Data Systems

The consistent use of data has transformed entire professions by providing evidence of what works and encouraging continuous improvement. The Coalition believes that improving student achievement requires the collection and dissemination of high-quality, accurate, and transparent information about school and student performance.

At every level, the development of high-quality data systems is essential:

• Teachers need timely reports about the progress of their students and training to use this information to their advantage in the classroom.
• Parents need clear, timely information about student performance and district finances—including data that show whether students are reading and doing math at grade level—to hold districts accountable.
• States need ways to track student performance from pre-kindergarten through graduate school so that each level can build on the previous one, graduation rates can be more accurately measured, and teachers can determine what their students know on the first day of school.