District Staff Interview

Study of Education Data Systems and Decision Making

Att_NTA Survey_Appendix C

District personnel (case studies) and staff interviews

OMB: 1875-0241

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Appendix C



District Survey






ID No. ______________ OMB No. 1875-0241

Expiration date: 6/08


Study of Education Data Systems and Decision Making


2006-07 District Survey


Note to the recipient of this survey:

This survey concerns the nature of district data systems and the use of data from such systems to improve instruction. Two or more district staff may need to collaborate in responding to the survey. The staff member responsible for implementing information systems may best be able to answer questions in Section B. Sections C and D should be completed by the district staff member who has primary responsibility for leading data-driven instructional improvement activities.


Topics addressed in the survey include:

  • Data elements of the district electronic data system

  • Features of the data system

  • Access to the data system

  • Data quality

  • How data are used to support instructional decision making

  • Activities undertaken to increase the capacity of district staff to engage in data-driven decision making

  • Activities undertaken to increase the capacity of school staff to engage in data-driven decision making

  • Barriers to expanding the use of data-driven decision making practices

  • District background information.


The survey is also available in electronic form. If you prefer to take this survey online, you can go to the following URL: EdTechFuture.org. In order to determine which districts have responded using the electronic form, you will be requested to enter the ID number at the top left-hand corner of this page of the survey as well as the name and location of your district. All the names of districts sampled for the survey will be deleted; only the identification number assigned to each survey will be used in entering data.



According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this survey is 1875-0241. The time required to complete this survey is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather the data needed, and respond to the survey questions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651.

Dear District Administrator:

Here are the answers to some questions you may have about this survey.


Why is the U.S. Department of Education sponsoring this study?

This study is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Education to document the availability of systems and supports for using data to improve instruction, and the prevalence and nature of data-informed decision making in districts and schools. We are collecting data from a nationally representative sample of 500 school districts.


The information collected through this study will be used in designing outreach efforts by the U.S. Department of Education to stimulate and enhance data systems to improve instruction. The data can also be used by state and local staff to identify and develop policies to support promising practices in data-driven decision making intended to improve teaching and learning at the school and classroom levels.


Why should I respond to this survey?

The law requires grantees of state-administered federal programs, like Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT), to cooperate with federal evaluations of the program (see 34 CFR, Section 76.591). We are conducting this survey with only a sample of districts from across the country. Your response is very important because it represents many other districts nationwide. Each respondent’s participation is critical to our ability to provide policy-makers with complete and accurate information.


Completed surveys will be coded, entered into a data set, and stored in secure facilities. All the names of districts sampled for the survey will be deleted; only the identification number assigned to each survey will be used in entering data. Survey results will be reported in aggregated form to ensure that no individual respondents can be identified.


What will I need to complete this survey?

The survey will require about 60 minutes of your time. You will be able to answer the majority of questions on the basis of your knowledge and experience. Some items may concern topics with which you are not familiar. We encourage you to ask the appropriate individuals in your district for the information. Please complete each item according to the directions and return the survey in the enclosed postage-paid envelope to:

Bladimir Lopez-Prado

SRI International, Room BN322

333 Ravenswood Avenue

Menlo Park, CA 94062


The survey is also available in electronic form. If you prefer to take this survey online, you can go to the following URL: EdTechFuture.org.


Whom should I contact for more information?


If you have questions or comments about your response to this survey or about the study, please call Bladimir Lopez-Prado at 650-859-4898, or e-mail him at bladimir.lopez-prado@sri.com. (SRI is an independent, not-for-profit research and consulting organization.)



THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT

Study of Education Data Systems and Decision Making



1. How many public schools are currently in your district? _____________

a. How many of these schools received Title I funds

in the current (2006-07) school year? _____________

b. For the current school year (2006-07), how many

schools in the district did not make adequate

yearly progress (AYP) as defined by NCLB based

on 2005-06 test scores? _____________


For purposes of this survey we are interested in electronic student data systems and tools that can enhance educational decision making (see Question 3 for definitions of these types of systems). If you do not have a student data system that meets this definition, please check here and return the survey in the postage-paid envelope.



