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Using Data to Improve Schools
Studentàname
Instructor
Course
Date
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Using Data to Improve Schools
I appreciated learning more about “Using Data to Improve Schools.” It provided a wealth
of useful information and perspective. A key takeaway from this lesson is the need to use data to
determine whether or not a certain school or district is achieving its goals. Chapter 2’s “Using Data
to Make Smart Decisions” was the section that really sparked my “ah-ha!” moment (Houston,
2002, p. 13). Each data-gathering method has certain characteristics. Incorporating data-driven
decision-making into curriculum planning is a collaborative effort. The partnership between the
school board and superintendent is the first step in this process. The district’s requirements should
be spelled out, quantifiable, and doable. Delineating the responsibilities of the school board and
the teaching staff is essential. The superintendent, who is responsible for coordinating data
collection, regulations, and reporting, has to work with the board, teachers, and parents to improve
academic outcomes for students.
The document gave me ideas I could use at work, like including the public in strategy
planning. With one another, we can do more than we could do individually. I need to be able to
work with all public stakeholders if I want to make the next strategic plan and bring out the best
in every student in my classroom. The amount of public participation envisioned throughout the
strategic planning process is what we know will provide innovative ideas and creative approaches
to teamwork that will improve the district’s productivity, efficiency, and morale.
However, there may be challenges to including the public in strategic planning. Some
problems that could come up during a systematic review include not having enough time, not
having enough knowledge and skills, not having the right people on hand, having too many
competing information sources, and not being able to schedule the involvement of different types
of stakeholders at the right time (Houston, 2002).
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Reference
Houston, P. (2002). Using data to improve schools: What’s working. Arlington, VA: American
Association of School Administrators.

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