroneck Union Free School District (NY)

» Long Beach Unified School District (CA)

» Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, (TN)

Examples of Innovative Data Use in LEAs: Different Aspects

» Vision: Enhance the use of data-driven decision making, quality indicators, programmatic evaluation and district-wide accountability measures that will lead to continuous student, school and district improvement.

» Mission• Provide accurate data to customers in an efficient and timely manner

• Support the district’s formative and summative assessment systems

• Fulfill state and federal guidelines, policy, and reporting requirements associated with accountability

Source: R. Rodosky

Jefferson County Public Schools – “will provide valid, reliable, and useful data to decision makers in a

timely manner”

» Has a data zealot as director of data management, planning, and program

evaluation. He has emphasized the importance of data throughout the district.

Survived different administrations.

» Developed their own data systems to meet their needs. Customized and raised

funds for development. Raised $40 million. Data warehouse, testing system,

summative and formative assessment systems, and data dashboards.

» Trained staff on system use.

» Has a competent research department to assist the district on data issues.

» Brought in Stiggins to provide comprehensive training on formative assessment.

Jefferson County Public Schools - continued

» Top administration committed to establishing a data culture.

» This culture has survived an administration transition. Deeply embedded vision.

» Principals have received training, yet teacher training is only turn-key at this point.

» Collaborating with Northern Kentucky on data issues to supplement expertise.

» Collaborating with WestEd to seek funding to examine the systemic nature of data use.

Kenton County Public Schools

» Hired a data-minded superintendent who has transformed the district.

» Like-minded principals have been hired.

» Established and implemented a data culture.

» Developed and customized data systems to meet specific needs.

» Committed data and research director.

» Training programs for staff.

» One staff member teacher data-driven decision making at the University of Virginia.

Charlottesville City Schools

» A data-minded superintendent who walks the walk not just talks the talk

» An assistant superintendent who emphasizes data in all discussions

» A research director (now departed) who developed data systems, established a data culture, provided comprehensive training, and showed that data use can make a difference

(Knobloch, 2007, 2010)

Loudon County Public Schools

Loudon County Public Schools –Data Analysis and Decision-Making Protocol

Loudon County Public Schools –An Example of Use

Loudon County Public Schools –An Example of Use

» “Data-driven and people-powered”.

» Principals are required to take an authentic assessment to develop a school improvement plan using a set of data to demonstrate data literacy. Contingency for hiring

» Developed home-grown data systems that informed the Arizona Department of Education.

» Have been using data to solve pressing problems for years – e.g., out migration of students to charters.

(Long, Rivas, Light, & Mandinach, 2008)

Tucson Unified School District

» Introduced a teacher evaluation system for elementary, middle, and high school

» Piloting a classroom observation protocol for their teacher evaluation system. 2012 in 16 schools. Psychometric examination of the system. Study by REL West.

» System evaluates: (a) Planning and preparation; (b) Classroom environment; (c) Instruction; (d) Professional responsibilities

» May be generalizable to the Nevada Department of Education and other districts

Washoe County School District

» Superintendent has made data use a priority to help decrease the achievement gap.

» Has created a data culture throughout the district.

» Has formed data teams in all schools and made possible time for teaming.

» Principals have become data leaders.

(King & Amon, 2008)

Mamaroneck Union Free School District

» Hiring decisions made on teachers’ ability to use data.

» Has a relationship with Long Beach State in which the district is forcing the institution of higher education to better prepare its teacher candidates for data-driven practices.

Long Beach Unified School District

» Recognizes the importance of having students become their own data-driven decision makers.

» Made this an emphasis in their RTTT District proposal.

» Have begun to explore training opportunities to help teachers with this initiative.

» This corresponds to the second recommendation in the IES Practice Guide on data use (Hamilton, Halverson, Jackson, Mandinach, Supovitz, & Wayman, 2009).

» Seeking proposal opportunities to support data training.

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

» Leadership and vision are essential.

» Finding the resources requires creativity.

» Enculturation takes time and commitment.

» Sustainability across administrations is possible with sufficient embedding of

the data culture.

» The status quo often has to be shaken up.

» Training for all educators and associated stakeholders is important.

» Not every exemplar has all components. This is a systemic process. It takes

time, money, energy, and patience.

Some Common Themes

202-674-9300

email: emandin@WestEd.org

1350 Connecticut Avenue. N.W,

Washington, DC 20036

Ellen Mandinach

866-853-1831

email: relwest@WestEd.org

website: relwest.WestEd.org

730 Harrison Street • San Francisco, CA

94107

Contact REL West