  1. District and Respondent Background


As described on the cover of the survey, two or more district staff may need to collaborate in responding to the survey. The staff member responsible for implementing information systems may best be able to answer questions in Section B. Sections C and D should be completed by the district staff member who has primary responsibility for leading data-driven instructional improvement activities. Please note that no respondents or districts will be identified; survey results will be reported in aggregated form.


2. Which of the following most closely describes the job title of the staff member or members who completed each section of the survey? Fill in as many as apply for each column.


Job title:

Section B

Section C

Section D

a. District Superintendent

b. Assistant Superintendent

c. Chief Information Officer

d. Instructional Technology Coordinator

e. Division Director

f. Researcher/Evaluator

g. Professional Development Specialist

h. Finance Officer

i. Other:________________________________



  1. Student Data System


This section asks about the features and capabilities of the district’s current electronic student data system or systems, regardless of whether those features are used to their fullest capacity.


Elements of the Student Data System

3. What electronic student data system or systems is driving instructional improvement in your district? The first column describes the major function or components of the data systems. Please indicate which of these systems you have in the district by writing in the name of the system and identifying the developer of the system. Please fill in as many as apply.

Type of Student Data System





Name of Student Data System

(fill in)

Source/Developer

Locally developed

State developed

Commercially developed

Other

a. Student information system: provides real-time access to student data such as attendance, demographics, test scores, grades, schedules, etc.


b. Data warehouse: electronic data collection and storage system that provides access to current and historical data on students, personnel, finance, etc.


c. Instructional/curriculum management system: provides a unifying framework to provide access to curriculum and instructional resources such as planning tools, model lesson plans, creation of benchmark assessments, linkage to state content or performance standards, communication and collaboration tools (e.g., threaded discussion forums).


d. Assessment system: rapidly organizes and analyzes benchmark assessment data.


e. Other system (describe): ___________________

_________________________________________


f. Other system (describe):____________________

__________________________________________




4. How long has your district had each of the kinds of electronic student data systems indicated above, including systems that may predate the ones listed above (e.g., an earlier student information system by a different developer)? Please fill in one response for each type of system.

Type of Student Data System

Don’t Have System

Number of Years Had This Type of Data System

Less than 1 year

1 to 2 years

3 to 5 years

6 or more years

a. Student information system

b. Data warehouse

c. Instructional/curriculum management system

d. Assessment system

e. Other system (describe): ______________________________________________

f. Other system (describe): ______________________________________________



5. Does your district currently maintain electronically any of the following types of information? If yes, do you have access to data stored for at least 3 years or longer (i.e., access to data in the same format across years)? Fill in one response for each row in each column.

Type of Information

Data available electronically in your district?

Longitudinal data available for 3 years or more?

NO

YES

NO

YES

a. Student test scores on statewide assessments.

b. Student test scores on district-administered assessments (e.g., benchmark test, diagnostic test, local test).

c. Student test scores on school-administered assessments (e.g., end of unit test, diagnostic test).

d. Student test scores on SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement tests.

e. Student grades (i.e., end of course, quarter or semester grades).

f. Student course enrollment histories (e.g., course completion information).

g. Student demographics (e.g., campus of enrollment, grade level, gender, ethnicity, English Language Learner—ELL status, economically disadvantaged status, migrant status).

h. Prior school(s) attended within the district.

i. Student special education information (e.g., diagnostic data).

j. Student participation in educational programs (e.g., ELL program, Title I, gifted and talented, special education, after school learning programs, supplemental services tutoring).

k. Student attendance (e.g., daily attendance, tardies).

l. Student behavior data (e.g., counselor reports, referrals, discipline).

m. Differential codes for students no longer enrolled (e.g., transferred within the district, transferred out of the district, dropped out).

