Perspectives on

Delaware’s Capacity to use

Educational Data

Mike StetterDirector of Curriculum

Delaware Department of EducationSeptember 10, 2008

Reflection Questions for You

1. What were the main obstacles to expanding data use in the state?

2. How did Delaware DOE choose to proceed?

3. What policy levers were used?

4. Likely impact of multiple strategies over time?

The Paradigm Shift in Educational Data Usage “P.A.” and “D.D.A.”

Pre-Accountability Era

School System Data uses-

• Sort/Track Students• Manage School Finances• Document need for more

$$$• Justify Management or

Contractual Decisions (e.g. hiring, layoffs, school closings)

• Reinforce “protected space” between system and stakeholders

DEEP DIVE Accountability Era

School System NEW Data uses-

• Customization of instruction

• Proof of Program Impacts

• School Accountability for Results to USDOE & SEA

• Teacher Quality• Access & Adequacy of

instruction for at-risk groups

Delaware Discoveries

• Infrequent, decontextualized use of data• Minimal local data expertise• Subjective decisions in absence of data

analysis ( Margaret Heritage comment on Teachers and analysis of data)

• No compelling reason to consider data (missing policy lever)

• A parallel- How confident are you in your ability to manage retirement fund decisions?

Understanding the Dilemma, Pt. 1

How can data analysis and decision-making overcome

limited local expertise?

Why should we look at data

about how the system is working?

What Data is relevant?

Have you experienced similar situations in your state?

• Too much data, not enough context or training to massage and apply it effectively to help in classrooms

• For many local educators, it is an issue of weak sense-making skills in a new paradigm

Understanding the Dilemma, Pt. 2

District Strategic

Plan

District Office Decision Cycle

School Level Realities

Building capacity the right way depends on involving your critical friends in SEA, Districts, higher education, project thought partners, foundations, and, most importantly, school and business leaders.

Delaware Capacity-Building Strategies for Data Literacy

Establish requirement

for data based School Improvemen

t plans linking to

Funds

Construct DOE Comprehensiv

e Data Warehouse of student and school data

Data Sets•SEC Data

•School Climate

•Student Achievement

•Student Wellness

Construct Online School Success

Plan Application

Train DOE staff and district staff on Data Analysis

with Student data

Align State, District, and

School Reporting via Balanced

Scorecard

WHY? WHAT ? HOW?

More on Capacity Building

• Work with early adopter districts (PDA’s, data retreats)

• Work with schools U.S.I. to strengthen self-assessment skills and monitoring of The Main Thing

(Hint: It’s Instruction)

• Modeling strategic planning with common core data

• Develop a shared culture of understanding and monitoring student performance in SEA and LEA’s

More on Capacity Building

• Organize partnerships to accelerate capacity-building for data use

– Higher Education Research Center (e.g.,Correlates of Achievement)

– Regional Comprehensive Center – External Contractors (e.g.,Learning

Point Associates)– Title I School Improvement Facilitators

Delaware Capacity Building

Status

• 1998-2005- Early versions of online state assessment database with data inquiry features

• August 2006- DOE Data Warehouse launch• 2006-08- Delaware Surveys of Enacted

Curriculum Studies in ELA/Reading, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science

• August 2007-Delaware Recommended Curriculum website launch

• Fall 2007- Delaware Balanced Scorecard with Common Measures launch

• August 2008-Online School Success Plan tool launch

• Fall 2009 (projected)- Online verification of Special Education programming and IEP’s for all districts

Next Steps

• In-state Turnaround Leader Program

• Surveys of Enacted Curriculum use with schools USI

• Classroom Instructional Micro-analysis training for principals

• Formative assessment and CAT (Computer-adaptive testing) with immediate teacher access

Reflection Questions for You

1. What were the main obstacles to expanding data use in the state?

2. How did Delaware DOE choose to proceed?

3. What policy levers were used?

4. Likely impact of multiple strategies over time?