School administrators are great in capturing data, but often they end up storing it–literally. Accountability and assessment movements are forcing schools to bring data out of the drawers and onto the table. Some are taking this one step further by establishing school data rooms, where teachers can access student data in a logical and accessible manner.

At Gilliard Elementary School in Mobile, Alabama, color-coded sticky notes cover the walls of a space known as “the data room.” The notes tell teachers where their students stand on the math and reading standards along with discipline and attendance records.

The aim is to assist teachers in identifying students’ needs, before they become uncontrollable. For instance, if the student hasn’t achieved the reading goals of his or her The teacher could offer additional instruction in class or work with that student outside of school. If a child has issues with their behavior, the teacher can recommend counseling or even consider taking that child from the class.

Baker’s approach is to let teachers celebrate their students’ progress by putting data at the spotlight. In the spring of 2011 an unemployed student proudly announced that he had accomplished his goal of reading.

Before you decide to move into a school data room, be sure you can protect student privacy and follow FERPA guidelines. This is particularly true for a classroom data display that includes sensitive information, such as counseling sessions or disciplinary actions could be shared accidentally.

www.dataroomdata.com/the-process-of-document-management-in-education