Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction 1st Edition

After teaching for fifteen years, I had the opportunity to teach at North Star Academy in Newark, NJ. It is a challenging place to work, but it is worth it because you know you are making a difference. In a district where less than 5% of students make it through college, North Star sends 100% of its graduates to college and is on course to have over 75% of its alumni complete a degree. And it does all of this without being selective about the students who attend.One of the main reasons North Star is successful is because it is "driven by data". Decisions on what happens in the classroom are not made arbitrarily, but are determined by careful examination of interim assessments of students. With this information, teachers are able to craft a classroom experience that helps all students maximize their performance to the point where North Star has closed the achievement gap and because one of the most successful urban schools in the nation.Data-driven decision-making has descended to the level of jargon in education these days but, done right, it is one of the most powerful tools in a school's arsenal. Unfortunately, too many schools don't do it right and have tarnished a great idea. At North Star, Paul Bambrick-Santoyo has made it work. Now, he shares what works with school leaders and teachers across the nation in meetings and workshops. This book outlines the process.The first half of the book covers what data-driven decision-making is and how it is meant to work in a school. He shares what should be the roles of teachers, school leaders, and district leaders for effective implementation. He shares anecdotes and data from various schools that have implemented the system effectively (including North Star). Also, he shares what is probably the most important idea of all: unlike many school changes, this one does not require "buy in" to work. Implemented as designed and buy in will come because success will come in spite of obstacles.The second half of the book is a step-by-step outline for delivering effective workshops to implement the system. Activities and documents are all described and made available in the CD-ROM included with the book. Mr. Bambrick-Santoyo has made it about as easy as possible for those who want to implement it to make it work.I have seen Mr. Bambrick-Santoyo deliver this workshop and he is one of the best at it. (In my days before North Star, I delivered some workshops on the topic myself but not, I fear, with Paul's skill.) No book can replace having him in the room, but this book has all the tools there if only you are willing to pick them up and use them the way he outlines. Your school can only be the better for it.

Excellent read! UsefulA book on data analysis that can be read and enjoyed by a regular teacher!!!! This book has plenty of examples an ideas that can be easily used by any teacher or administrator. I always keep it close at hand so I can consult it at any time.

My district is all about the data, but does not always articulate its vision clearly. I am all about the data too, but I need clear goals and guidance about what is important and effective. I can't change my teaching practice all at once, so where do I start? What is my final realistic goal? This book is a terrific resource. I have taken to carrying it with me so I can quote from it at data meetings (ok, I have done this twice this year - I am not that teacher who tries to teach the other teachers or leaders. However, I am learning to speak truth to power in education. Harder than you might think if you are not a teacher.).

Paul Bambrick-Santoyo is the master of data driven instruction. I am a principal at a charter school in Washington, D.C. and Paul's workshops have been enormously influential. Over the last three years our student achievement results have sky-rocketed. I attribute much of our gains to the data cycle that Paul describes in this book. Under Paul's guidance, our teachers have become experts at using interim assessments to pinpoint student misunderstandings and re-teach critical concepts. I am thrilled to see that Paul has synthesized his wisdom in a book. Whether you're a principal or a teacher, I highly recommend you buy a copy for your school desk and another for your nightstand.

By far my favorite PD book. I bought it with my own money. Very engaging and motivational.

I listened to the 2nd edition of Driven by Data while following along with the 1st edition in print and was able to track the main ideas fairly well. There were definitely some updates and new content in the revised version that my physical copy didn’t include, but overall, the core concepts were still aligned.I appreciated being able to listen while annotating my book, it helped reinforce the key takeaways and made the experience more engaging. This is a solid resource for anyone looking to improve instruction through data-driven practices.

Great philosophical teaching principles emphasizing the importance of interim assessments educational core beliefs and strategic planning for successful teaching. Excellent book for educators, administrators and school supervisors. The book is definetly worth buying.

This book is the real deal. It's not about certified best practices or fancy questionnaires that yield meaningless results. It's about identifying what really matters and putting in place the culture, metrics and practices that will yield real results and schools that have really done it. This is the one book I am recommending to everybody at my institution who proposes or asks about improving effectiveness.Now if only I could get the attention of those people above me who keep hiring consultants with their one size fits all technologies and canned solutions ...