UNCC Aspiring Leaders by Claudia Allen

Be intentional, support don’t separate

2026-07-15 14:13:17 UTC

Avoid using data to create tracks or homogeneous classroom environments. Use data to differentiate and decide on support types. Show teachers how to use formative assessments (exit tickets) to see which individual students need reteaching.

Student engagement

2026-07-15 14:16:04 UTC

When educators cultivate a classroom/school environment of safety and respect as well as align lessons that have sense and meaning, student's engagement increases.

Data + Judgement= Informed decisons

2026-07-15 14:17:15 UTC

It is important to use data but to also respect teachers as professionals. Teachers should use their professional opinion along with data to make informed decisions for students. Teachers have a vast knowledge of their students' personalities, experiences, and how their students learn. Data should enhance that knowledge not replace it.

Not Data Driven, but Data INFORMED Leadership

2026-07-15 14:17:59 UTC

Data informed Leaders...

Focus on opportunities to learn
Challenge the assumptions
Engage in inquiry around data to inform a course of action.
Look beyond the achievement labels

"Without a clear vision for data informed decision making, data use can foster inequity."

Don't Rush.

2026-07-15 14:18:06 UTC

Looking at data will lead to you asking a lot of questions, but only digging into the root causes will result in finding a solution. The analogy of taking an aspirin when you have a headache helps to make sense - if you have a headache, you take an aspirin. But if you have a brain aneurysm, the aspirin is only a temporary solution. Only when we pause and dig will we find the real issue.

Dont Rush! Pause and reflect on data!

2026-07-15 14:18:43 UTC

It is absolutely necessary to pause and reflect to identify root causes and possible solutions. Make time for teachers to dig deep.

Build Relationships!

2026-07-15 14:19:04 UTC

Teachers know how their students learn and their life experiences. This knowledge is important to individualizing instruction to meet students' needs. Professional judgement is an essential ingredient in data use. Build those relationships and figure out what makes your students "tick".

We must use data geared towards student engagement that looks at a student holistically (academic, social and civic engagement.

2026-07-15 14:19:14 UTC

Ways to focus on student engagement are by teachers conducting student surveys within their classes and/or administrators observing classrooms and collecting data. Most effective strategy once you have results and they show students are not highly engaged in the classroom is the Pedagogical strategies creating PD's on student engagement and district staff mentoring/shadowing students. The goals of student engagement are for (1) students to feel their classes helped them understand what's happening in the world and (2) students to have a positive self-concept

Flexible grouping promotes student achievement

2026-07-15 14:20:06 UTC

Use caution with data. Too many times schools use data to fix tracking for students widening the achievement gap. We need to promote using data to a benchmak towards achievement to see where students are at. Principals need to assist teachers in using data to promote rather than limit. Exit tickets and changing time structures help to meet students need rather than fix placements