Bay Path University in Massachusetts developed a COVID dashboard and related safety practices enabled by data (Anderson, 2020) during the pandemic. The dashboard has capabilities, in which information technology staff partnered with executive management, human resources staff, health offices, and others to identify key performance indicators…

The choice of a social network analysis approach for the exploration of relationships in educational settings provides the opportunity for a unique perspective about informal networks of relationships. Rather than considering only the attributes of individuals or organizations, social network analysis affords the opportunity to also examine the…

Data-informed decision-making has always been -- and always will be -- a smart approach to policy, including at institutions of higher education. Just over one year since the COVID-19 pandemic radically and abruptly shifted every aspect of higher education, states and institutions are tackling the same student success goals as before, but with…

The Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool (ICAT) helps colleges identify strengths and areas for improvement in light of best practices in seven key areas: (1) Leadership and Vision; (2) Data and Technology; (3) Equity; (4) Teaching and Learning; (5) Engagement and Communication; (6) Strategy and Planning; and (7) Policies and Practices. The tool…

This paper describes a two-spiral action research approach (AR) in its analysis of the experience of a British University endeavouring to change and reposition itself in the context of fast pace external change in terms of innovation. Taking the European Union (EU) 2020 digital competence framework (Ferrari 2013), with its drive to address the…

Data use is becoming a prominent strategy for educational innovation and improvement across countries. However, the fragmentation of data collection often hinders the capacity of policymakers, researchers and practitioners to access and analyse the wealth of data routinely generated in educational institutions. A critical step towards realising…

This single case study examines how stakeholders of a local education agency (LEA) understand and implement state turnaround policy for its chronically underperforming schools. While there is ample research on how to improve chronically underperforming schools, that research becomes limited when looking at turnaround implementation actions that…

The study aims to gain a better understanding of the national large-scale curriculum process in terms of the used implementation strategies, the function of the reform, and the curriculum coherence perceived by the stakeholders accountable in constructing the national core curriculum in Finland. A large body of school reform literature has shown…

Districts nationwide are facing budget cuts that, to some, feel more like funding cliffs. Accordingly, school teams are re-examining their personnel, programs, and schedules so that they can make difficult decisions about where to spend resources to realize the greatest improvement. The principals who are able to make decisions with data from…

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) began an ambitious reform of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's (KRI's) kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) education system beginning in 2007 in an effort to modernize the curriculum, upgrade school facilities, and raise the quality of instruction. In 2010, RAND was asked to conduct a one-year study to assess…

Background: In Ohio, levy campaigns are a burdensome task for district administrators and stakeholders alike. To date, there is little research on the districts' role in crafting school budget referenda campaigns. Purpose: This study asked three research questions: How did the macropolitical contexts shape stakeholders' decision making in terms of…

In 2003, UNICEF-Kenya and the Kenyan Ministry of Education introduced the "Child Friendly Schools" initiative to encourage educational policy makers and practitioners to look for alternative ways to measure the quality of primary schools beyond pupils' test scores. In 2009, Kenyan government officials distributed the Child Friendly…

The purpose of this paper is to describe a process for teachers, administrators, and families to examine existing structures that support inclusion in their schools and in their children's schools. This research study used Appreciative Inquiry to show how stakeholders can take a more active role to support education reform. History has proven that…

Faced with the need to create a competitive workforce and improve the quality of our education system, states are pursuing policy agendas to better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers. To inform these agendas, statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) have become an invaluable asset and serve as a tool to help states answer…

Principals are expected to use data to develop a clear vision, stimulate meaningful dialogue among stakeholders, create interventions for struggling students, and improve school programs. The purpose of this three-phase, sequential, mixed-methods study was to examine how principals use summative and formative assessment data to improve academic…