Leading Data-Informed Change in Schools

Data--done right--has the power to put schools on the path to true change. Rely on this research-backed resource to help you kick-start, implement, and sustain data-informed schoolwide transformation. There are many ways to use student data, and the author's ten steps offer practical, clear methods for establishing a data team, collecting relevant data, identifying trends, and taking evidence-based action.

• Learn what student data is and how it can be used to help schools.
• Understand different methods of data collection and how to use those methods to gather relevant data.
• Use gathered data and observed trends to determine what needs changing.
• Implement effective data-informed change in your school.
• Reflect and assess the results of the change, and make more changes as necessary.

Contents:
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
About the Author
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Context of Student Data in Schools
Chapter 2: The Challenge of Using and Leading With Data
Chapter 3: Step 1--Establish a Data or Project Team
Chapter 4: Step 2--Understand the Data and the Data Collection Methods
Chapter 5: Step 3--Select and Collect Relevant Data
Chapter 6: Step 4--Display Relevant Data in an Appropriate Format
Chapter 7: Step 5--Analyze the Data and Identify Trends
Chapter 8: Step 6--Question the Reason for Trends
Chapter 9: Step 7--Consider Options for Data-Informed Change and Choose Your Direction
Chapter 10: Step 8--Create an Action Plan
Chapter 11: Step 9--Make the Change
Chapter 12: Step 10--Evaluate the Impact
Epilogue
Appendix
References and Resources
Index

Selena Fisk has 16 years of teaching experience in both state and private schools in Queensland, Australia, as well as in comprehensive schools in South London, England. During this time, she has held a range of leadership roles, including learning area-specific leadership (physical education, mathematics, and science) and whole-school curriculum and pedagogy (in Catholic identity, student data and performance, and leading learning, data, and curriculum change)--all of which have strengthened her passion for viewing students as individuals who need adults to fiercely advocate for them and see what they are capable of.

After three years in the role of head of physical education in South London, where she learned about the power of feedback and transparency of results, Selena returned to Australia and began doctoral studies in education at the Queensland University of Technology.

Following the completion of her doctoral thesis in 2017, Selena started her data consultancy practice, Aasha for Schools. As a speaker and facilitator, Selena works with schools, leaders, and regions to develop data-informed strategies for schools, leadership teams, and teachers. Her goal is to help teachers and school leaders see the inherent good that data can bring as well as the benefits of using data to develop thriving learning communities.

Selena can often be found engaging in philosophical data chats or arguments with people who initially worry that she is reducing students solely to numbers. She has not yet started having data chats with her Staffordshire-toy poodle cross (yes--it's a thing!), Ella, but that's probably not too far off. Selena escapes her data brain by going to the beach, running, playing netball, and doing yoga.

In 2019, Selena published her first book, Using and Analysing Data in Australian Schools: Why, How and What. She was also recognized as an ACEL New Voice scholar in Educational Leadership Research.

To book Selena Fisk for professional development, contact pd@SolutionTree.com.