The purpose of this module is to illustrate examples of how courses in educational leadership programs can effectively and efficiently meld lessons on leadership with lessons on data collection and analysis. The rationale behind emphasizing this combination is very straightforward: America’s schools need leaders who are adept with data-based decision making. Especially since the standardized testing mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, educational leaders at all levels have been challenged and mandated to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and interpret data (Creighton, 2006; Holcomb, 2012; Kowalski, Lasley, & Mahoney, 2008). The ISLLC Educational Leadership Standards (Council of Chief State School Officers, 2008) call for educational leaders to “develop assessment and accountability systems to monitor student progress” (Standard 2F), “monitor and evaluate the impact of the instructional programs” (Standard 2I), “monitor and evaluate the management and operational systems” (Standard 3A), and “collect and analyze data and information pertinent to the educational environment” (Standard 4A). All of these require data collection, analysis, and interpretation skills and mindsets. Educational leaders must be prepared to: (a) ask the proper questions, (b) determine what data are necessary and available to answer these questions, (c) develop valid and reliable instruments to obtain the necessary data, (d) assess the data obtained, (e) analyze the data appropriate to answer the questions posed, (f) interpret the analyses, and (g) determine the proper actions to take based on this interpretation. However, prior to their preparation programs, few aspiring educational leaders have built these skills and a comfort level in using them.
Full Text of manuscript attached in PDF below. Full text of complete journal attached in PDF on the main IJELP page.
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