Data is demanding.

It requires multiple measures to capture the veritable sea of assessment, programming, demographic, retention, et al. information produced by a district on a daily, quarterly, and yearly basis. It demands data literate leaders who can efficiently collect, disaggregate, and analyze in ways that inform decision making centered on improving student learning. It needs clear goals and meaningful metrics if it is to be of use to stakeholders.

Many districts find themselves data rich but information poor: they have plenty of statistics but not enough relevant, accurate, and user-friendly metrics by which to assess progress toward plans and goals. ECRA believes that high-quality data should inform: it should enable educators to target the particular learning needs of individual students or groups of students, empower stakeholders, and embolden district leaders to continually assess the efficacy of services offered.

ECRA conducts mixed-method program evaluations, incorporating both statistical growth models and practice-centered approaches (e.g., Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching) to provide a richer “snapshot” that connects personnel, programming, and/or resource use to district goals and initiatives. We employ complex data and descriptive analysis, multivariate methods, and quality dashboards to quantify and publicize relevant metrics of district progress. We produce policy-relevant reports and research-based solutions based on the most pressing issues in education. We manage data-warehousing applications to provide the deep disaggregation necessary for meaningful data use. And we provide professional development and ongoing support to embed a data-driven culture in your district or school.

Click the links below to learn more about our research and evaluation solutions:

What is your district's analytical framework?