Today's education reforms, focused on standards, performance, accountability and school-based management, have created a significant need for improved information management and analytical capacity at the school level. Principals and other decision-makers in schools are facing increasing pressures to improve student test scores and school quality indicators and are facing heightened accountability consequences. This project will conduct research aimed at improving school level data management, analysis, and reporting capability with software and technical support. Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications: A prototype for software that can operate on multiple platforms; help schools monitor, evaluate, and report student academic progress and school performance; and strengthen the data and statistical decision making capability of principals and other decision makers in schools. Our vision is of technology in the service of "total quality management" and "the high-involvement model" for school-based management - practices which research shows lead to improved student achievement and better schools. The commercial applications are significant since there is a large, recognized need in this area and few successful solutions. We believe the market is particularly significant among schools and school systems currently lagging in their use of technology as identified in recent White House and Department of Education communiqués regarding "the digital divide."
