Democratizing Data in an Equity-focused Networked Improvement Community

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Transforming Systems, Centering Equity: Advancing Racial Justice through Continuous Improvement

Abstract

Network improvement communities (NICs) are well-positioned for democratic data practices by focusing on improvement science principles that center practitioner expertise and data in driving improvement. This embedded qualitative case study of observational, interview, and document data explores how democratic data practices unfolded in an equity-focused NIC, and how school practitioners participating in the NIC perceived the value and feasibility of these practices. All school teams implemented democratic data practices during school-based improvement science activities, though in varied ways and often weaving in dictated data. Practitioners overwhelmingly valued the use of the street data while pointing to feasibility constraints. Findings hold implications for how to meaningfully and practically engage diverse school community members in improvement science data practices within equity-focused NICs.

Authors

• Ariel Tichnor-Wagner, Boston University

• Alia Verner, EdVestors

• Ruth Mercado-Zizzo, EdVestors