Which data sources should be prioritized for trend analysis in district data governance?

• A. Lunch participation and bus routes
• B. Teacher evaluations and student surveys
• C. State assessments, interim assessments, course grades, attendance, and discipline
• D. Graduation rates alone

Answer: (C)

In district data governance, it’s essential to choose data sources that show how students are performing and progressing over time, not just isolated snapshots. The strongest trend analysis comes from measures that capture both academic achievement and how students engage with school. State assessments provide standardized benchmarks that allow comparisons over time and across districts. Interim assessments add frequent, timely checkpoints to monitor growth and identify emerging gaps. Course grades reflect student mastery within the current curriculum and offer insight into day-to-day progress. Attendance signals opportunities to learn and student engagement, while discipline data reveals behavioral patterns that can influence learning and equity. Together, these sources create a comprehensive, longitudinal picture of how well students are advancing across multiple dimensions.

Data sources like lunch participation and bus routes focus on logistics rather than learning outcomes. Relying on teacher evaluations and student surveys alone misses objective, longitudinal indicators of student performance. Graduation rates, while important, are a late-stage measure and don’t provide as much actionable insight for current trends. By prioritizing a mix of standardized, interim, academic, attendance, and behavior data, you get a clearer view of trends and the effect of district decisions over time.