The data-collection cycle and subsequent action steps should be designed to address these needs. When goals of the improvement effort are clearly defined, teachers, staff, and the community will be more likely to understand and support the initiative. Most researchers suggest that a logical first step in using data is to begin making better use of existing data. A systematic analysis of data that are already being collected can reveal previously unseen patterns and opportunities for improvement. More inventive data sources require greater efforts to collect and interpret them.
Outside resources can support efforts to collect and analyze data effectively.
The immediacy of the results and the involvement of a range of individuals often provide tangible benefits to everyone involved, especially the students. Resources Black, Susan. Redefining the Teacher's Role. Onward to Excellence Impact Study. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, 1992.