This report focuses on students who are underrepresented in the high academic achievement pool by calling attention to the important role that relational data management systems can play in educational decision making, particularly with regard to how they can be applied to closing the academic achievement gap. After explaining the need for data collection and evaluation, the report examines elements of a data gathering system, then presents examples of data management systems, looking at programs and data support resources. The report concludes that the development of relational program and student data management systems provides schools with increased capacity to document and understand the characteristics of respective inputs and outcomes by categories of students, staff, and programs in relation to differing educational contexts and circumstances. Effective data management systems can make this capacity readily available in a "user friendly" format to people at various levels in decision making. Two sidebars offer data support resources and data disaggregation tools. (Contains 15 references.) (SM)