Educator Access to and Use of Data Systems

Abstract

T eachers’ use of student data to inform instruction is commonly accepted as sound educational practice, and this data use is only likely to grow as more data, as well as more-complex data, become increasingly available to educators.1 However, numerous studies reveal inconsistent data use among teachers and an overall lack of the preparation and skills needed to interpret and use student data to inform instructional practice.2 To effectively use a variety of student data, including—but not limited to—assessment data, teachers must possess both assessment literacy (the ability to design, select, interpret, and use assessment results appropriate for educational decisions) and data literacy (the ability to understand and use data to inform decisions).3 Research shows that teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in interpreting and using data is linked to their actual use of data; professional development supports can help build this self-efficacy and increase data use.4 Results from the RAND Corporation’s web-based American Educator Panels (AEP) survey provide insight into teachers’ access to data and the supports they receive to use those data.