Disaggregating Data in Schools: Leveraging the Information You Have

Most schools already have the data they need to make significant improvements. The key is to find it, understand it, and act on it. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act tasks educators with more than just reporting results: the mandate is now clearer than ever for educators, from teachers to district administrators, to act on those results to improve each student's performance. A single composite score for a school will likely be of little use to educators. Instead, educators will need to leverage existing data and break it down for greater meaning that can be applied to the campus and the classroom. It is critical to make the most of the data educators already have in hand, both from the NCLB act and other existing sources, to improve student performance. To proceed, all educators will need an understanding of why it is important to disaggregate data, how leveraging data can lead to more informed decision making, and how to interpret results. Disaggregating Data in Schools details what data disaggregation is and why it is necessary, types and sources of data and tests, how to break down data using technology support, how to understand test data, and how data can be used at each level. Both district and campus level staff and teachers can benefit from using the terms and ideas presented in this book to initiate a common dialogue for continuous improvement.