A Study of Effective Teachers\u27 Knowledge and Use of Intersectional Data to Improve Student Academic Performance

The discussion on how to improve students’ academic performance has a long and rich history in the U.S.Although it has been a national priority, the debate has centered on the best method to accomplish this goal. Bernhardt (2003) and Shenand Cooley (2008) recognized the importance of teachers, principals, and data, deployed together, as critical tools to improving academic performance.More specifically, putting the right cross-section of data about the student, school, staff, and community together can inform teachers of the best practices to improve students’ academic performance. The researcher’s goal was to develop a consensus on teachers’ knowledge and use of multiple sources of data in order to improve student academic performance.More specifically, the focus was on teachers’ knowledge and use of intersectional data to improve student performance.Intersectional data analysis is a holistic approach to assessing and analyzing the multiple types.The Delphi method, a technique for gathering expert consensus, was used with a panel of teachers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) high-priority schools that made adequate yearly progress. The panelists were asked to respond to five research questions asked through three rounds of refinement. The results illustrated a consensus around the knowledge and use of multiple sources of data in order to improve student academic performance. Student learning data, school process data, demographic data, and perceptional data were all found to be useful by teachers in former high-priority schools that moved to good standing status within a two years window. Knowledge of the multiple data sources and their use can be beneficial in improving student academic performance. In addition to the focus on the use of data in improving student performance, the researcher had a strong interest in examining the role of principals in facilitating teachers’ efforts to assess and use data effectively.Again, there was a consensus among all participants that the role of the principal was to set expectations, develop plans, remove barriers, and provide support. The results of this study can help principals and other decision-makers gain insight on how to support teachers and move their schools into NCLB good standing status