n. Student graduation status (i.e., whether or not each student graduated).

o. Status after graduation (e.g., attending college, working).

p. Teacher qualifications (e.g., certification, education).

q. Teacher professional development (e.g., workshops attended, courses taken).

r. Parent data (e.g., background, involvement, perceptions of school).

s. Other: Please Describe________________________________

__________________________________________________



6. What data would your district like to have electronically that you do not currently have? Please specify.




Features of the Student Data System

7. Does your district student data system(s) have the capability to support queries (i.e., allowing the user to make specific data requests) regardless of whether they are used? Fill in one response for each row.

Type of Query

No, Not Available on System

Yes, Query Available to:

District staff

School staff

a. Student performance linked to Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) subgroups (e.g., low income students, African American students).

b. Student performance linked to specific teachers (e.g., reading achievement of students in a specific classroom).

c. Student performance linked to teacher characteristics (e.g., reading performance of students assigned to first-year teachers).

d. Student performance linked to specific instructional programs (e.g., achievement gains of third graders in the after school reading program).

e. Individual student assessment performance over time (e.g., reading test score history).

f. Individual student history over time (e.g., cumulative grades, schools attended).

g. Linking school performance and finance data (e.g., how high and low-performing schools compare in terms of actual per pupil expenditures).


8. Does your district data system(s) include the following features or tools for use by district and school staff, regardless of whether those capabilities are used? Fill in all that apply for each row.

Feature or Tool

No, Not Available on System

Yes, Feature Available to:

District staff

School staff

a. Ability to generate standard accountability reports or district report card and school report cards.

b. Transaction capture (e.g., daily and class attendance, disciplinary actions, sick time, etc.)

c. Drill-down capability (e.g., the ability to query a school level finding to efficiently examine a subset of data at a grade, classroom, or student level).

d. Assessments available in reading, mathematics, and/or other core subject areas that students take online.

e. Tools for communicating with parents around an individual student’s performance (e.g., student reports, online access to student assignments and attendance).

f. Links to curricular resources (e.g., lesson plans, state content or performance standards, references to instructional materials).

g. Other features or tools. Please explain: ___________________________________________

___________________________________________



Access to the Student Data System

The following questions focus on the accessibility of student-level data in the district’s electronic data system(s).


9. What description below best describes the access that school principals or specialists (i.e., not classroom teachers) have to student-level data through the district’s electronic information system(s)? Please fill in one number.

Principals or specialists have access to all the data on students in their school contained in the district information system(s).

Principals or specialists have access to most of the data on students in their school contained in the district information system(s).

Principals or specialists have access to a limited set of the data on students in their school contained in the district information system(s) (e.g., achievement data, attendance data).

No student-level data is available electronically to principals or specialists.


10. What description below best describes the access that individual classroom teachers have to student-level data through the district’s electronic information system(s)? Please fill in one number.

Classroom teachers have access to all the data on students in their classroom contained in the district system(s).

Classroom teachers have access to most of the data on students in their classroom contained in the district system(s).

Classroom teachers have access to only a limited set of the data on students in their classroom contained in the district system(s) (e.g., their most recent standardized test scores.

Individual classroom teachers do not have access to data on the students in their classroom.


11. Do the majority of classroom teachers have access to the district’s electronic data system(s) in any of the following locations? (Fill in one response for each row.)

Access to Data

NO

YES

Don’t Know

a. In their own classroom or office.

b. Somewhere else in the school (i.e., not the teacher’s classroom or office).

c. Internet access at their home.



Data Quality

The reliability and accuracy of data in the student data system(s) is a common concern among districts attempting to establish data-driven decision making practices. The next set of questions focus on this issue.

12. Has your district disseminated data collection guidelines and recommended data information management and security practices to schools? (Please fill in one number.)

No

No, but the state has provided guidelines and recommended data practices

Yes


13. Does your district have one or more staff members who are responsible for receiving and preparing data files from outside sources, such as the state and test publishers, to load into the student data system? (Please fill in one number.)

