Towards data-informed decisions: From ministry policy to school practice

Abstract

This chapter describes how the province of Ontario, Canada structured a large-scale initiative to ensure that all schools in the province had access to high-quality data and to develop a culture of inquiry, in which there is widespread capacity to work with data and where using data becomes a routine part of the operation of the educational system at all levels. This initiative-the Managing Information for Student Achievement/Professional Network Centres (MISA/PNC) was created to support development in school districts to establish data systems and build capacity for using data. This chapter traces the influence of this policy initiative from ministry policy through its implementation at one regional MISA/PNC and into one of the school districts in the PNC to exemplify its influence at the district and school level. The results of this study show, for example, that policy can have a large influence on data use in schools if it combines pressure with support. In Ontario districts and schools have to provide the Ministry of Education with different data through their data systems (e.g., pressure). The Ministry provides districts and schools with professional development opportunities (e.g., support).