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 the second in a 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.

New National Education Technology Plan

The recently released National Education Technology Plan, Toward A New Golden Age in American Education (www.NationalEdTechPlan.org) provides significant context for CoSN's Data-driven Decision Making Initiative. Several case studies that are on our website are referenced in the plan.

Toward A New Golden Age in American Education calls upon states, districts and schools to (1) establish a plan to integrate data systems; (2) use data from both administrative and instructional systems to understand relationships; (3) ensure interoperability; and (4) use assessment results to inform instruction. In addition, several case studies that are on our website are referenced in the plan.

Announcing From Vision to Action: How School Districts Use Data to Improve Performance

CoSN is pleased to announce the publication of From Vision to Action: How School Districts Use Data to Improve Performance. Written for school district leaders and K-12 educators, this new report draws from interviews with more than 30 experts in the field, including teachers, principals, district administrators, entrepreneurs, consultants, researchers and other professionals and highlights districts that are acting on their data, testing the results and seeing improvement in student learning. Detailed profiles of Lemon Grove School District (CA), Fulton County Schools (GA), and Cleveland Municipal School District (OH) demonstrate the ways different school districts use data throughout their organizations. The paper was written by Karen Greenwood Henke, President of Nimble Press.

The executive summary and table of contents of From Vision to Action are available at 3d2know.cosn.org/publications.html. Copies can be purchased at https://my.cosn.org/mycosn/store/

The report is the second publication offered by CoSN as part of its Data-driven Decision Making initiative, a vendor neutral effort which provides educators with up-to-date, unbiased information on collecting, understanding and using data effectively. An earlier report, Vision to Know and Do: the Power of Data as a Tool in Educational Decision Making, was published in 2003. Vision to Know and Do defined a vision for continuous improvement, identified leadership districts creating a climate for change, and reviewed the implementation of systems and processes to enable data-driven decision making (DDDM).

Vision to Know and Do Presentations at National Meetings

Presentations on CoSN's Data-driven Decision Making Initiative were made at two recent national meetings.

At the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, FLA, Irene K. Spero, Vice President, CoSN, moderated a panel discussion, Vision to Know and Do: A Data Driven Decision Making Partnership, with Marc Baron, Executive Director, Research, Evaluation & Accountability, School District of Palm Beach County, FL; Wayne Odom, Title I Director, Escambia Co, FL, and Carolyn Lorimer, Technology Department, Templeton Unified School District, CA. A copy of the January 28, 2005 presentation is available at 3d2know.cosn.org/presentations.html.

A similar presentation was made to the NCES Forum and 18th Annual Management Information Systems Conference, 2005 (MIS 2005) in New Orleans, LA, on February 25, 2005. Copies of that presentation can also be seen on 3d2know.cosn.org/presentations.html

Attend the CoSN K-12 School Networking Conference and Learn About the Data Driven Decision Making Process

The CoSN Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, Beyond Wires & Boxes: Using Technology for Transformation, will take place on March 22 and 23, 2005 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC. The K-12 School Networking Conference attracts more than 700 district, state and national education technology leaders. For more information on the conference, visit www.k12schoolnetworking.org

There are a number of sessions dealing with the use of data in the educational process and I hope to see you at one of these presentations.

T203: A Student Information System: A State and Large LEA Perspective

During this session, attendees will receive an overview of NC WISE – a Student Information System in the early phases of state-wide implementation in North Carolina – from the perspective of the state’s Department of Public Instruction and a large school district. Among the topics to be addressed are: The vision and objectives of both the state and the district; balancing the state’s reporting needs with the district's operational needs for data; and, lessons learned during the pilot phase. Participants will discuss training implications, security issues, resource management and policy implications for a successful deployment of a new student information system.

• Robert Bellamy, EdD, Associate Superintendent, Technology Services, North Carolina Department of Instruction
• Beverly White, Chief Technology Officer, Wake County Public School System, NC

T207: Malcolm Baldrige Best Practices in School District Data Driven Decision Making

Wouldn't it be great if all the complicated data necessary for running a school were up to date and available when you need it? Hear how the Chugach School District in Alaska (Malcolm Baldrige Award Winner 2001) and the Colorado Springs School District 11 in Colorado have both used Baldrige best practices in their data driven approach to continuous improvement. Chugach School District has used the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence over the past decade to move from a low-performing to high-performing continuous improvement district. Colorado Springs combines the Baldrige Criteria with information literacy standards and technology competencies to hold staff accountable for student achievement.

