Using Data to Improve Schools
1st Edition
Published on 18. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
168 pages
978-1-0719-5264-1 (ISBN)
Description
Make data work for your school-and for every student
Far too often, educators are inundated with data that feels overwhelming, irrelevant, or unhelpful. In Using Data to Improve Schools, nationally recognized expert on school transformation and student achievement Elaine Allensworth offers a framework for understanding the critical properties of data and the tools educators need to focus on the metrics that matter most for student achievement. Rooted in two decades of research on educational policy and practice and real-world success stories from Chicago Public Schools, this groundbreaking guide bridges the gap between theory and practice, helping educators build a culture of data-driven collaboration and success. Topics covered include
Common myths and assumptions that divert attention from the data that matter most
Guidance on using systems for continuous improvement such as Early Warning Indicator (EWI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Tools to align teachers, families, and staff around a shared vision and strategies that build trust and momentum for sustainable growth
Allensworth clearly outlines how schools can improve key performance areas-like attendance, test scores, and graduation rates-by identifying high-impact metrics and fostering a collaborative culture of improvement. By simplifying complex concepts and offering tools for effective collaboration, this guide inspires educators to turn numbers into positive change.
Far too often, educators are inundated with data that feels overwhelming, irrelevant, or unhelpful. In Using Data to Improve Schools, nationally recognized expert on school transformation and student achievement Elaine Allensworth offers a framework for understanding the critical properties of data and the tools educators need to focus on the metrics that matter most for student achievement. Rooted in two decades of research on educational policy and practice and real-world success stories from Chicago Public Schools, this groundbreaking guide bridges the gap between theory and practice, helping educators build a culture of data-driven collaboration and success. Topics covered include
Common myths and assumptions that divert attention from the data that matter most
Guidance on using systems for continuous improvement such as Early Warning Indicator (EWI) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Tools to align teachers, families, and staff around a shared vision and strategies that build trust and momentum for sustainable growth
Allensworth clearly outlines how schools can improve key performance areas-like attendance, test scores, and graduation rates-by identifying high-impact metrics and fostering a collaborative culture of improvement. By simplifying complex concepts and offering tools for effective collaboration, this guide inspires educators to turn numbers into positive change.
Reviews / Votes
This book is an essential guide for how to select the right data and then use them to achieve better educational outcomes. Allensworth's advice combines research on data quality coupled with the practical acumen she acquired through advancing educational opportunities in Chicago. A must-read for anyone seeking to improve our nation's schools. -- Anthony Bryk * Half Moon Bay, California * Drawing on her experience helping schools use data effectively, Allensworth provides clear and compelling guidance on how educators can use data to improve student outcomes. Along the way, she clarifies all the hot-button issues of test scores, GPA, early warning systems, and surveys. -- Bob Balfanz * Baltimore, Maryland * Data aren't just a tool for tracking progress-they're a key ingredient in fostering collaboration and understanding across the entire school community. Whether for teachers, families, or students, the way data are used to communicate goals and expectations can truly shape how we support every child's growth and success. -- Kristopher Kwiatek * St. Clair Shores, Michigan * Using Data to Improve Schools is an essential guide for educators seeking to transform their schools through the power of data. By providing practical strategies and clear examples, this book empowers educators to move beyond simply collecting data to using data to drive meaningful and equitable school improvement. -- Tamara Daugherty * Orlando, Florida * Allensworth has a wonderful way of engaging readers in the possibilities of using data to motivate all parties in sustained school improvement while understanding the context. Data by itself is not enough to transform a good school into a great school. Allensworth helps the reader to understand many different approaches. -- Cynthia Kay Barron * Chicago, Illinois * Using Data to Improve Schools does an excellent job of articulating how practitioners should select, utilize, and interpret data for improving student outcomes in schools. The book provides clear examples of data that can support or impair school improvement goals. As an education policy advocate, I strongly recommend this book to inform how we can best support school leaders and stakeholders engaged in school improvement efforts. -- Rebecca Vonderlack-Navarro * Chicago, Illinois * Systems get the results they're designed for. Allensworth shows how to improve school systems through the enlightened use of data-data that serve not as a knuckle-rapping tool of inspection, but as the key navigational aid that unlocks progress. It's a principled, practical, and immediately usable playbook. -- Dan Heath * Durham, North Carolina *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 178 mm
