#  Resources 

 



#  Resources 

In collaboration with educators around the world, the Data Wise team is working to expand and improve upon the ways you can use data to improve teaching and learning. Part of that work is providing news and resources to help educators implement Data Wise. If you’re interested in using data to move your school, classroom, or system forward, keep an eye on this page.



 

 

 

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###    Articles  expand\_more  

#### [To Improve Learning For Each Learner, Turn a Mirror on Your System](https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/news/24/05/improve-learning-each-learner-turn-mirror-your-system)

New book extends the Data Wise model to the system level. *May 2024*

#### [Looking at Data Through an Equity Lens](https://ascd.org/el/articles/looking-at-data-through-an-equity-lens)

Educator teams need to take a more inquiry-based approach to data analysis to address inequitable norms and patterns. Systemic inequity affects the expectations for what students can achieve, the way in which they are treated in classrooms, and how they see themselves in the curriculum. *February 2022*

#### [Making Meetings Work](https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/18/05/making-meetings-work)

Solutions to the common pitfalls that can sink a meeting — so educators can make the most of their collaborative time. *May 2018*

#### [Collaborative Learning — With Structure](https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/18/01/collaborative-learning-structure)

How one instructor intentionally models and fosters the key collaboration skills that students need, now and in their professional futures. *January 2018*

#### [Using Data Wisely at the System Level](http://kappanonline.org/using-data-wisely-system-level/)

District-level administrators carefully analyze their own performance data, practicing what they preach to local educators. *August 2017*

#### [Eight Steps to Becoming Data Wise](https://ascd.org/el/articles/eight-steps-to-becoming-data-wise)

Here's how school-based teams get the most out of their data-inquiry meetings. *November 2015*

#### [The Path of Data Wisdom](https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/news/15/04/path-data-wisdom)

Celebrating 10 Years, the Data Wise Project unveils a new portfolio of resources. *April 2015*

 

 



###    Books  expand\_more  

#### [Gutman Book Talk: Data Wise Third Edition](https://youtu.be/fo5GXeDQQ3Q?si=EfOHspLgo3BeQ0Rg&t=13)

Original Data Wise co-editors Dick Murnane and Liz City join Candice Bocala and Kathy Boudett for a lively discussion about the new edition of the book that came out on the 20th Anniversary of the first publication. *October 2025.*

#### [Data Wise, Revised and Expanded Edition](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781612505213/data-wise-revised-and-expanded-edition/)

The Revised and Expanded Edition of *Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning* (Harvard Education Press, 2013) shows how systematic and thoughtful examination of a wide range of data can catalyze critical school-wide dialogue. These conversations can help schools tap into teachers' knowledge, foster collaboration, identify obstacles to change, enhance school culture, and improve student learning. Also available in [Portuguese](https://loja.grupoa.com.br/eb-data-wise9786581334093-p1007048).

#### [System Wise: Continuous Instructional Improvement at Scale](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781682538777/system-wise/)

*System Wise: Continuous Instructional Improvement at Scale* (Harvard Education Press, 2024) provides a blueprint to scale up the Data Wise process for continuous improvement, extending it from classrooms and schools to broader educational contexts.

#### [Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781612506944/meeting-wise/)

*Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators* identifies improving meeting agendas as a high-leverage strategy for changing how people work together, and offers tools for developing a common language for discussing and improving the quality of meeting design and the templates to help you get started. It provides tips for setting up, facilitating, and participating effectively in meetings. It also supports the reader in developing a strategy for making a fundamental shift in how collaborative time is used.

#### [Data Wise in Action: Stories of Schools Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781891792809/data-wise-in-action/)

*Data Wise in Action: Stories of Schools Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning* (Harvard Education Press, 2007) focuses on eight very different schools as they integrate the Data Wise Improvement Process into their daily work. It highlights the leadership challenges that schools can face at each step of the process and illustrates how educators use creativity and collaboration to overcome them.

