Practices that Support Data Use in Urban High Schools, Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR)
This article summarizes initial findings of a case study investigating data use in five low-performing urban high schools undergoing comprehensive school-wide reform. The case study investigated the ways in which disaggregated data were used to examine progress and guide improvement; factors and...
Implementing Benchmark Testing for Formative Purposes: Teacher Voices About What Works
This article reports on the results of focus groups with 67 elementary and middle school teachers from several school districts surrounding an urban metropolitan area in Virginia. The study found that teachers’ use of benchmark assessment results was influenced by perceived quality of test items,...
The Instructional Influence of Interim Assessments: Voices From the Field
This chapter provides a review of the literature on the rationale for the use of data to improve instruction and findings on how interim assessments may be used for formative purposes, how teachers analyze and use interim data, and the factors that influence use. The authors also share the results...
Research on Data Use: A Framework and Analysis
The article describes a framework for organizing research on data use and provides insights on factors that influence the success of data use interventions [such as interim assessment].
Creating a System for Data-Driven Decision-Making: Applying the Principal-Agent Framework
This study used principal-agent theory to inform understanding of how systems (districts) can promote data-driven decision making. The study is based on case studies in four urban school systems and focuses on elementary schools’ data use. Study authors highlight three major study findings: First...
Productive Formative Assessment Always Requires Local District Preparation
This chapter makes the case for balanced assessment systems and argues that the productive use of assessment for formative and improvement purposes always requires local district action. The authors describe seven essential actions for local districts: Balance assessment systems, Continue to...
Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making
The practice guide was developed by a panel of experts who synthesized available research with expert opinion to provide five recommendations essential for the effective use of data. The five recommendations are: Make data part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement. Teach students to...
Making the Most of Interim Assessment Data: Lessons from Philadelphia
This report shares the results of Research for Action’s (RFA) multimethod study of the use and impact of interim assessments in 10 low performing elementary schools in Philadelphia. Interim assessments were a central component of the district’s “Managed Instruction System” (MIS), which also...