Width: 253 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
360 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0719-5264-1 (9781071952641)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Elaine Allensworth is the Lewis-Sebring Director of the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research and a research professor at the Crown School of Social Work, where she has conducted research on educational policy and practice for over 25 years. Her research examines factors influencing students' educational attainment, school leadership, and school improvement. She works with policymakers and practitioners to bridge research and practice, serving on panels, policy commissions, and working groups at the local, state and national levels. Her research on the factors that predict whether students will drop out of high school has shifted the conversation from factors that schools cannot control to factors that schools can influence; school districts across the country have adopted early warning indicator systems based on her research. Her work on school leadership has documented the ways in which organizational structures in schools influence improvements in student achievement. Dr. Allensworth has been the principal investigator on research grants from funders such as the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has received a number of awards from the American Educational Research Association for outstanding publications. She holds a doctorate in sociology from Michigan State University and was once a high school teacher.
Content
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: DESIGNING THE SCHOOL TO REACH YOUR VISION
Results With the Right Data
Focusing on the Wrong Metrics
Improvement Requires Change
What Is Evidence-Informed Practice in Education?
Data Are the Starting Point to Productive Conversations
What the Data Represent Is Most Important
Data for Accountability Versus Improvement
Using Data to Support Success, Not Add Burden
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 2: SIX KEY PROPERTIES OF DATA
Data Are Messy: Reliability and Validity Show Trustworthiness
Properties That Make Data Useful for School Improvement
How to Get Data on the Properties of Data
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 3: DATA ON STUDENT LEARNING
Standardized Test Scores
Course Grades and GPAs
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 4: USEFUL DATA FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL
Data on Student Engagement and Experiences
Attendance
Student and Teacher Survey Data
Classroom Observations
Opportunity Structures
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 5: MAKING USE OF DATA: VISION AND GOALS
Shared Leadership and Alignment
A Compelling Vision
Setting Goals
Key Takeaway
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 6: MAKING USE OF DATA: CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
Building the Conditions for Student Success: School-Wide and Tier 1 Strategies
Supporting Struggling Students: EWI Systems and Tier 2 and 3 Interventions
Evaluating Instructional and Program Effectiveness
Communication Across the School Community
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CONCLUSION: WHICH DATA FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
REFERENCES
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: DESIGNING THE SCHOOL TO REACH YOUR VISION
Results With the Right Data
Focusing on the Wrong Metrics
Improvement Requires Change
What Is Evidence-Informed Practice in Education?
Data Are the Starting Point to Productive Conversations
What the Data Represent Is Most Important
Data for Accountability Versus Improvement
Using Data to Support Success, Not Add Burden
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 2: SIX KEY PROPERTIES OF DATA
Data Are Messy: Reliability and Validity Show Trustworthiness
Properties That Make Data Useful for School Improvement
How to Get Data on the Properties of Data
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 3: DATA ON STUDENT LEARNING
Standardized Test Scores
Course Grades and GPAs
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 4: USEFUL DATA FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL
Data on Student Engagement and Experiences
Attendance
Student and Teacher Survey Data
Classroom Observations
Opportunity Structures
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 5: MAKING USE OF DATA: VISION AND GOALS
Shared Leadership and Alignment
A Compelling Vision
Setting Goals
Key Takeaway
Reflection Questions
CHAPTER 6: MAKING USE OF DATA: CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
Building the Conditions for Student Success: School-Wide and Tier 1 Strategies
Supporting Struggling Students: EWI Systems and Tier 2 and 3 Interventions
Evaluating Instructional and Program Effectiveness
Communication Across the School Community
Key Takeaways
Reflection Questions
CONCLUSION: WHICH DATA FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
REFERENCES
INDEX