Evaluation of a project using a 'School-based Index' to improve decision making and Student Learning

The technological capacity that now exists to gather and store large amounts of data has improved access to information related to the academic performance, demographic profile and welfare needs of young people in a school. Improvements in data management techniques, statistical data analysis and software packages have made retrieving and analyzing systems data a more accessible and manageable process. This situation has provided greater opportunities for researchers, school leaders and educators to understand factors affecting the academic achievement and welfare needs of students in the school. In many countries, examining school data has become an education policy priority and is seen as a way to improve academic outcomes in student learning. However, despite the excessive amount of data available, many school principals and teachers can struggle to use data to identify students requiring additional academic assistance. This article describes the development and application of a School-based Index Analysis (SIA) implemented twice over a seven-year period in a large regional school and the associated collaborations between researchers and school personnel. Data included in the index consists of enrolment data, as well as internal school administrative and academic data. Student data is a source representing the characteristics of the school community that can provide evidence to inform school-based decisions regarding student support programs, welfare needs, teaching and learning requirements and the targeting of resources.