Presentation proposals are now being accepted for CoSN's 12th annual K-12 School Networking Conference, Bridging Individualized Learning & High Stakes Accountability. Read more about what we're looking for at www.k12schoolnetworking.org/2007/cfp.cfm, and then submit your proposal at https://my.cosn.org/mycosn/k12sn/. Proposals are due no later than Tuesday, August 1, 2006.

Presenting at CoSN's annual conference provides an opportunity to share your knowledge and insights with your peers, enhance your professional development, learn from your colleagues and expand your own knowledge and skills. Individuals representing school districts, intermediate/county service units, state agencies or nonprofit organizations are welcome to submit a proposal.

At CoSN's 12th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, school technology leaders and decision-makers will examine how new technologies are being used to individualize learning; identifybest practices; and share research on how technologies can improve student achievement. One of the specific areas of focus is "The Use of Data: Does data-based decision making lead to learning transformation?"

I hope that you will submit a proposal - and look forward to seeing you at the 2007 CoSN.

CoSN Continues Collaboration with the Data Quality Campaign (DQC)

As an endorsing partner of DQC, I am representing CoSN on the advisory committee planning the next Quarterly Issue Meeting scheduled for September 25 from 2:30-5:00pm EST in Washington, DC and focusing on Using Data in the Central Office and in the Classroom to Improve Student Achievement.

DQC is a national, collaborative effort to encourage and support state policymakers to improve the collection, availability, and use of high-quality education data, and implement state longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement. The campaign aims to provide tools and resources that will assist states in their development of quality longitudinal data systems, while also providing a national forum for reducing duplication of effort and promoting greater coordination and consensus among the organizations focusing on improving data quality, access, and use.

To facilitate participation in the planning process for the DQC Quarterly meeting, CoSN welcomes your recommendations. CoSN is particularly interested in learning about examples of data use improving student achievement, especially examples that are based on longitudinal data and links to resources that the reader can go to get more information about this topic. Please send your suggestions to me at irene@cosn.org.

National Center for Educational Accountability Releases Just for the Kids Study of Best Practices in Schools Across 20 States

The National Center for Educational Accountability (NCEA) released a comprehensive study of more than 300 higher performing schools in 20 states .The Just for the Kids "Best Practices Studies and Institutes: Findings from 20 States" report provides a framework for schools to help all students reach higher standards.

The studies used three years of performance data to identify high performing schools in 20 states and through the use of consistent protocols, researchers found strong similarities across five major themes - Curriculum and Academic Goals; Staff Selection, Leadership and Capacity Building; Instructional Programs, Practices and Arrangements; Monitoring: Compilation, Analysis and Use of Data; and Recognition, Intervention and Adjustment - in the methods schools used to improve student achievement.

To view the full, in-depth reports, visit www.just4kids.org.

New Vision to Know and Do Presentations Available

We continue to do presentations at meetings around the country and place these on our website at www.3d2know.org/presentations.html as a way of sharing the knowledge and providing information about important activities in data driven decision making.

Check out the latest downloadable PowerPoint presentations available:

Data Intelligence: Empowering Teachers, Administrators, Students & Parents
CoSN CTO Clinic
June 28, 2006
Plano, TX

• Irene K. Spero, Vice President, CoSN and Project Director, Vision to Know and Do
• Mary Ann Beseda, Technology Director, Spring ISD (TX)
• Gray Salada, Chief Information Officer, Austin ISD (TX)
• Julie Wallace, Executive Director of Technology, Birdville ISD (TX)
• Lee Whitcraft, President, School Technology Solutions

In the near future, we will be doing presentations at NCES Stats-DC Summer Forum and Data Conference, and NSBA T+L² in November in Dallas, TX. We will also be doing a half day workshop at the Association of School Business Officials International on October 13, 2006 in Pittsburgh, PA. All presentations will be available later this fall at www.3d2know.org.

Districts around the country are using data in powerful ways to support continuous improvement and achieve their educational goals - and we want to hear about your experiences and to share these results with others. We are interested in compiling information about best practices and developing case studies of school districts that are using data-driven decision making systems and posting these on www.3d2know.org.

Please take a moment to visit www.3d2know.org/ddmfeedback.cfm and complete the form posted. Tell us about your goals, process, technology tools and measurable results. We plan to put these stories on the website later this spring as a way of promoting dissemination of best practices and examples of excellence.

Are You Looking for Professional Development around Data-Driven Decision Making?

We have professional development materials to help you become more proficient in the use of data!!

As part of our Essential Leadership Skills (ELS) Series, CoSN released 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 help use data effectively in the educational process.

The Data Driven Decision Making Essential Leadership Skills Series materials are available from the CoSN online catalog https://my.cosn.org/mycosn/store/. Members be sure to log in to myCoSN first to receive significant member discounts.

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), SAS (www.sas.com and www.sasinschool.com), Dell (www.dell.com), Pearson School Systems (www.pearsonschoolsystems.com), 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) is the country's premier voice in education technology leadership with a mission to serve as the national organization for K-12 technology leaders who use technology strategically to ultimately improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support and nurture leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies.

Other CoSN Initiatives

K-12 Open Technologies is CoSN's newest leadership initiative. The project's goal is to help educators evaluate and adopt open technologies in the K-12 environment. For more information, please visit www.k12opentech.org.

Accessible Technologies for All Students is intended to promote increased achievement and success for all students through the unlimited and effective use of accessible technologies. For more information, please visit 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. For more information, please visit www.classroomtco.org.

Cyber Security for the Digital District seeks 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. For more information, please visit www.securedistrict.org.

The K-12 School Networking Conference is CoSN's annual meeting. It attracts nearly over 900 district, state and national education technology leaders to discuss the role of technology in our schools, share best practices, and listen to presentations and keynotes from national and international leaders in the field of K-12 education technology. For more information, please visit www.k12schoolnetworking.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. For more information, please visit www.cosn.org/resources/cto_council/.

The CoSN Compendium is an annual series of monographs exploring timely issues of importance to K-12 technology decision makers. It is a "must-read" for K-12 technology leaders. For more information, please visit www.cosn.org/resources/compendium/.

CoSN's Internet & Education Webcast Series ia an annual set of 60-minute interactive professional development forums conducted via the Internet and designed specifically from a district technology perspective. For more information, please 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. 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.