Handbook of Data-Based Decision Making in Education

Education has fought long and hard to gain acceptance as a profession and, since professionals by definition use data to shape the decisions they make, education has little choice but to continue moving in this direction. This 3-part handbook represents a major contribution to the literature of education. It is a unique compendium of the most original work currently available on how, when and why evidence should be used to ground practice. It is a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, research-based, and practice-based resource that all educators can turn to as a guide to data-based decision making.

The Handbook of Data-Based Decision Making in Education is a must read for researchers who are just beginning to explore the scientifically based nature of educational practice. It is also appropriate for policy makers and practitioners who are confronted with young people who need to be in classrooms where "best practices" are the norm and not the exception.

Theodore J. Kowalski is professor and the Kuntz Family Chair in Educational Administration at the University of Dayton. A former superintendent and college of education dean, he is the editor of the Journal of School Public Relations, serves on the editorial boards of two other journals, and is the author of over 150 professional publications including 31 books. His most recent books are Effective Communication for School Administrators (2007), Case Studies on Educational Administration (5th ed., 2008), School Public Relations (4th ed., 2008), and Data-Driven Decisions and School Leadership (2008).

Thomas J. Lasley II is Dean, School of Education and Allied Professions at the University of Dayton. He has published in excess of 70 articles in professional journals and has authored or co-authored 11 books. He has served on a variety of regional and state level education commissions and boards including the Governor’s Commission on Teaching Success and the Ohio Board of Regents’ Planning and Accountability Committee. He co-founded the Dayton Early College Academy, a unique educational partnership between the University of Dayton and the Dayton Public Schools and is co-chair of the Teacher Quality Partnership.