A set of tip sheets released this week by the Wallace Foundation could offer guidance on how to use data to evaluate and improve after-school programs. Not all of the advice given strictly relates to schools, but the tips can be used to help schools and after-school programs communicate more effectively, Lucas Held, communications director of the New York City-based foundation, said in a press release.
The tip sheets are available as a PDF through the Wallace Foundation website. Here’s an excerpt from “Fair Share: Data Sharing Strategies That Work:"
Show providers how they can use school data to improve program quality and address student needs in real time. In Louisville, Ky., for instance, one provider started a truancy prevention program after a data query revealed high absenteeism at school among its ninth-grade participants. It continued the program until school attendance improved. This, in turn, supported in-school learning. Schools, under intense pressure to deliver results, want to know how OST [out-of-school time] helps them reach their goals.