No

No, because we use an outside source (e.g., the regional center, vendor) for this task

Yes


14. By your estimate, what percentage of the data captured by the district’s student data system(s) is accurate? (Please fill in one number.)

Less than 50% is accurate

50-75% is accurate

76-90% is accurate

Greater than 90% is accurate


15. What data elements do you feel have the biggest accuracy problems? Please specify.




16. For which of these student-level data elements are school staff responsible for entering directly into the student data system(s) (e.g., via online input, completing a scannable form)? Data entered through “other method” would include staff other than those employed by the district such as a contractor or state staff who prepare the data for the district (e.g., a test publisher, state generated data set). (Please fill in all that apply for each row.)

Type of Data

Data Not in System

Data Entered by:

Data Entered Through Other Method

School staff

District staff

a. Student test scores on district-required assessments (benchmark, diagnostic).

b. Student test scores on school-required assessments (e.g., end of unit test, diagnostic).

c. Student grades.

d. Student course enrollment histories (e.g., course completion information).

e. Student demographics (e.g., campus of enrollment, grade level, gender, ethnicity, ELL status, economically disadvantaged status, migrant status).

f. Student special education information.

g. Student participation in educational programs (i.e., ELL program, Title I, gifted and talented, after school learning programs, tutoring).

h. Student attendance (e.g., daily, tardies).

i. Student behavior data (e.g., counselor reports, referrals, discipline).

j. Student drop out data.

k. Student graduation data.



The remainder of the survey focuses on how your district’s student data system(s) and tools are being used to enhance educational decision making in your district. The staff member who has primary responsibility for leading the district’s data-driven instructional improvement activities may be the best individual to complete Sections C and D of the survey.



  1. District Use of Data


This section asks about your district’s goals for data-driven decision making and how district staff use the student data system(s) to support decisions intended to improve instruction. By “data-driven decision making” we mean the integration and analysis of data and information from various data systems to support decisions intended to improve teaching and learning at the school and classroom levels.


17. This question focuses on how the student data system(s) is actually used to support decision-making in your district. How often do staff in the district office (non school-based staff) perform the following activities related to student data using an electronic data system(s)? (Fill in your best estimate for each line.)

Use data in the districts’ electronic student data system(s) to:

Never

Annually

2 to 4 Times a Year

Monthly or More Often

a. Analyze student achievement data over time (i.e., identifying trends).

b. Track other measures of student progress (e.g., benchmark and diagnostic tests).

c. Analyze student achievement by grade-level, district wide or by school.

d. Examine achievement gaps between groups of students (e.g., NCLB subgroups).

e. Track school performance (e.g., to estimate AYP for schools).

f. Track graduation rates by school.

g. Track student readiness for promotion or graduation (e.g., percent on track to graduate or advance).

h. Inform student placement in courses or special programs or support services (e.g., remedial math, gifted program, tutoring).

i. Inform teachers about individual students’ instructional needs in terms of specific skills or content.

j. Monitor student attendance.

k. Examine district or school climate data (e.g., student perceptions, satisfaction levels of staff and parents).

l. Inform parents about student progress (e.g., test scores on district test, areas of strengths and weaknesses, satisfactory course completion).



18. How often are electronic student data systems used by staff in the district office to discuss or make decisions in the following areas? (Fill in your best estimate for each line.)

Use data in the districts’ electronic student data system to:

Never

Annually

2 to 4 Times a Year

Monthly or More Often

a. Guide curricular changes or curriculum development (e.g., align curriculum with content standards).

b. Develop benchmark assessments aligned with curriculum.

c. Evaluate teacher performance (e.g., assessing classroom performance, evaluating teachers’ instructional practices).

d. Evaluate principal performance.

e. Inform instructional practice (e.g., tailoring instruction to meet student needs, managing instructional pacing).

f. Identify promising instructional programs (e.g., measuring program effectiveness).

g. Inform professional development offerings for school staff to enhance instructional quality.

h. Target individual teachers for specific professional development.

i. Track teacher qualifications (e.g., to determine highly qualified status).

j. Inform resource allocation to improve instruction (e.g., which schools/students receive which programs, which staff work in which school/with which students).

k. Meet accountability reporting requirements.

l. Use data for other purposes. Please specify: ______________________________________

_______________________________________



  1. Capacity-Building for Data Use

This section asks about your district’s efforts to build capacity at the district- and school-levels to support using data to improve instruction.


