Abstract
AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to enhance our understanding of districts that are implementing sustainable professional learning in data-driven decision-making (DDDM) to improve student achievement. The data-informed leadership framework, comprised of leadership practices that acknowledge the complexities that play into data use, guided the inquiry. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, observations, and documents. I argue that whole district reform is possible in ways that increased student achievement results on standardized tests across these two districts. Findings indicate that the confluence of: a focus on DDDM, systemic and comprehensive professional learning, and distributed leadership led to consistent student achievement gains over a 3–5-year period. This study suggests that sustainable professional learning in DDDM through structures and processes is critical to how district reform takes place to achieve equitable student results.
Highlights
More than a decade has passed since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) and any form of fair assessment would indicate that districts and their schools continue to struggle to educate students equitably, and have yet to see parity in student achievement (Skrla, McKenzie, & Scheurich, 2009; Theoharis & Brooks, 2012)
I argue that the confluence of a focus on data-driven decisionmaking (DDDM), comprehensive and systemic professional learning and distributed leadership (DL) resulted in sustained achievement gains
DDDM was the focus of professional development (PD) at the district and school levels and this was reinforced through policies and strategic plans
Summary
More than a decade has passed since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) and any form of fair assessment would indicate that districts and their schools continue to struggle to educate students equitably, and have yet to see parity in student achievement (Skrla, McKenzie, & Scheurich, 2009; Theoharis & Brooks, 2012). With academic and professional roots in urban education, her area of scholarship is in educational justice within the context of organizational leadership, professional learning, and district and school reform. She has served as a school administrator and prior to that as a literacy coach and teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is an alumna of the University of Southern California where she earned a Doctorate in K-12 Educational Leadership
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
