How to use data and technology for maximum impact

Data has the power to bring revolution in education – but only when used to inform, not intimidate. Many times the school and district improve data as a punished kudgel instead of an improvement equipment. The difference in the approach can determine whether they have been upgraded or dropped out, whether teachers support or victims, and whether the school promotes or expands inequality.

During my period as director of guidance at Monaklair High School, we introduced an English course from 9th grade, called World Literature. The school offered free summer school for students who failed, and assumed that many would have been tractors in low -track classes under a traditional system.

But I gave attention to a disturbing tendency: the students who failed, but those who did not go to the summer school, dropped dangerously high dropouts. Accepted on this insight, I worked with the chairman of the English department – an extraordinary teacher was usually honored with Ap classes due to parents’ demand – not participated in a class and free summer school to learn classes made by students who failed in world literature.

The results were striking. The level of commitment matched with respect, and the students thought well, produced well designed writing. Many people shared, “This is the first time someone cared about what we had to say.” Of the 14 students, 12 graduates were achieved – more than 50% of the historical candidate for equal colleagues.

Unfortunately, many people use educational systems to punish data. For example, standardized test results, often seen schools that have “failed” without explaining socio -economic factors.

Research from the Anneburg Institute at Brown University (2022) found that the situation -based responsibility system school completely judges schools for raw test points serving students with low incomes, disputed.

A study by Stanford University (2019) showed that schools with high growth measurements (even with low absolute scores) were more effective in promoting learning than schools with high but stable scores. Nevertheless, many districts still prefer simplified, politically appropriate calculations on simple analysis.

Systemic computer knowledge interval
Education has seen a significant problem of more than 45 years in public schools with elite private schools, commercial programs and blue collar: Most teachers and administrators lack basic computer skills. Many consider data to be infallible, ignore references, sample -TA parties and statistical significance.

The results are real. My wife, a special teacher, once led a lesson, where her students realized that historical defense spending with severe intellectual disabled people further reduced that the budget increased before major wars. This was the best important thinking. Still, during an observation, he was not strictly reprimanded in the district after a Rubricics rubricity.

This hardness is wide. Education Data Expert -Note such as Gregory Nadyu: The “K -12 system is in accordance with adult interests compared to parents and teachers, the chronic absence predicts dropout, but still reset the presence of annual positions in schools. It works greatly.