Data Leadership in Panama: Emerging Trends for Advancing Equity in School-Level Data Use

• In Event: International Comparisons and Perspectives: A Look at Teachers and Leaders

Abstract

School leaders are increasingly expected to use data for school improvement and raising students’ achievement. Much of the work on data leadership has occurred within the United States; the purpose of this study is to understand how school leaders across Panama use data and how they are responding to the national push for increased use of data, as well as their needs for more effective data leadership. We used random stratified sampling to identify, recruit, and interview a generalizable sample of school leaders across Panama for this qualitative interview study. Findings show that data use focused on compliance and administrative use, with little connection to student learning. We consider implications of these findings from an equity lens.

Authors

• Rachel Roegman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Mariana Leon, Quality Leadership University & CIEDU

• Maria Alejandra Quintero, Quality Leadership University, CIEDU AIP

• Katisha Ramos, Quality Leadership University