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Vision to Know and Do Newsletter: Winter 2004
Presented to you by CoSN

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.

Vision to Know and Do Web Enabled Self Assessment Tool Launched

The goal of CoSN’s Data-driven Decision Making Initiative: Vision to Know and Do is to provide easy to use mechanisms to educate school leaders about data-driven decision making and its applications in elementary and secondary schools. To help realize this goal, CoSN recently released a web-enabled tool to allow educators to self assess their understanding of the data-driven decision making process and their readiness to use data for both accountability and continuous school improvement.

The self assessment tool takes only a few minutes – and you will receive a quick calculation of results. What better way than this to continue the process of using data effectively and determining where you are in the process of becoming a data rich district. To take the assessment, please go to 3d2know.cosn.org/assessment/survey.cfm

CoSN Annual K-12 School Networking Conference Highlights Data-driven Decision Making Sessions

CoSN’s 9th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, Personalization & Empowerment: No Child Left Behind and Technology scheduled for March 2 & 3, 2004 in Arlington, Virginia is featuring a number of presentations and discussions on data-driven decision making.

Please plan to register for the conference (Early Bird Registration ends January 23, 2004) and learn more about this topic by attending the following sessions:

  • T104: Teaching with Data and Technology
    School and district level leaders will share information on the ways in which they have used data to raise achievement, transform learning and improve instructional strategies.
    • Irene Spero, Vice President, CoSN (Moderator)
    • Barbara Catenaci, Educational Technology Development Specialist, Beaufort County School District, SC
    • Greg Decker, PhD, Principal, Lead Mine Elementary School, NC
    • Kimberly Hambrick, PhD, Director of Assessment, Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education, AEL, Inc.
    • Catherine McCaslin, PhD, Supervisor of Research, Program Evaluation & Assessment, Curriculum & Instruction, Beaufort County School District, SC
    • Lisa Petrides, PhD, President and Founder, Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management
  • T106: From Data to Understanding: Navigating Informational Spaces in the Age of Overwhelm
    Hear about the current nature of the info sphere and the pathways from Data to Understanding. The session features the use of software tools designed to build bridges from data to information, from information to knowledge and from knowledge to understanding – tools that transform everything from web searching to the creation of computer simulations and presentations that demonstrate deep student understanding.
    • David Thornburg, PhD, Director, Global Operations, Thornburg Center
  • T202: Looking Outside for Insight: Benchmarking in Data-Driven Decision Making
    Learn how high-performing districts are improving student achievement and compliance with NCLB by using benchmarks and the Baldrige process for data-driven decision making.
    • Karen Greenwood, Writer and Researcher, Nimble Press (Moderator)
    • Mike Herr, Library Technology Educator, Steel Elementary School, Colorado Springs School District 11, CO
    • Sandy Patton, Executive Director, Learning Resource Services, Colorado Springs School District 11, CO
    • Nola Wellman, PhD, Assistant Superintendent for Performance Improvement, Cherry Creek Schools, CO
  • T305: Decision Support Systems at the State and Local Level
    To meet the data reporting requirements within NCLB states need to integrate finance, personnel and curriculum data systems. The Council of Chief State School Officers will present information on how a consortium of states are developing a a comprehensive data set.
    • Dawn Wilson, Educational Technology Coordinator, Bureau of Technology Services, Idaho State Department of Education (Moderator)
    • Dale Mann, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Teachers College, Columbia University and Managing Director, Interactive, Inc.
    • Joe Simpson, PhD, Deputy Executive Director, Leadership and Professional Development, Council of Chief State School Officers
  • W204: From Data to Results: Technology Supporting Decision Makers
    No Child Left Behind mandates improved data access from accountability systems. Selected districts will share their experiences in using data to get results and ensure security.
    • Steve Miller, Executive Director, Mass Networks Education Partnership (Moderator)
    • John Burke, Director, Division of Information Services, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
    • Charles Garten, Executive Director, Education Technology and Information Systems, Poway Unified School District, CA
    • John Q. Porter, Esq., Chief Information Officer, Office of Global Access Technology, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
    • Marie Scigliano, EdD, Director, Education Technology and Information Technology, Palo Alto Unified School District, CA
  • W304: How School Districts Are Using Data to Improve Student Achievement
    Learn how school districts are realizing their educational goals by using data to reach students and improve achievment.
    • Kay Abernathy, EdD, Evaluation Site Coordinator, The Sequoyah Group (Moderator)
    • Patti Carraway, Kountze High School, Kountze, ISD, Kountze, TX (Invited)
    • Michael Greenfield, Harrison Central School District, NY (Invited)
    • Oran Hamilton, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, Dayton ISD, Dayton, TX (Invited)
    • Sarah Martabano, Katonah-Lewisboro School District, NY (Invited)
    • Linda Montoya, Henderson Elementary School, Bryan ISD, Bryan, TX (Invited)
    • David Wallace, PhD, Principal Investigator, The Sequoyah Group
    • Chris White, Somers School District, NY (Invited)
  • Plenary Session IV: Opportunities and Challenges: Data-driven Decision Making and eLearning
    The 2004 CoSN conference ends with a broad perspective on two increasingly important trends in K-12 education technology: E-learning and Data-driven Decision Making. This will be a jam-packed session filled with great information you won’t want to miss.
    • Jim Hirsch, Associate Superintendent for Technology, Plano Independent School District, TX (Moderator)
    • Francisco Hernandez, PhD, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, University of California Santa Cruz
    • Representative Broad Foundation (Invited)
    • Matthew Stein, Analyst, Research Services, Eduventures

To see a full agenda for the conference, go to www.k12schoolnetworking.org/schedule.html. Registration is available at: www.k12schoolnetworking.org/registration.html. You can save money by taking advantage of the early bird registration before January 23, 2004.

