3D2Know: May 2005 Newsletter

Data Newsletter - Fall 2005

Thank you for visiting our website, www.3d2know.org and requesting information about CoSN's Data-driven Decision Making Initiative: Vision to Know and Do. This newsletter is part of an ongoing series of periodic updates that you will be receiving. I hope that this information is of interest and welcome your comments and suggestions. Please contact Irene Spero, Vice President, CoSN, at irene@cosn.org. Thanks.

FAQ Posted on www.3d2know.org

In response to requests from educators, CoSN has compiled a list of frequently asked questions about data driven decision making. Working with our educator advisory group, CoSN identified key concerns and crafted relevant responses to these concerns.

Here is a list of the Data-Driven Decision Making FAQ . We hope that you find this helpful and will continue to visit this site as questions and responses are added. Coming soon : Moderated Discussions focused on these questions.

What is data-driven decision making?

Why use data for decision making in K-12 education?

How does a district decide what data to collect?

What is a data warehouse?

What are some of the ways in which data reports can be structured?

What common data report formats are most useful to teachers?

What common data report formats are most useful to principals?

What common data report formats are most useful to district personnel?

Why is data-driven decision making so important to No Child Left Behind?

What data is being collected by states and districts?

What are the major barriers to effective use of data in decision making for school districts?

What are the major misconceptions about effective use of data in decision making in school districts?

What is necessary for the systematic use of data for decision making?

How long does it take for a district to establish a process?

What type of technology is needed to implement systemic data processes?

What types of skills are needed to implement systemic data processes?

Who are the key decision makers at the district level who should be involved in the data-driven decision making process?

Who are the key decision makers at the school level who should be involved in the data-driven decision making process?

Who are the key decision makers at the classroom level who should be involved in the data-driven decision making process?

How are assessment data used for decision making?

How can teachers use assessment data to inform instruction?

How does a district keep momentum to change going?

If you have a question that you want to add to this list, please send an email to ireen@cosn.org. I am also interested in gathering a cadre of experts who will be available to conduct a moderated discussion around these questions.

DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING PRESENTATIONS

Vision to Know and Do: Helping Educators Use Data Effectively
NCES SUMMER Data Conference
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Washington, DC

Irene K. Spero, Vice President, CoSN, Moderator
Phyllis Chasser, Ph.D., Sr. Data Warehouse Analyst, Broward County Public Schools, Florida
Joe Duggar ( in absentia) Associate Director, Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC ), Florida

The PowerPoint from this presentation is available at www.3d2know.org.

Association of School Business Officers (ASBO) conference
October 21, 2005
8:00- noon
Boston, MA
CoSN will be conducting a workshop, Using Data Effectively: Moving Beyond Accountability Mandates.

Data Driven Decision Making Tools and CoSN’s Essential Leadership Skills Series

As part of its Essential Skills Leadership Skills Series (ESL) , CoSN is pleased to announce that it will shortly release its offering on Data Driven Decision Making. Designed as professional development resources for district level technology decision makers, the materials include a comprehensive monograph (backgrounder book) and workshop CD with participant workbook to teach you everything you need to know about using data effectively in the educational process.

The Data Driven Decision Making Essential Leadership Skills Series materials will be available from the CoSN online catalog in the beginning of November.

PLAN TO ATTEND THE 2006 COSN CONFERENCE

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) will be holding its 11th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference on March 6 & 7, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel inArlington, VA (near Washington, DC). The conference theme is: Measuring the VALUE of Education Technology.

At CoSN's 11th Annual School Networking Conference, school technology leaders and decision makers will examine the educational value of technology. In addition, the conference will explore how visionary leaders use this information to drive decision making and communicate to the community and other stakeholders. There will be a number of sessions devoted to the use of data: and how data-based decision making can lead to learning transformation.

To learn more about the conference, go to www.k12schoolnetworking.org.

About the Data-driven Decision Making Initiative

The goals of the Data-driven Decision Making Initiative are to:

Serve as a highly respected source of up-to-date, unbiased information for educators on collecting, understanding and effectively using data;

Provide an easy-to-use mechanism for educating school leaders about data-driven decision making and its applications in elementary and secondary education; and

Supply a nationally recognized framework for sharing knowledge among educators and transferring knowledge between the educational and vendor communities.

Data-driven Decision Making: Vision to Know and Do is made possible through the generous support of Educational Testing Service (www.ets.org), IBM (www.ibm.com; NYSE: IBM), SAS (www.sas.com and www.sasinschool.com), PLATO Learning (www.plato.com), Dell (www.dell.om), Pearson School Systems (www.pearsonschoolsystems.com), Co-nect (www.co-nect.com), PowerSchool (www.apple.com/education/powerschool), SchoolNet (www.schoolnet.com) and Texas Instruments (education.ti.com). Scholastic Administr@tor (www.scholasticadministrator.com) is the media partner for the project.

About CoSN

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national non-profit organization, is the premier voice in education technology leadership. Our mission is to advance the K-12 education community's capacity to effectively use technology to improve learning through advocacy, policy and l eadership development. Our members represent school districts, state and local education agencies, nonprofits, companies and individuals who share our vision. To learn how membership in CoSN can make a difference in your district, click on www.cosn.org/join or contact us at either membership@cosn.org or 866/267-8747 x115.

Other CoSN Initiatives

Accessible Technologies for All Students Project is a major new leadership initiative of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). The goal of this initiative is increased achievement and success for all students through the unlimited and effective use of accessible technologies. For further information go to www.accessibletech4all.org

Taking Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom (TCO) is designed to help school leaders understand the range of costs associated with purchasing and maintaining technology within a school district. As part of the TCO project, CoSN provides the CoSN-Gartner TCO Tool, which enables administrators to easily assess TCO for their school district. Learn more at www.classroomtco.org.

Cyber Security for the Digital District is designed to provide education technology leaders and policy-makers with strategies and tools they can use to ensure the privacy of data and the safe operation of technology within their school systems. Learn more at www.securedistrict.org.

Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse enables educators to understand technical and non-technical options for Internet safety in schools. The project includes a range of information, checklists and resources, plus a complete Toolkit to guide school officials when they talk to parents and other community members about online safety issues. Learn more at www.safewiredschools.org.

CoSN's Chief Technology Officers (CTO) Council provides professional development and networking opportunities for district-level technology directors. The CTO Council meets three times a year at national education conferences. Learn more at www.cosn.org/resources/cto_council/.

The CoSN Compendium is an annual "must-read" for K-12 technology leaders. For more information, please visit www.cosn.org/resources/compendium/.

CoSN's Internet & Education Webcasts are 60-minute interactive professional development forums conducted via the Internet and designed specifically from a district technology perspective. To see the lineup for 2004-2005 or to register for a webcast, visit www.cosn.org/events/webcasts/.

You are receiving this e-newsletter because you visited www.3d2know.org and requested information about CoSN's Data-driven Decision Making Initiative: Vision to Know and Do. This newsletter is the fourth in a series of periodic updates. I hope you find this information interesting and useful, and I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please share this e-newsleteter with others who share your interest in this topic. If you have any questions, please contact me at: Irene Spero, Vice President, CoSN, irene@cosn.org or 866/267-8747 x112.

Founding Members

Silver Sponsors

and

Media Sponsor