Harvard Graduate School of Education

Reviews of Data Wise:

from Harvard Educational Review:

"Data Wise reads as a strong tool to support examining large-scale test results as well as classroom data. It guides school- and district-based staff in having important conversations about student strengths and weaknesses and how to teach to them. Using this book as a guide will help schools identify challenges, foster collaboration among staff members, and improve schools’ overall culture." —excerpt from book review in Harvard Educational Review, Spring 2007

from The School Administrator:

“The book is well organized and would serve as a great tool for school and district improvement teams. Of special interest to superintendents is the chapter devoted to the role of the central office in becoming data wise.” —excerpt from book review in The School Administrator, August 2006

from Teachers College Record:

"With Data Wise, the authors have created an easy to read and understand book on how to transform data on student achievement into a plan of action to improve teaching and learning. While there are many different authors and probably just as many writing styles, the editors did a fantastic job of making sure the writing in each of the chapters blended and flowed so the book reads as if there was one writer.

Data Wise is practical and based on experiences in real schools; therefore, it achieves one of its goals of helping school leaders understand how to use student assessments to improve teaching and learning. School leaders should be very pleased to see what it would look like if they followed the whole process, which the authors show through the two case-study schools. Data Wise: A Step-by Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning is a nice contribution to how to get assessment data used by those who are leading and teaching in our schools." —excerpt from book review in Teachers College Record, May 10, 2006

from Horace:

“Teachers at small, autonomous schools committed to using data for schoolwide improvement would benefit greatly from the insight and experience of Data Wise's authors. The Data Wise process trusts teachers, relying not just what the data says but on what teachers know and can say about student performance. The combination of teacher wisdom and assessment results helps a school's staff members make connections among data, teaching, and learning.” —excerpt from book review in Horace, Winter 2006

from Education Book Reviews:

“For any team of educators needing to implement a coherent instructional plan, to identify the learning needs of every student, and to meet those needs, this book will be very helpful. The reviewer believes that if the goal of a school is to review student assessment results to improve teaching and learning, following this book would be beneficial.” —excerpt from book review in Education Book Reviews, 2005

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