• Bob Moore, Executive Director, Information Technology, Blue Valley Unified School District #229, KS (Moderator)
• Richard Delorenzo, Superintendent, Chugach School District, AK
• Michael Herr, Library Technology Educator, Steele Elementary, Colorado Springs School District 11, CO
• Sandra Patton, Executive Director, Learning Resource Services, Colorado Springs School District 11, CO

T303: Data-Driven Decision Making: Creating Accountability and Measuring Progress

How are districts using Data-Driven Decision Making for accountability and measuring progress? Hear the latest from Philadelphia where they are using a web-based system to increase student achievement, as well as an example from a rural district in Iowa (Council Bluffs) which has moved to a highly integrated enterprise system for accountability.

• David Wallace, PhD, Project Coordinator, Brazos-Sabine Associates (Moderator)
• Jo Campbell, PhD, Assistant Superintendent, Council Bluffs Consolidated School District, IA
• Vincent DeTolla, Executive Director, Education Technology, School District of Philadelphia, PA
• Fran Newberg, Project Manager, Education Technology, School District of Philadelphia, PA

T307: Using a Student Information System to Improve Educational Opportunities

Learn how two school districts (Tarrytown, NY & Greendale, WI) embarked on an ambitious journey to transform the way their districts work with data to improve student achievement. Presenters will share the benefits of strong leadership and district-wide collaboration, the effects of a distributed SIS and the changes made to their operations to exploit the use of Internet-based technologies to achieve their goals.

• Jeff Johnson, District Technology Coordinator, Greendale School District, WI
• William Hughes, EdD, Superintendent, Greendale School District, WI
• John Krouskoff, Director of Technology, Public Schools of the Tarrytowns, NY

Plenary Session II: Leading the Transformation: Data is the Key

Thousands of school districts across the nation have used the Baldrige Education Award Criteria to evaluate and improve their performance. Only three, however, have been honored by this prestigious award program for their commitment to continuous improvement. Representatives from these very diverse districts will discuss the ways they have leveraged data driven decision making to improve organizational performance practices, capabilities and results; to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices; and to understand and manage performance and guide organizational planning. Presenters will also share their experiences and advice on providing visionary leadership and the role of technology and the community in achieving learner-centered education.

• The Honorable Phillip Bond, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology (Moderator)
• Frank Auriemma, PhD, Superintendent of Schools, Pearl River School District, NY (2001 Baldrige Award winner)
• Richard Delorenzo, Superintendent, Chugach School District, AK (2001 Baldrige Award winner)
• Robert Tenczar, Director of Communications, Community Consolidated School District 15, IL (2003 Baldrige Award winner)

W103: Innovative Approaches to Implementing Data-Driven Decision Making

Hear best practices in Data-Driven Decision Making from Fairfax County Public Schools in VA, Corpus Christi ISD in TX and a consortium of school districts in central Minnesota. Learn how these very different districts are all using DDD to meet the rigorous accountability and assessment demands of NCLB's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

• Irene Spero, Vice President, CoSN (Moderator)
• Jan Brunell, Project Manager, cmERDC (Central Minnesota Education and Research Development Council)
• Nancy Staub, Pinckney Community Schools
• Calanthia Tucker, EdD, Assistant Superintendent, Cluster IV, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• Gayle Sweet Wood, EdD, Educational Consultant

W108a: Got Data? Now What? Using Data to Guide Instruction (Spotlight Session Sponsored by ETS)

The session will illustrate the use of ETS Pulliam's Focus on Standards Model of instructional improvement. The FOS model is an integrated, standards-based instructional model that has demonstrated effectiveness in improving achievement in low performing schools. The presenters will discuss the design of the model, describe it's five research based components and present study findings on it's success in improving student learning.

