SETDA's NLI Toolkit 2003 - Data Driven Decision-Making & Data Collection


	1. Chapter Summary 2. Description of the National Context 3. Implementation Strategies 4. Using Data for Student Achievement 5. Promising Practices 6. Resources & Readings 7. Next Steps

Next | Chapter Home | Toolkit Home

Chapter Summary

"Where is the knowledge that is lost in information?" - T.S. Eliot

Objective

To provide guidance to assist state education technology directors in collecting and utilizing data to inform student learning, instructional practices, and policy.

What is the political, logistical, and educational context within which this data collection and analysis will take place?
What are some possible implementation strategies to consider in data collection, analysis, and reporting?
What are some possible methods and matrices for utilizing this data for a given indicator?
What are the key data points that will provide an adequate picture of state progress?

NLI Work Group Process

The Data Driven Decision-Making Group began by soliciting from each director what he saw as the greatest problem or issue facing his respective state in the areas of data collection, analysis, implementation and reporting. This initial participation was critical to ensuring that the voice of each participant was heard as well as making the best effort to accurately capture the spectrum of issues facing the states.

From this initial list, the group attempted to reach consensus on the most pressing and universal problems that should be addressed during the conference. This proved to be a challenging but enlightening task for the Work Group. The perceived reasons for this challenge are:

The field of data driven decision-making is so large that it means different things to different people.
There are large differences in each individual state's capabilities, needs, and resources in collecting and using this data.
There is a lack of congruity and clarity between what is wanted and needed from data collection.
There is a lack of consistency among state data collection and analysis protocol.
There are very real and immediate political pressures and consequences involved with state accountability in light of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

Building upon the work of the NLI 2002 Data Work Group and the State Educational Technology Directors Association's (SETDA) Data Collection Committee and Common Data Elements Task Force, the group decided to develop a guidance document that would assist state education technology directors in collecting and utilizing data to inform student learning, instructional practices, and policies. Consensus was reached that this document should have a clear, limited, and realistic focus, enabling any state director, regardless of resources or circumstances, to use it immediately upon receiving this toolkit.

The products of these three subgroups became the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) tools provided in this toolkit.

SETDA Tools to Assist States

Description of the National Context for Data Driven Decision-Making: details the rationale for collecting data and the requirements and context under which states collect and utilize data.
Implementation Strategies to Consider in Data Collection and Reporting: outlines the key steps and various strategies for states to consider when collecting and reporting data.
Using Data for Student Achievement: provides an example of the necessary information and process for utilizing data.
Promising Practices: includes several examples of current data collection and data driven decision-making efforts.
Resources: provides additional information on articles, documents, and policies.