Education has fought long and hard to gain acceptance as a profession and, since professionals by definition use data to shape the decisions they make, education has little choice but to continue moving in this direction. This 3-part handbook represents a major contribution to the literature of education. It is a unique compendium of the most original work currently available on how, when and why evidence should be used to ground practice. It is a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, research-based, and practice-based resource that all educators can turn to as a guide to data-based decision making.
The Handbook of Data-Based Decision Making in Educationis a must read for researchers who are just beginning to explore the scientifically based nature of educational practice. It is also appropriate for policy makers and practitioners who are confronted with young people who need to be in classrooms where best practices are the norm and not the exception.
Part 1: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives 1. Evidence and Decision Making in Professions Theodore J. Kowalski 2. Ethics and Decision Making by Educational Leaders Paul T. Begley 3. Legal Dimensions of Using Employee and Student Data to Make Decisions R. Lance Potterand Jacqueline A. Stefkovich 4. The Role of Private Firms in Data-Based Decision Making Patricia Burchand Tracy Hayes 5. The No Child Left Behind Act: Making Decisions Without Data or Other Reality Checks Timothy R. Konoldand James M. Kauffman Part 2: Building Support for Data-Based Decisions 6. Preparing Educators to Effectively Use Student Data Systems Jeffrey C. Waymanand Vincent Cho 7.lCi