Making Meaning of Data: School Improvement Through Appropriate Use of Assessment Data

• In Event: Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: Data and Student Achievement

Abstract

The power of testing data is growing as calls for “data driven decision-making” compel educators to scour test results for a course of action. It is increasingly clear that school personnel need additional help to move beyond superficial and simplistic analyses of test results (Love, 2009).
This research examines the work of an intermediate service unit in a large Northeast state that worked with 18 small city and suburban districts, providing districts with test results and professional development to understand and act on the results. The research shows that a dynamic collaboration between data provider and districts can help districts understand how data can be used and how data providers can evolve their systems to be more helpful to educators.

Authors

• Ellen B. Meier, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Dawn M. Horton, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Jessica Yusaitis-Pike, Teachers College, Columbia University