19. Does your district use or plan to use any of the following methods to increase the capacity of staff in the district office to engage in data-driven decision making, with the goal of improving instructional practice? (Fill in one response for each line.)

Methods used to increase district capacity:

No Plans

Plan to Use Within Next 12 Months

Currently Using

a. Partnering with another district.

b. Partnering with a regional entity or consortia.

c. Contracting with a software vendor or other company that provides training on the technical aspects of system use for intended users of its system. Please specify vendor: _______________________________________________

d. Restructuring district staff or practices to increase collaboration and communication among departments around the use of data to improve instructional practices.

e. Providing district administrators with training on how to use data.

f. Providing district administrators with training on how to implement data-driven decision making practices.

g. Making data analysis experts available to district staff.

h. Acquiring software for analyzing student achievement.

i. Making technical experts (in systems, networks, databases) available to district staff to support system use.

j. Tracking teacher use of the district data system.

k. Providing training to district staff on basic functions of the data system (e.g., accessing and downloading data, data queries).

l. Ensuring data in the system is current, timely, and user-friendly.

m. Providing district staff with tools to help them turn data into information that can inform decision making.

n. Other. Please specify: ________________________________________________

________________________________________________



20. Does your district provide or provide support for any of the following training (e.g., data retreats, workshops, data coaches) to increase school-level capacity in data-driven decision making to improve instruction, and if so, what proportion of schools are involved or have been involved as of the current school year (2006-07)? (Fill in your best estimate for each line.)

District-supported training to increase school-level capacity:

Proportion of Schools Involved

None of the schools

Half or less than half of the schools

More than half of the schools

All of the schools

a. Training school staff on the basic functions of the data system (e.g., accessing and downloading data, data queries).

b. Training school staff on data entry to improve data accuracy.

c. Training school staff on data management and security.

d. Training principals or other building administrators on using the data system to analyze student achievement.

e. Training principals or other building administrators on using data to change instructional practice (e.g., translating data into practice).

f. Training school administrators on how to provide leadership for data-driven decision making practices in their school.

g. Training teachers on using the data system to analyze student achievement.

g. Training teachers on using data to change instructional practice (e.g., translating data into practice).



21. Does your district do any of the following activities intended to increase school-level capacity in data-driven decision making to improve instruction, and if so, what proportion of schools are involved or have been involved as of the current school year (2006-07)? (Fill in your best estimate for each line.)

District activities to increase school-level capacity:

Proportion of Schools Involved

None of the schools

Half or less than half of the schools

More than half of the schools

All of the schools

Providing resources/assistance to schools

a. Making technical experts (in systems, networks, databases) available to schools to support system use.

b. Providing models illustrating school use of data in allocating resources and designing school improvement activities (e.g., school improvement template, providing assistance in analyzing and revising the school budget).

c. Making data analysis experts available to school staff such as data coaches.

d. Identifying professional development that addresses data-driven school improvement issues for schools identified for improvement.

e. Providing links or pointers to an online database of state academic or content standards.

f. Providing web-accessible lesson plans and planning resources linked to academic standards and assessment results.

g. Providing web-accessible library of diagnostic or benchmark assessments (for downloading) linked to academic standards.

h. Providing teachers research-based guidance on differentiating instruction on the basis of student assessment data.

