Ellen B. Mandinach - Transforming Teaching and Learning Through Data-Driven Decision Making

Transforming
Teaching and Learning

Through

Data-Driven
Decision
Making

Classroom Insights from Educational Psychology Series

A Developmental Approach to
Educating Young Children
Denise H. Daniels and Patricia K. Clarkson

Transforming Learning and Teaching
Through Data-Driven Decision Making
Ellen B. Mandinach and Sharnell S. Jackson

An Interpersonal Approach to
Classroom Management: Strategies
for Improving Student Engagement
Heather A. Davis, Jessica J. Summers,
and Lauren Miller

Classroom Insights from Educational Psychology

Transforming
Teaching and Learning

Through

Data-Driven
Decision
Making

Ellen B. Mandinach Sharnell S. Jackson

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Copyright 2012 by Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the APA

All rights reserved. When forms and sample documents are included, their use is authorized only by educators, local school sites, and/or noncommercial or nonprofit entities that have purchased the book. Except for that usage, no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mandinach, Ellen Beth.

Transforming teaching and learning through data-driven decision making/Ellen B. Mandinach, Sharnell S. Jackson.

p. cm.(Classroom Insights from educational psychology series)

A Joint Publication with APA Division 15: Educational Psychology

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4129-8204-7 (pbk.)

1. EducationData processing. 2. EducationDecision making. |3. Decision makingData processing. I. Jackson, Sharnell S. II. Title.

LB1028.43.M362 2012+

371.334dc23 2011045909

This book is printed on acid-free paper

12 13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

W e would like to thank a number of people and organizations for helping to make this book possible. First, we acknowledge the Educational Psychology Division (15) of the American Psychological Association and its Classroom Insights book series for recognizing that this topic, although not mainstream, is relevant to researchers and practitioners in educational psychology and beyond. Thank you to Division 15s editor Debra Meyer (who provided such outstanding feedback that she should be a third author!) and Corwins Jessica Allan.

This work has benefitted from our interactions with Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Practice Guide co-panelists and co-authors, Laura Hamilton, Rich Halverson, Jon Supovitz, and Jeff Wayman. The work on the Practice Guide and subsequent Regional Education Laboratory (REL) bridge events were invaluable in helping us to consider both the research and the practical aspects that educators need to understand about data-driven decision making. We have gained helpful insights from bridge event participants who have challenged us and asked probing questions about the reality of the five recommendations and the interpretation of the levels of evidence for the research.

We acknowledge colleagues past and present who have helped to shape our thinking about data-driven decision making through research projects and actual practice.

A few colleagues need specific recognition. First, Ellen acknowledges Diana Nunnaley at TERC, who has provided major insights about creating data cultures, data coaches, and data teams; professional development; and the very nature of teachers as decision makers. We applaud her work as the director of the Using Data Project and as the intervention director on the IES efficacy study. Ellen acknowledges Andrea Lash for her collaboration also on the IES efficacy study and helping to understand just how hard it is to pull off a gold standard study to show the impact of training teachers to use data on classroom practice and student performance. Edith Gummer has collaborated on issues around teacher preparation for the Spencer Foundation and has pushed Ellens thinking about what schools of education can do to improve educators data literacy. Ellen also acknowledges Nancy Smith, whose workfirst at the Data Quality Campaign, then the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grants Program, and finally at DataSmith Solutionshas helped to concretize her thinking about many issues around state-level data use and data systems. Thank you to Ashley Lewis at the EDC Center for Children and Technology for contributing to the CHOPS concept.

Ellen would also like to acknowledge her many research projects and technical working groups that have provided an opportunity to interact with, observe, and learn from educators, policy makers, and other researchers across the country at the school, district, state, and federal levels. These interactions have provided invaluable insights into just how challenging it is to enculturate data-driven decision making into educational practice.

Ellen would like to acknowledge WestEd as an organization that respects and understands educators and educational research and has provided an intellectual home in which she can learn something new every day from excellent and caring colleagues.

Ellen would also like to acknowledge the input of her Stanford mentors, whose disciplinary expertise intersects in this work. Data-driven decision making reflects Lee Cronbachs impact on measurement, Lyn Cornos on instruction, Lee Shulmans on pedagogy, and Dick Snows on aptitudes and individual differences. Even after all these years, their influence can be seen in my work.

On a personal note, Ellen would like to thank Kim Mooney for her friendship and being such a devoted second mom to Max, and now Houdi. Also to Susanne Lajoie and Susan Finkelstein, my real sisters. I am so fortunate to have had such dear friends through good and bad times. To my parents, Gloria and Irving Mandinach for their continued support and love. Unfortunately, my mother will not see this book in print, but she and my father have always known the immense impact they have had on my life. I will be forever grateful. To Sir Max, my ever-present, furry companion, who was a daily lesson in problem solving and decision-making feedback loops. You were a true educational psychologist who had me trained and even tried to write some of this book! You enriched my life beyond words with your dedication and affection, even if it was at 3 a.m. I will always love you dearly and will cherish the memories of you. And to our familys latest addition, Houdi, aka Henry Houdini. You brought brightness and laughter when we most needed it. You have become an adored member of the family.