Exploring Data Use and School Performance in an Urban Public School District: Evaluation of Seattle Public Schools' Comprehensive Value-Added Assessment System. CRESST Report 742

This study examined the relationship between data use and achievement at 13 urban Title I schools. Using multiple methods, including test scores, district surveys, school transformation plans, and four case study site visits, the researchers found wide variation in the use of data to inform instruction and planning. In some cases, schools were overwhelmed with the amount of data or were not convinced that alternating test score data from two different tests provided dependable information. The researchers did not find a substantial link between data use and achievement, which may have been a result of the small sample size or different implementation methods between schools. Teachers and principals recommended important needs for more timely data delivery, individual versus group data reports, and better training in assessment and data analysis. (Three appendices are include: (1) List of Schools; (2) Transformation Plan Review Rubric; and (3) Vignette Descriptions of Data Use Practices and Monitoring Four Case Study Sites. Contains 9 footnotes and 11 tables.)