A simple internet search for “data-driven instruction” yields over 70 million hits. Clearly, the concept is neither new nor novel. But that wealth of information is accompanied by a wealth of research showing that educators’ ability to actually use data to guide instructional decisions is still lacking. How can that be? While sifting through those … Continue reading What it Really Means to Be a Data-Driven District–and How to Make it Happen
We recently hosted a panel conversation featuring four outstanding social justice educators, discussing current barriers to equitable learning opportunities and tangible strategies for achieving true equity in the classroom. The panel was moderated by Dr. Tommy Chang, Education Consultant and Former Boston Public Schools Superintendent. He was joined on the panel by: Dr. Tonikiaa Orange, … Continue reading Achieving Equity in Schools
Like many districts, we are not lacking when it comes to student data. We have universal screening data, diagnostic data, interim/benchmark data, formative assessment data, standardized state assessment data, and the list goes on and on. All of the data we collect are important and valuable when it comes to supporting the success of the … Continue reading Making the Shift: Basing Teaching and Learning in Data
This article was co-written with Debra Russell “Student achievement never matters more than student well-being.” This was the message Superintendent Dr. Gregory Franklin shared with all faculty and staff to usher in the 2018-19 school year at Tustin Unified School District, a district of 24,000 students in suburban Southern California. And it is a much … Continue reading Leveraging Social-Emotional Learning: Insights from Tustin Unified’s Journey from Data Collection to Action
In a previous BI Tool post, I highlighted some of the data visualizations that can be automated—and how they can save educators countless hours of time. I asked this question: If you can build a report that saves people time, is there any better outcome? I thought I’d expand on that idea a bit. Really, … Continue reading 4 Data Visualizations that Remove Barriers Between Data and Action
Monroe County is a thriving community in the heart of central Georgia, close to Atlanta and Macon. Monroe County Schools (MCS) is dedicated to creating a brighter future for county residents, by focusing on the following strategic objectives: Attain high student achievement and success Develop organizational effectiveness Ensure student/stakeholder engagement and loyalty Ensure high quality … Continue reading Why EOC Scores are Soaring in Monroe County Schools
Happy spring, fellow educators! As the days warm and the school year enters its final stretch, we encourage you to take some deep breaths and begin to set intentions around how you’d like to wrap this school year up for yourself and your students. We were moved by this article, Teachers’ Mental Health Linked to … Continue reading Get Ready for Summer with Some Mindful Reflection
This month, we highlight just a few of the many fantastic BI Tool reports that have been created by Dina Lefeld, the Assessment and Data Coordinator at Bellbrook Sugarcreek Schools in Greene County, Ohio. Our last post focused on how Illuminate’s BI Tool can be used to automate data work and give educators back some … Continue reading BI Tool: Course Recommendation Reports
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have popularized over the years due to their emphasis on collaboration, their focus on using data to drive conversation and action, and their ability to discover insights that improve both instruction and student learning outcomes. While PLCs have a lot of value to offer, districts often encounter a number of logistical … Continue reading Improving PLC Meetings with Process & Data
We are kicking off our new Customer Spotlight blog series to highlight some of our amazing customers. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we are starting with a teacher, Hannah Goeglein, from Southern California. It’s teachers like Hannah that inspire us to bring teachable moments to light! Hannah Goeglein Role Teacher School Leonardo da Vinci … Continue reading Illuminator Spotlight: Hannah Goeglein