Strategic Data Project Convening 2026

Session Description: Strategic plans often launch with fanfare but struggle to stay relevant during implementation. Guilford County Schools (GCS) addressed this through its Roadmap to Success framework for progress monitoring and strategic refresh. This session explores how GCS built monitoring capacity and gathered feedback to inform the next phase of work. Using strategy maps and balanced scorecards, we’ll preview how to measure what matters and communicate progress holistically. Participants will gain ideas for data-informed strategic planning.

Intended Audience: Districts, charters or other local education agencies; Data analysts or independent researchers; Senior leaders (including cabinet-level leaders and executive directors)

Session Description: Many districts struggle to ensure that their investments in educational programs improve student outcomes and are implemented with integrity. Participants will explore one district’s successful Outcomes Based Contracting approach—which produced a 0.39 SD effect in middle school math—and gain practical tools including contract templates, a framework for evaluating evidence, and strategies for building data partnerships that drive continuous improvement. Data leaders are especially encouraged to attend to strengthen evidence-based resource allocation practices.

Intended Audience: Districts, charters or other local education agencies; State education agencies; Managers of data or technology teams

Session Description: Reviewing degree programs or other similar administrative tasks often surfaces data that is difficult to discuss without damaging trust or relationships. This session will share a method for aligning shared program goals with accessible, simplified data to support constructive, relationship-centered conversations about program performance and improvement using research-based communication techniques. This session is designed for institutional researchers, academic leaders, and faculty involved in program review or academic planning.

Intended Audience: Institutions of higher education; Data analysts or independent researchers; Senior leaders (including cabinet-level leaders and executive directors)

Session Description: Many education organizations often treat evidence as an afterthought, rather than a crucial basis for decision-making. These organizations often lack a culture of asking the right questions and relying on evidence for decision making. In this session, participants will identify gaps in evidence use in their organizations and discuss strategies for how to create - and sustain - a culture of evidence and inquiry in their roles.

Intended Audience: Districts, charters or other local education agencies; State education agencies; Institutions of higher education; Nonprofit organizations; Philanthropies and Foundations; Service providers; Data analysts or independent researchers; Managers of data or technology teams; Senior leaders (including cabinet-level leaders and executive directors)

Session Description: SEA staff across the country face shared challenges in data reporting, assessment, and accountability but often lack opportunities to connect with peers in similar roles. This networking session will bring SEA professionals together for structured small-group discussions to share experiences, compare approaches, and learn from one another. SEA staff working in reporting, assessment, accountability, research, or related roles are encouraged to attend.

Intended Audience: State education agencies; Data analysts or independent researchers; Managers of data or technology teams

Session Description: While “college and career readiness” is a familiar phrase, college and career are hardly on equal footing in how success is defined and measured. This facilitated community dialogue will bring participants together to examine how current readiness frameworks shape policy, accountability systems, and public narratives about school quality. Participants from different roles will engage in structured discussion about how readiness definitions can support high expectations while recognizing multiple pathways to economic stability and success.

Intended Audience: State education agencies; Districts, charters or other local education agencies; Senior leaders (including cabinet-level leaders and executive directors)

Session Description: In an era of rising skepticism, how do we build the evidence necessary to sustain bold educational innovations? We will go under the hood of two complex evaluations, a large-scale literacy pilot in Oakland and a workforce redesign initiative, to demonstrate how partial proof and transparent data practices can strengthen stakeholder trust. Data leaders and researchers will leave with strategic understandings for conducting and communicating rigorous evaluation when time is short and data is messy.

Intended Audience: Data analysts or independent researchers; Districts, charters or other local education agencies; Philanthropies and Foundations; State education agencies; Senior leaders (including cabinet-level leaders and executive directors)