Data Points Episode #59: Improvement Science in Education

When we thinking of measuring outcomes in education, we often think of test scores as the ultimate indicator. But a team of practitioners and researchers in Baltimore City are working together to use a science-based method to identify and implement incremental changes, and to empower teachers, school leaders and others to understand and use multiple layers of data in their day-to-day work. On this episode of Data Points we speak with Jarrod Bolte, founder of Improving Education; Faith Connolly, Executive Director of the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC); and Marc Stein, Associate Professor of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education and Research Co-Director of BERC, about how practitioners are using improvement science to make smaller changes to achieve outcomes in areas like early literacy and attendance for students in Baltimore City schools. For further reading, check out these EdWeek blogs from the perspectives of researcher and practitioner. And linked here is a video of Improvement Science at work in Baltimore City high schools. Additional information and resources are available through the Carnegie Foundation, and Institute for Healthcare Improvement.