How to leverage data analysis to improve school management?

The growing use of technologies at schools has created a data-driven environment. Leading institutes are now leveraging data extensively to make decisions on day-to-day school activities, set up goals, prioritize institutional objectives, evaluate and improve teaching standards, and monitor students’ performance and progress.

Teaching and learning are the building blocks of an education institute, and school improvement efforts should be revolved around these two factors. Towards this end, school management can make the effective use of heaps of data.

Data Analysis and its Relevance to School Improvement

• A school’s mission and objectives hold importance at the time of formulating various academic and functional activities. Therefore, while taking various measures for the improvement of the school, management should carefully collect and analyze all data related to these measures. It will help in implementing measures that are aligned with the school’s mission and objectives.

• It is important for school leaders to conduct a SWOT analysis of the school’s teaching method and content standards at regular intervals. This process helps management identify the areas of improvement and implement necessary processes accordingly. Undoubtedly, data is an intrinsic part of the process. While conducting the analysis, school management can source and examine various data, including test results, feedback received from teachers, students, parents and others.

• Creating a collaborative environment between school authority and parents is an important step towards the improvement of a school’s standard. School leaders can also take help of data to connect and develop relationships with parents. Data will show attendance and engagement level of parents in various school functions and activities, and during parent-teacher meetings. By analyzing this data, leaders can come up with innovative methods to increase parents’ involvement in various school activities.

• Allocating resource is an important aspect of day-to-day school functions. The importance of data analysis goes a long way in monitoring allocation and distribution of resources. Further, the growing use of ERP in day-to-day school function helps leaders keep a check on the entire process of resource allocation.

Data-based decision making with regard to the improvement of a school is a never-ending process. Therefore, school authority should pay heed to the continuous monitoring and analysis of data so that decision makers can leverage various data extensively while formulating policies related to school improvement.

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