ERIC Digest, Number 109. Data-Driven School Improvement. ERIC Digest, Number 109.
Effective educators make effective decisions, decisions based on accurate information.
If knowledge is power, then studying the current abilities, skills, attitudes, and learning styles of students empowers educators to adjust the curriculum to achieve whatever goals the school and district have chosen. In many instances one must conclude the former because no evidence exists to support the latter. One solution is to collect data on student learning that are both timely and accurate. Traditionally, data collected in schools have been used to assess student performance. But with the growing decentralization of power in most districts, educators are more likely to rely on data to help them make better choices and uncover better ways of serving students and the community.