GradNation Community Summits
Using Data Toolkit
Guide Content
1. Introduction
2. Research, Resources, and Tools (GradNation.org)
3. Speaker Recommendations
4. Additional Alliance Partners
5. Multi-Media and Suggested Reading
1. Introduction
GradNation is a large and growing movement of dedicated individuals, organizations, and communities working together to end America’s dropout crisis. Our goal: to achieve a 90 percent graduation rate nationwide by 2020, with no high school graduating less than 80 percent of its students. It is also focused on organizing communities to coordinate their efforts to provide our most vulnerable young people the fundamental resources they need for healthy development, and ultimately, academic achievement. Leveraging data is integral to achieving these outcomes.
Across the country, key stakeholders—from parents and students to policymakers and school administrators—are aligning partners, accessing local resources, and organizing leadership around data to improve capacity and scale up effective programs and developing systems that are both accessible and relevant to the needs of their communities. Data-driven decision-making is helping communities develop more effective strategies everyday – but there are many obstacles. Many communities lack the capacity to gather, interpret, and use evidence systematically. Deep cultural and structural barriers can also impede all of these processes. The accelerating progress the nation is making in raising graduation rates, as well as the challenges that remain, make clear how essential it is to have data and accountability systems that propel states, districts, schools, and communities to focus on the schools and students who need the most assistance.
2. Research, Resources, and Tools
Visit the Using Data Channel at GradNation.org where you will find a large variety of resources and best practices on this topic.
3. Speaker recommendations
Many school districts have someone who is focused on data collection and the effective use and sharing of data. These people are often the best speakers, as they can explain in detail the status of your local data collection efforts. Inviting these individuals also allows the conversation to continue easily after the summit. Summit communities can also reach out to the person working at the state level for their state’s data collection efforts.
4. Additional Alliance Partners
View our list of Alliance Partners for information about their work and for potential local engagement and/or strategy development regarding your summit. If you would like to make a connection, contact your Summit Manager at America’s Promise, who can help facilitate an introduction.
5. Multi-Media and Suggested Reading
NPT- Graduation by the Numbers:
http://video.wnpt.org/video/2332623557/
PBS NewsHour - Diplomas Now:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/diplomas-now/
America's Promise Alliance hosted a webinar in partnership with nFocus Solutions, which explored the challenging process of adopting a comprehensive data management system to ensure that all students are on track to graduate from high school and college and become career ready:
http://www.americaspromise.org/news-and-events/news-and-features/apb-2011/vol-35/webinar-recording.aspx
Using Data Toolkit 2