Principals Often Misuse Student Achievement Data. Here’s How to Get It Right (Opinion)

Every academic year, principals face the crucial responsibility of analyzing student achievement data to discern trends and alter educational objectives. However, the misinterpretation and misuse of data derived from standardized assessments can lead to significant repercussions for educators, staff members, and families. Drawing from our experiences in school administration and leadership research, we have observed how both novice and seasoned principals often struggle to harness the rich insights that state test data can provide.

The truth is that many principals have been conditioned to utilize data in ways that are counterproductive. Some may also find themselves under the guidance of supervisors who lack an understanding of effective data utilization.

Common pitfalls we have encountered among principals include permanently categorizing certain students as “low performing,” leading to their placement in less challenging or remedial courses that focus predominantly on test preparation. Additionally, penalizing teachers or students based on test scores without considering the broader context or growth over time, pressuring educators to teach to the test, publicly displaying identifiable student data on data walls, and neglecting crucial factors such as language barriers, disabilities, or home circumstances when allocating resources to enhance student achievement are prevalent issues.

Such harmful approaches to data utilization can erode school culture and negatively impact teacher working conditions, ultimately failing to support sustainable improvements in student achievement. They may result in the misidentification of students who require interventions or special education services, further damaging student morale and leading to increased stress, disengagement, and higher dropout rates.

Experts from testing companies, research institutions, and academia have consistently emphasized that standardized assessments should not be relied upon as the sole or primary indicators of student success, teacher efficacy, or school quality. These scores provide merely a snapshot, failing to capture the deeper learning or critical thinking abilities that students may exhibit through engaging with a robust curriculum and quality instruction.

It is crucial to recognize that standardized test scores, while important, are imperfect measures of student progress. What is assessed and how results are interpreted are inherently political decisions, influencing funding allocations, school closures, teacher evaluations, and the broader stigmatization of schools serving historically marginalized communities.

Despite these challenges, principals can effectively leverage standardized testing data to foster meaningful improvements within their schools, particularly when they are well-informed about appropriate data usage.

Here are several recommendations and reminders for principals as they analyze their achievement data alongside their administrative and instructional teams:

• Utilize standardized-test scores in conjunction with other data collected throughout the year, including observations of classroom instruction, student work, classroom interventions, and attendance and behavioral records. We suggest reviewing the AASA’s “Using Data to Improve Schools: What’s Working” and the National Forum on Education Statistics’ “Data Use for School and District Leaders” reports.
• Analyze data through the lens of campus goals and student demographics with teams that offer diverse perspectives.
• Identify strengths and areas for improvement. For instance, assess where students excelled and where they faced challenges.
• Recognize students who may benefit from specific interventions, supports, and enrichment opportunities, including those with disabilities and English learners.
• Disaggregate data to uncover and address potential disparities, particularly among students of color, students with disabilities, English learners, and those struggling academically.
• Plan targeted professional development for teachers, teacher teams, and individuals as necessary. Both the Institute of Education Sciences and the National Association of Elementary School Principals offer free, time-tested guides on utilizing student-achievement data for instructional decision-making.
• Assess the need for additional support staff and adjust the master schedule to ensure students receive appropriate instruction and interventions aligned with multitiered support systems. The CEEDAR Center’s Assessment Practices Within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports tool is a valuable resource.
• Establish a communication plan for sharing data with families and staff in ways that are clear, culturally responsive, and promote student growth.

Based on our observations, principals can cultivate a data-informed culture that enhances teaching and learning throughout the school year by setting a clear vision for schoolwide data use and instituting regular data review cycles with grade-level teams, special education personnel, and instructional coaches to assess benchmark data and formative assessments.

Consistent efforts to identify students who are struggling and may benefit from Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions, using multiple data sources, can ensure that these learners receive the targeted support they need. Such initiatives allow principals to make timely adjustments to professional development and resource allocation, ultimately leading to a more successful school year.

We hope that the recommendations provided here, while not exhaustive, serve as a constructive starting point for principals aiming to effectively harness student-achievement data to enhance their schools.