Breaking Down Ed Data for Non-Educators: Three Tips

In our last article, we spoke about the foundation of your school’s data culture: its shared vision. In this series of articles, I’ll continue our exploration of the different layers of a positive, empathetic data culture by talking about how to talk about data with students and families. While data cultures of other types of organizations might stop at their front door, the data culture of a school is a bit more diffuse, seeping far beyond its four walls. It involves not just teachers and administrators but the communities they serve as well: families and students. 

To that end, I thought it would be useful to share some guidelines on how to talk about data to families and students so that they too are bought into all of the incredible things that ed data can do. We’ve written elsewhere about just how important community and collaboration are to data culture and education more generally. My years as a middle school teacher working with countless students and families has taught me that, without their trust, you will be fighting a losing battle. Clear, effective communication about education data is a major way that the trust required for this collaboration is built. In this first article, I’ll focus on three best practices that I’ve found indispensable in my data-oriented conversations with both students and families. The following articles will focus on the nuances of speaking with families versus students separately.

#1: Lead with Empathy

The first best practice – for any type of communication – is to lead with empathy. In terms of ed data conversations with students and families, this means recognizing that everyone is likely not on the same page. As much as students and families might care about their education and want to do well, the reality is that they are not in the weeds of assessment scores, grades and attendance information in the same way that educators are day in and day out. 

Approaching this gap with empathy means prioritizing accessibility. How can I present this data in a way that accounts for what my student and their family might or might not already know? Answering this question is of course much easier said than done. On the one hand, if you assume your audience knows more than they do about data, you might speak too technically about data. You run the risk of losing your audience with this approach by making it hard for them to follow what you’re saying. Conversely, if you over explain and oversimplify, you might insult families and students by underestimating them. 

Throughout my time in the classroom, I’ve learned that the ideal way to navigate the murky waters of prior ed data knowledge is to make sure I’ve established a positive working relationship with both students and families before diving into conversations about data. That way, you’ll know who you are dealing with and be able to tailor your presentation in ways that meet your audience where they are. I’ve also found that investing in these relationships early also puts families and students at ease so that they are more willing to ask important questions during these conversations.

Of course, there will be situations where this relationship building isn’t possible. Educators everywhere can attest to the unfortunate fact that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to build deep relationships with every student and family before data conversations begin. In these instances, make sure you’re going into the interaction with an inquisitive attitude. What are these students and families interested in when it comes to data? What do they want to know? Leading with these types of questions and asking students and families what their priorities are will go a long way in keeping your ed data discussion as constructive and collaborative as possible.

#2: Focus Attention

Once you’ve set an approachable, empathetic tone for the conversation, the second best practice for ed data conversations is all about focusing their attention. Again, as much as students and families might care about their education, you are the expert in what information matters most. This means that your job in these conversations is to identify and break down the vital data points based on what families and students want to know. For example, if a family is really invested in making sure that their child can go to a specialized high school, then you’ll need to be ready to identify which set of metrics they need to be paying the closest attention to in order to make that dream happen.

It’s also important to bear in mind what kind of partnership you are looking to develop with students and families when talking about data. In what ways should this data empower families and students while also strengthening our relationship? I’ll also note that giving too much information can in some cases backfire. By leaving students and families overwhelmed and confused, unfocused data discussions end up disempowering them. But if you’ve done the work of figuring out what families and students want and you know your data well, it’ll be relatively easy for you to tailor your conversation to what they’re most interested in and direct them in ways that will be beneficial for your relationship as well.

#3: Leverage Smart Systems

Finally, designing smart communication systems is indispensable when it comes to breaking down data. As with other aspects of teaching, you want to make sure that you are not doing any work that could easily be distributed to students and families. In terms of ed data communication, systems can help with a range of critical tasks, from equipping families and students with the tools to answer their own data-related questions or cutting down the time you have to spend individually reaching out to families. I’ll talk more about what these systems for distributing the labor of data communication look like in greater detail in the following articles.

While students and families are very different populations, what I’ve outlined here are three best practices that my experience in the classroom has taught me to make sure data communication is as smooth and constructive as possible. You'll be glad to see the pay off that comes from investing time and energy into creating strong relationships with students and families, preparing focused and targeted data conversations, and building out clear and efficient systems for communication. I’ll be back with more information on what these three practices look like for students and families separately. The upcoming articles will be much more practical. Stay tuned!