Standards for Effective Data Use
It’s clear that educators today need to develop data savvy. The Statewide Longitudinal Data System partners, comprised of educational leaders across 13 states, provide a set of Data Use Standards describing the knowledge, skills and behaviors needed for effective data use to inform instructional and programmatic decisions.

It is recommended that school and district leadership teams reflect about their professional growth in data use knowledge, skills and professional behaviors. These standards provide a good beginning for such reflection as they detail “the essential knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors required by teachers and administrators to effectively use data to inform instructional and programmatic decisions.” The standards are divided into three subgroups, which are listed in the table below:
Knowledge, Skills and Professional Behavior Standards for Data Use
Knowledge
Skills
Professional Behaviors
Fundamental Knowledge
Processing Knowledge
Conceptual Knowledge
Planning
Selecting
Collecting
Analyzing
Interpreting
Communicating
Acting
Ethical Use
Rules and Regulations
Collaboration
Continuous Improvement

 Purpose:This resource guides leadership teams into self-assessing  their conditions for effective data use for school improvement.Description:Based on evidence, teams self-reflect and rate practices in three areas:  Data Quality, Data Capacity and Data Culture.  A summary provides opportunities to analyze findings and plan for next steps.

Data inquiry is most effective with sound foundational cultures and systems to access and use data. Through self-assessment, leadership teams become aware of their organizational data structures and processes as well as their role in leading staff through data use. The purpose of this self-assessment is for teams to gauge the level of data-informed leadership within their school or district culture. Designed for school, district or teacher leadership teams, this collaborative self-assessment helps team members examine and be informed about data leadership facets currently in their school or district. Results from this team process are used to guide actions to improve data cultures, systems, and use.