Data: Issues and outcomes
Four steps to data-driven decision-making
- Pose a question about an educational strategy (the hypothesis)
- Use data to try to answer the question
- Develop a plan based on the results
- Measure the outcome of the plan
At issue: Dropout prevention
What the data showed: After researchers in a national study released in 2007 found that less than half of the ninth-graders in the Fresno Unified School District graduated within four years, the district took a close look at the data to identify reasons the dropout rate was so high. In the process, they discovered that one-half of freshmen and sophomore students had a grade point average of less than 2.0, and far too many ninth-graders had multiple grades of D or F.
The board’s response: The board approved the creation of “Freshman Academies” in four high schools to allow freshmen to stay together in a supportive environment. Each smaller learning community has its own principal, vice principal, counselor, security officer and activity director. Teachers are taught skills in a special summer institute to help them communicate better with adolescents. “Ninth grade is ... our lowest performing group,” said Valerie Davis, board president of Fresno Unified. “The data show that’s where we need to target our efforts.”
Outcome: After the first year, the percentage of ninth-graders with at least one D or F dropped by as much as 13.9 percent in the schools with the academies. Improvement was greatest among students with at least one F, who received 17.1 percent fewer failing grades. The academies’ one-on-one counseling support with academic plans tailored to each individual is among the reasons credited for the improvement.
At Issue: Closing the achievement gap
What the data showed: Enrollment in Long Beach Unified School District’s Advanced Placement classes in 2005 did not mirror the district’s overall student body, which was 70 percent economically disadvantaged and 84 percent nonwhite or Hispanic. Data showed the district’s achievement gap was widening.
The board’s response: The board changed the enrollment policy to remove prerequisites for AP classes in order to increase access for all students who wanted to take the classes. The district also allocated resources for summer bridge programs and ongoing support throughout the school year, in addition to extra professional development for teachers. The district also pays the cost of AP exams for students who cannot afford them.
Outcome: “The highest level of enrollment now in our AP classes in Long Beach Unified School District is among Hispanics. They’ve made the most dramatic increase in terms of class enrollment and success,” says board President Jon Meyer. Districtwide, AP enrollment increased 60 percent among black students and 79 percent for Hispanic students, with strong AP programs at every high school instead of just a few. The percentage of students scoring high enough on AP exams to receive college credit did decline slightly after the policy change, from 55 percent to 52 percent, says Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser—but he adds that now 1,200 more kids are passing the test than before. Now, 72 percent of the class of 2007-08 is enrolled in college, and $40 million in scholarships went to graduates this year.
At Issue: School safety
What the data showed: In the Long Beach Unified School District during early 1990s, the influence of gangs was disrupting the school environment. Fights often broke out based on gang clothing and colors. Parents and community members urged the district to require students to wear uniforms to increase safety at school.
The board’s response : The board listened to the parents’ concerns and, following a successful pilot program in 1993-94, Long Beach became the first school district in the country to require elementary and middle school students to wear uniforms. The program was extended districtwide thereafter.
Outcome: The district saw an increase in attendance and a reduction in the number of reported fights among students—from 1,135 in 1993-94 to 554 in 1995-96. Within a year, drug offenses and sexual offenses each declined 74 percent; assault and battery cases were down 34 percent, with 51 percent fewer fights being reported. Ninety-one percent of parents in a 1995 district survey agreed that school uniforms improved the school environment. A 1994 law authorizing California school districts to implement a dress code was patterned after the district’s uniform program, which earned a Golden Bell Award from CSBA that same year. President Bill Clinton praised the program in his 1996 State of the Union address. “The data helped confirm our feelings about the policy; it’s working,” says Long Beach Unified board member Mary Stanton.
—Kristi Garrett