Strong, Locally Generated Data Key to School Improvement Strategies

By Michael Kirst

This October 9, 2016 EdSource commentary written by California State Board of Education president Michael Kirst highlights the need for strong locally-generated data to support school improvement. It explains, “One California network gaining national recognition for its work locally is the CORE Districts.These districts, situated in Fresno, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Ana, have established a data system to support school improvement efforts locally. The districts work with researchers to identify strengths and weaknesses and improve outcomes for the one million students they serve. The CORE data system includes an array of locally-driven information such as high school readiness and students’ social emotional skills, the latter measure gaining considerable attention in California and throughout the nation.”