With federal and local demands for increased accountability, educators at all levels are now expected to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be effective data users and decision makers. This book brings together stakeholders representing a variety of perspectives to explore how educators actually use data and technology tools to achieve lasting improvement in student performance. The first comprehensive examination of the field, this volume introduces the history of testing and data use, explores current practices and tools, and presents a groundbreaking model for data-driven decision making.

Book Features:

* A valuable framework, based on a three-year project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, describing how data are transformed into usable knowledge.

* Informative case studies illustrating how schools are using data to inform best practice.

* Suggestions for how digital resources can be used to improve teaching in the classroom.

*A thought-provoking treatise on educational reform from the state perspective.