By Bill DeBaun, Senior Director, Data and Strategic Initiatives
Reading time: Three minutes
Well, it’s time once again to turn on the data bat signal. Education Strategy Group(ESG) is developing a District Postsecondary Data Playbook,
a publicly-available resource designed to help school districts improve their use of data to support students' college and career readiness. To make this playbook as impactful as possible, ESG is seeking real-world tools and resources that districts
are already using to track and improve postsecondary and workforce outcomes.
ESG is looking for district-level examples and resources that highlight how data is used to improve and guide postsecondary outcomes, including but not limited to dashboards, strategic plans, training materials, advising templates, or data-sharing agreements. Your tools
can help other districts refine their approaches and ensure more students have a clear path to success after high school.
This effort is related to the District Framework for Postsecondary Success, which the National College Attainment Network
(NCAN) introduced to members last year. This framework focuses on creating the foundational supports necessary to increase postsecondary success. It highlights five key conditions that districts should strive to create.
Back to the Data Playbook. While all resources are welcome, ESG is especially interested in materials that align with three key areas of data practice:
Data Leadership:
Strategic plans that explicitly center postsecondary outcomes
Organizational charts and job descriptions for college and career readiness (CCR) roles
Data Infrastructure:
Data-sharing agreements with higher education and community partners
Clear definitions and documentation of postsecondary and workforce success metrics
Internal and external data dashboards that monitor student outcomes
Data Use for Student Success:
Training materials for district staff on data collection and use
Meeting protocols and continuous improvement plans based on postsecondary data
Advising templates and student-facing tools, such as college match and return-on-investment (ROI) worksheets
If you have resources to share, please send them to me, Bill DeBaun, at debaunb@ncan.org and CC ajones@edstrategy.org. A brief description of what you’re submitting would
be great but honestly is not critical if it’s self-explanatory. Even if your materials don’t fit neatly into the categories above, we’re is eager to review any tools that could benefit other districts.
By contributing to the District Postsecondary Data Playbook, you’re not just sharing resources—you’re helping to build a national repository of best practices that will empower districts to make data-driven decisions that improve student outcomes. Your
expertise and experience can help shape the future of postsecondary data use and ensure more students achieve success beyond high school.
Thank you for supporting this critical effort. We look forward to seeing the innovative tools and strategies NCAN members bring to the table!
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