Data-Driven Decisionmaking
Education news, analysis, and opinion about how educators use data to identify and address areas of opportunity
Career Advice
Opinion
A Quick Look At Our Nation's Education Data
If you're like me and love sharing data with others, infographics are a handy communications tool that breaks information into digestible chunks. Among the latest to join the infographic trend is the U.S. Census Bureau, as part of its "How Do We Know" campaign related to veterans, America's changing labor force, manufacturing, home-based workers, and two related to education that I wanted to share.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Using Customer Feedback for Continuous Improvement
The Chippewa County Department of Human Services (CCDHS) in Wisconsin works like most other government human services groups, providing child protection services, foster and respite care, elder abuse care, and more. However, they recently launched an innovative plan to gather customer feedback and use the data they collect to support improvement. From September 1-15, CCDHS is asking residents of the county to complete a short survey about the department's strengths and weaknesses as well as what services they need from the human services group. This is the first time the county has conducted such a survey.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Making Decisions: Gut Feel or Workforce Analytics?
A few weeks back, a tweet from @BigThink caught my eye. In 140 characters, they summed up how organizations are utilizing big data to create a stronger workforce. The post linked to a video of Haig Nalbantian, a Senior Partner at Mercer and well-known authority on Human Capital Measurement and Management, discussing the use of workforce analytics.
School & District Management
Opinion
Leading and Lagging: Balancing Education Measures
I recently met with superintendents, treasurers, principals, and teacher leaders from across Ohio to discuss the use of measures, process improvement, and performance management in education. The group is working to create a list of metrics for scorecards around human resources, finance, IT, operations, transportation, custodial/maintenance, food services, and stakeholder engagement. The conversation touched on a number of topics, including the use of leading and lagging indicators--what they are and how these measures can be used to support educational improvement.
School Climate & Safety
Opinion
Engaged and Talented Teachers as a School Improvement Strategy
AASPA Board Member Richard Valenta argues that teacher engagement is a key - and often overlooked - factor in school improvement.
Equity & Diversity
Opinion
Planning for Intended Consequences for Education Technology
NASBE Executive Director Jim Kohlmoos calls on the education community to think big - and critically - about how we want to equip our schools for the times to come.
School & District Management
Opinion
Shared Accountability Critical to Achieving Bottom Line in Education
Teresa Daulong, Battelle for Kids' Strategic Measures Specialist, contributed to this post. Teresa works daily with large urban school districts across the country to help every employee understand their impact on student success. With 16 years of experience working with organizations to improve performance, she believes that creating systems of shared accountability is the key to success both at home and in schools everywhere.
Federal
Opinion
Federal Support Should Highlight the Good in Teacher Prep
AACTE's Jane West calls on federal policymakers to focus teacher preparation resources on strengthening teacher preparation programs over the long term, not just raise a heavy hand on accountability.
School & District Management
Opinion
Low Attrition: Positive or Negative For An Organization?
Last week, I had the privilege of traveling to Singapore to visit schools and learn about the country's education system. I took away some interesting insights from local education leaders around K-12 talent management and human capital. For example, I had a brief conversation with a Singaporean principal about employee attrition. A common belief is that the fewer employees that leave an organization the better. However, while the principal did not wish to lose people, he recognized that there are different types of attrition or turnover. He also noted that at times, turnover can be good for an organization as new individuals are brought in with differing talents and new ideas.
School & District Management
Opinion
Mailbag: Thoughts & Recommendations On The Use Of Technology In Evaluation
In a previous mailbag post, I responded to a question about how some of the best HR departments in education are approaching educator evaluations. To continue with the evaluation theme, another reader, Ben, recently asked:
Accountability
Opinion
Virtual Schools Need a Grounding in Reality
Though little research indicates that virtual schools are effective, state legislatures are approving these institutions (which typically operate with few accountability measures) at a remarkable rate. NSBA Executive Director Anne Bryant urges lawmakers to tread more cautiously in this arena.
Teacher Preparation
Opinion
What We Know About Teaching Teachers
Dr. Alison Hilsabeck, dean of the National College of Education at National Louis University, answers the question, "What do we know about teaching teachers?"
Assessment
Opinion
Measuring What Counts
NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly reminds us that while using data to inform decisions is important, not everything that matters can be reduced to a number.
School & District Management
Opinion
HR and ROI (Return on Investment)
Return on investment, or ROI, has been a focus of businesses for decades, but rarely talked about in education. It *SHOULD* be in every HR professional or talent manager's lexicon.