Check www.3d2know.org for New Resources

We are continually updating the resources on our website, so check back frequently for materials that can help you use data effectively. Because CoSN wants to make www.3d2know.org the definite website for educators on data-driven decision making, please remember to share your resources with us. If you have a publication, presentation, or reference relating to this initiative, please let me know so that it can be posted on 3d2know.cosn.org/other.html.

Community Consolidated School District 15 Earns 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

Community Consolidated School District 15 (CCSD 15) in the Chicago suburb of Palatine, Illinois (www.ccsd15.net), recently received the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest honor for quality and performance excellence, the only recipient in the education category.

CCSD 15 is highlighted in Vision to Know and Do: The Power of Data as a Tool in Educational Decision Making. In addition, it is one of the districts featured as a best practices case studies on 3d2know.cosn.org/best_practices.html

CoSN Issues Call for Best Data Practices

We want to highlight more and more districts that are using data effectively.

CoSN is interested in compiling information about best practices and developing case studies of school districts that are using data-driven decision making systems to support continuous improvement and achieve their educational goals. To submit information on your districts efforts, go to 3d2know.cosn.org/best_practices.html.

Order Copies of Vision to Know and Do: The Power of Data as a Tool in Educational Decision Making

Vision to Know and Do is a helpful background paper focusing on the successful practice of school districts that have transformed their organizations to respond to the needs of all students and provide community accountability. It highlights those school districts using data analysis systems to improve student outcomes; identifies factors for successfully integrating data into decision making processes, and; calls for more emphasis on data-driven decision making as a way to prepare students for the 21st century.

Printed copies of the paper can be ordered via CoSN's online Catalog at www.cosn.org/store/ for as little as $19.95, plus $5.00 shipping and handling. A PDF can also be ordered.

Coming Soon

Please watch www.3d2know.org for upcoming announcements about:

  • A new compendium article, The Great Race: Collaborating Around Data to Improve Student Achievement;
  • A professional development course offering, and;
  • Policy briefings in Washington and states.

About the Data-driven Decision Making Initiative

CoSN intends to make the Data-driven Decision Making initiative a highly respected source of up-to-date, unbiased information for educators on collecting, understanding and using data effectively; an easy to use mechanism for educating school leaders about data-driven decision making and its applications in elementary and secondary education; and a nationally recognized framework for sharing knowledge among educators and transferring knowledge between the educational and vendor communities. Data-driven Decision Making is made possible through the generous support of Educational Testing Service (www.ets.org), IBM (www.ibm.com; NYSE: IBM), and SAS (www.sas.com and www.sasinschool.com), Plato Learning (www.plato.com), and Texas Instrument (education.ti.com). Scholastic Administr@tor (www.scholasticadministrator.com) is the media partner for the project. Further information about the Data-driven Decision Making initiative is available at the project’s website, www.3s2know.org.

About CoSN

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national nonprofit association, is dedicated to advancing the K-12 education community’s capacity to effectively use technology to improve learning through advocacy, policy and leadership development. We support school leaders by ensuring technology has a positive effect on learning by offering professional development, coalition building and advocacy for education technology policy and funding 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, click on www.cosn.org/join or contact us at membership@cosn.org.

Other CoSN Initiatives

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 recently launched the CoSN-Gartner TCO Tool, which enables educators to easily assess the 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 that guides school officials when they talk to parents and other community members about online safety issues. Learn more at www.safewiredschools.org.

CoSN’s School District Chief Technology Officers (CTO) Council provides professional development for district-level technology directors (CTOs), and meets three times a year at national education conferences. Learn more at www.cosn.org/initiatives/cto/cto_proposal.html.

The CoSN Compendium is a “must-read” for K-12 technology leaders. The first edition included papers on such topics as scientifically-based research, data-driven decision making, Internet safety, accountability under No Child Left Behind, copyright, wireless computing, smart budgeting and family involvement. The second edition scheduled for release in spring 2004 includes papers on essential skills of a CTO, data-driven decision making, total cost of ownership, cyber security, professional development, online/virtual learning, special education and information literacy. All CoSN members have free access to the Compendium. For more information or to order additional copies, please visit www.cosn.org/store/index.html.

CoSN's Internet & Education Webcasts are 60-minute interactive professional development forums conducted via the Internet, and designed specifically from a district technology perspective. Upcoming Webcasts include topics such as Essential Skills of School District Technology Leaders (1/21/04), 21st Century Technology Literacy: Going Beyond the Requirements of No Child Left Behind (3/24/04), and Online Accountability/Assessment (4/21/04). To register or to learn more about the CoSN Webcast series, visit www.cosn.org/events/2004.html.

3D2Know Project Sponsors

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