Why a Data Warehouse?
“The first thing that needs to be understood is that data warehouses are tools, not solutions,” says Jill Abbott, learning strategist for the Schools Interoperability Framework Association, which promotes the use of a common technology framework to allow interoperability between the different applications used by schools. “In general, there is a lack of understanding about what a data warehouse truly is.” A data warehouse is essentially a facilitator. Without one, or with one that is limited or poorly constructed, the data that a school collects often ends up in disparate silos, preventing the school from obtaining a comprehensive view of how students are performing, how poor performance might relate to absenteeism, how effective teachers are, where the most effective instruction is taking place, and so forth. “Without a way to manage data, educators miss opportunities to help children that they would have seen had they had access to data,” says Shawn Bay, founder of eScholar, a New Yo
