What are the major misconceptions about effective use of data in decision making in school districts?
Build it and they will use it. It is not enough to make data available. The district has to have a process in place for analyzing the information and getting it to the right decision maker at the right time with the power and resources to act on it. Teachers need to know how to analyze data and query systems. Teachers want to teach not crunch numbers. Districts that have successfully implemented DDDM in the classroom provide teachers with on-site support, timely reports, analytic tools, and planning teams. Test scores determine the quality of a school and a childs education. Many factors contribute to the success or failure of a student. Emphasis on test scores can give the community the wrong impression about a school. It is up to the superintendent and principals to frame the discussion so that parents and community members understand how well schools are doing and what they need to do to improve.
