Transforming Teaching and Learning Through Data-Driven Decision Making

Ellen Mandinach is a Senior Research Scientist at WestEd. Dr. Mandinach has been a leading expert in the area of data-driven decision making at the classroom, district, and state levels. Her work over the past several years has focused on understanding how educators are using data to inform practice. She has written and spoken widely on the topic, and has served on a number of technical working groups and advisory boards on data use. Dr. Mandinach served as an expert panelist on the IES Practice Guide for data-driven decision making and on the technical working group commissioned by NCES to understand how researchers can better use the statewide longitudinal data systems. She has led discussions, funded by the Spencer Foundation, about how schools of education and provide courses around data-driven decision making to build human capacity.

Dr. Mandinach has served on the research staffs of Educational Testing Service, the Education Development Center's Center for Children and Technology, and CNA Education. Although trained in educational measurement, Dr. Mandinach's career has focused on aspects of educational technology.

Dr. Mandinach has authored a number of publications for academic journals, technical reports, and four books. She wrote Data-Driven School Improvement: Linking Data and Learning. She has regularly presented at international, national, and regional conferences on education and psychology. She has served as the President of the American Psychological Association's Division of Educational Psychology. She received an AB in psychology from Smith College and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from Stanford University.

Sharnell S. Jackson is a nationally recognized instructional leadership consultant, coach, and executive strategist for school districts, foundations, businesses, and corporations. She has more than thirty-five years of K-12 experience as a classroom teacher, teacher leader, assistant principal, state director, chief executive officer of enterprise information and e-Learning. She has worked in rural, suburban, urban school districts, state departments and regional educational laboratories nation-wide.

Sharnell is the Founder/CEO of her own company, Data-Driven Innovations Consulting, with a mission of implementing effective professional learning process and practices of formative assessment evidence to inform teachers' instructional planning, and by using multiple forms of data to improve student achievement of instructional outcomes.

Sharnell has served on a number of technical working groups, task forces, and advisory boards. She has served as a panelist on the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences IES Practice Guide: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making, was a member of longitudinal data systems working groups commissioned by NCES, was as data model task force member for the National Forum on Education Statistics PK-12, and served on Regional Advisory Committee member to advise the U.S. Department of Education on technical assistance needs of educators. She has served as a governance board member for the Schools Interoperability Framework, CoSN board member, ISTE National Technology Standards Advisory Committee Member, Microsoft K-12 Advisory Committee Member, past president-elect of the Illinois Computing Educators, and serving as board member for the Professor Garfield Foundation.

She received her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University, Illinois; and a Master's in Science, Mathematics, and Instructional Technology from NASA Fellowship at Wheeling Jesuit University, Virginia; and a Master's in Educational Administration from Lewis Jesuit University, Illinois, and completed advanced studies in high school astronomy, biology, chemistry, and environmental studies at The University of Chicago.