Implementing policies/practices

i. Requiring instructional coaches to explicitly incorporate data use and train teachers in data use as part of their job.

j. Paying for incentives for teachers to use or obtain training in data-driven decision making (e.g., paying for dedicated time for school staff to review data).

k. Requiring all or particular schools to follow specific data-driven decision-making practices in their school improvement plans (e.g., schools identified for improvement).

l. Requiring “data conferences” between individual principals and district leaders.

m. Following up to determine if schools have implemented instructional changes prescribed as a result of data analysis activities.

n. Other. Please specify:

________________________________________

________________________________________



22. For how many years has your district been actively engaged in helping schools to use data to improve instruction? (Fill in one response for each line.)

District support activities to help schools to use data:

No Plans in This Area

Number of Years of District Support

Planning but have not started

1 to 2 years

3 to 5 years

6 or more years

a. Providing professional development for teachers and principals on the use of data to improve instructional practices.

b. Providing resources (such as models, consultants) to schools to support the use of data to inform instruction.

c. Implementing policies and requirements to use data or providing incentives for data use.



23. In general, how much does your district need examples of good practice in the following areas? (Fill in one response for each line.)

Area of need:

Little Need (we know how to do this)

Some Need

Great Need

a. Using assessment data to identify gaps in student achievement (e.g., standards that individual students or groups of students don’t meet).

b. Adapting instructional activities to meet students’ individual needs (e.g., modifying lesson plans to teach students at different ability levels).

c. Developing curriculum-embedded formative assessments (e.g., designing assessments to use with instruction).

d. Examining student data to identify which practices work best for which students (e.g., comparing the performance of students receiving instructional programs).

e. Collaborating and sharing ideas with colleagues regarding data inquiry and analysis issues (e.g., group facilitation techniques).

f. Communicating with parents about student progress.

g. Structuring the district organization and practices to support data-driven decision making.



24. To what extent are the following typical problems current barriers to the expanded use of data-driven decision making in your district? (Fill in one response for each line.)

Current barriers in our district:

Not a Barrier

Minor Barrier

Major Barrier

Data system and technology resources

a. Lack of sufficient hardware (servers, computers, peripheral devices, etc.).

b. Out-of-date hardware.

c. Internet connections that are not fast or reliable enough.

d. Unreliable or inaccurate data in the system.

e. Data stored in forms that are difficult to access, manage, and interpret.

f. Information located in multiple disparate data bases that make it difficult to link data for analyses (i.e., lack of interoperability).

g. Lack of district-wide unique student identification numbers that are consistent from year-to-year.

h. Lack of district-wide unique teacher identification numbers that are consistent from year-to-year.

i. Inability to provide adequate safeguards and security for the data.

j. Lack of funding to expand or improve the student data system.

Logistical/other barriers

k. Lack of trained technical staff available for product and service acquisition, installation, or equipment maintenance.

l. Lack of trained instructional or support specialists available to assist with data-driven decision making.

m. Lack of teacher preparation on how to use data for data-driven decision making.

n. Lack of building administrator preparation on how to use data for data-driven decision making.

o. Lack of time for school staff to conduct data-driven decision making activities.

p. Lack of a clear vision or strategic plan for data-driven decision making.

q. Lack of district leadership support for data-driven decision making.

r. Lack of communication or sharing of data across departments within the district.

s. Policies prohibiting access to individual student-level data.

t. Lack of incentives for data use.

u. Other. Please specify: _________________________

_________________________________________



REMINDER: There may have been more than one respondent needed to complete this survey. Please remember to review and complete Question 2 of the survey.


Please feel free to note any special circumstances in your district or comments you might have:


____________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________________________________














THANK YOU!


If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Bladimir Lopez-Prado at bladimir.lopez-prado@sri.com or 650-859-4898. Please use the enclosed envelope to return the completed survey to SRI International.


All study participants will be notified of the availability of the final report once it is completed. Thank you very much for your time.


SRI International

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File TitleEVALUATION OF TITLE I ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS (TASSIE)
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File Modified2007-03-27
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