• Marilyn Gogolin, Chief Operations Officer, ETS Pulliam

W203: Data, Data, Data, What Are the Tools? Where is the Research?

Hear about the latest research from John Hopkins University, EDC's Center for Children and Technology and the Northwest Evaluation Association on data-driven decision making. In addition, learn about what tools are available to help you.

• Allan Olson, Executive Director, Northwest Evaluation Association (Moderator)
• Daniel Light, Senior Research Associate, Center for Children and Technology, EDC
• Ellen Mandinach, Associate Director, Center for Children and Technology, EDC
• Jeffrey Wayman, PhD, Associate Research Scientist, Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University

W208: Winning Together: A Consortium Approach to Building Intelligent Decision-Support Systems (Spotlight Session Sponsored by Oracle Corporation and IBM)

Charles County Public Schools is a pioneer in a consortium of 10 school districts in the Mid-Atlantic region who are implementing an intelligent decision-support system that goes beyond addressing the reporting requirements of NCLB to enable the use of real-time data to inform instruction and enhance the teaching and learning process. By using a common architecture designed by IBM Consulting Services using Oracle technology, these districts are able to share best practices and reduce the costs and risks typically associated with implementing an education data warehouse solution. Come see Charles County demonstrate their decision-support system and learn how your district could benefit from a similar consortium approach.

• Diana Richie, K-12 Industry Director, Oracle Corporation (Moderator)
• Emily Cole Bayer, PhD, Coordinator of Evaluation, Charles County Public Schools, MD
• Bijaya Devkota, Chief Information Officer, Charles County Public Schools, MD
• Cliff Eichel, Director of Research and Assessment, Charles County Public Schools, MD
• Robert Bowell, Partner & HCM Public Sector Executive, IBM Business Consulting Services

Spotlight on Monett R-1 School District in Monett, MO

Monett R-1 School District utilized the Data-driven Decision Making Self Assessment Tool with approximately half of the teachers completing the survey. Deborah Swarens, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services, in the district wrote to describe the experiences and benefits of using this self assessment tool. Here are her words:

With 'data-driven' decision making at the forefront of our school improvement efforts these days, I am always on the lookout for 'tools' to assist with this process. So, when I attended the fall 2004 ASCD Teaching and Learning Conference in Dallas, Texas, I was especially interested in attending a workshop session entitled, "Using Technology to Analyze Data in Schools"… and to learn about the on-line 3D Data-Driven Decision Making Self Assessment, 'How Ready Are You? A Special Tool for School District Leaders To Assess Readiness to Use Data Effectively.' As I reviewed this tool, I was excited about it for several reasons. Yes, it is a FREE resource, but it also contained a total of 10 succinct statements aimed at helping districts assess their readiness to use data-driven decision making for both accountability and continuous school improvement.

The timeliness of my being exposed to this tool at this conference was a great fit toward helping me meet some district needs related to data gathering. I came back from the conference and shared the instrument with a group of district colleagues. They, too, believed it would be a good place to start in measuring our staff's understanding of district policies and actions toward data-driven decision making. So, we designated a week in December for staff to go on-line and complete the on-line survey. We didn't mandate their participation, but we strongly encouraged it as being just another part of our ongoing school improvement efforts.

Several weeks later, I contacted Irene Spero at CoSN regarding the possibility of accessing our district responses. Within a short amount of time, I was able to retrieve our results with a few clicks of my mouse! I was pleased to learn that 50% of our staff had taken time to complete the survey. Beyond that, we now have baseline data regarding our readiness to use data-driven decision making. From here on out, we will refer to these 10 'guiding' principles often as we go about the business of improving our collection, interpretation and dissemination of district data.

Swaren ends by saying that the tool "gives us a GREAT place to 'grow from'!"

Thank you, Deborah, for sharing this experience. CoSN encourages others to let us know how tool is helping them in their data-driven decision making process. And remember to take the Self Assessment Tool 3d2know.cosn.org/assessment/survey.cfm if you have not done so already.

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), Co-nect (www.co-nect.com), PLATO Learning (www.plato.com), Pearson School Systems (www.pearsonschoolsystems.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 leadership 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