#### [Scaling Up Data Wise in Prince George's County Public Schools](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/cases/scaling-up-data-wise-in-prince-georges-county-public-schools/)

*Scaling Up Data Wise in Prince George's County* (Harvard Education Press, 2017) describes ambitious efforts to scale a collaborative data-driven improvement process across 199 schools from 2014-2016. It details the strategic choices that Deputy Superintendent Dr. Monique Davis and Executive Director of the Office of Continuous Systemic Improvement Dr. David Rease make to elicit buy-in and support at all levels, the primary challenges they must overcome, and the ongoing dilemmas they continue to negotiate.

 

 



###    Journals  expand\_more  

#### [Collaboration for Literacy Improvement: The Experiences of Teacher-Researchers in the First Stages of an Inquiry Process](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00098655.2021.1907147)

This study describes teachers' experiences during a data-driven inquiry process to improve literacy-related practices. This action research was initiated at an international English immersion school for native Chinese speakers. *April 2021*

#### [Sustaining a Continuous Improvement Culture in Educator Preparation: A Higher Education Network Based on Data Wise](https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jpr/vol4/iss1/3/)

Supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the educator preparation program at Endicott College integrated the Data Wise Improvement Process into its practice. *June 2019*

 

 



###    Protocols and Templates  expand\_more  

#### **Step 1** 

[Stoplight Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TokGTqR7WOTtkT-uDzHaoWO4tdFRiRjv/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol is intended to inform team members about the steps of the Data Wise Improvement Process and provide an opportunity for reflection about where a school is with respect to the process. It also helps participants cultivate the ACE Habit of Mind of maintaining a relentless focus on evidence.

[Coherence Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eB9Lx4N-qDjEKUtXV6E8p4ZUvfYAIsq7/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol helps educators take stock of the specific things they are already doing to use data to improve learning and teaching. This helps to create a sense of coherence between that work and the Data Wise Improvement Process so that a team can identify a point of entry into the process. This protocol is especially effective after the Stoplight Protocol.

[Equity Reflection Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vY8ytxBxBUUCS421NXBoPDiC47f2pRCP/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol helps educators share their personal *why* story with others. Sharing stories helps participants practice “speaking their truth,” especially as it relates to how they think about the concept of equity. Hearing others’ stories helps participants receive other perspectives and begin to see how different people approach the work of equity in different ways. For guidance about creating a personal *why* story, see Components of a Compelling Personal Why Story.

[Shared *Why* Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TDX1qV0rojKp9RB82A6gTskU6a-MPCg1/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol is for teams that are just forming or adding new team members. The purpose is to

support teams in organizing for collaborative work by learning about one another, identifying connections, and developing a shared *why*.

[Plus/Delta Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/12YV9feL_IZ_Pb371_-1yZXgDLS67_SST/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol helps team members assess what worked well in a meeting or professional learning session and consider what they would have liked to change.

[Data Wise Framework](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tXa9wkR5_6WF6IEzv-NtnYhu_xCH4lRq/view?usp=drive_link)

This document shows how the Data Wise improvement process, equity questions, and ACE Habits of Mind fit together into a single framework.

[Data Wise Framework with System Wise Icons](https://www.gse.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/2024-06/Data-Wise-Framework.pdf)

This document adds to the framework four icons representing the approach that system-level leaders use when supporting continuous improvement.

[Meeting Wise Checklist](https://datawise.gse.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/datawise/files/meeting_wise_checklist_1.pdf)

This checklist encourages team leaders to consider the meeting elements related to purpose, process, preparation, and pacing when planning or reflecting on a meeting.

[Meeting Wise Agenda Template](https://datawise.gse.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/datawise/files/meeting_wise_agenda_template.pdf)

This template provides an example of how a meeting agenda can be structured to consider all of the items on the Meeting Wise Checklist. ([Meeting Wise Checklist in Spanish](https://datawise.gse.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/datawise/files/lista_de_verificacion_de_meeting_wise_0.pdf))

[Meeting Wise Rolling Agenda Template](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TJyfibneLi5ig77pW0uc1gRkIQVHnE_G679Juh4xmQg/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.932z5oj4zd1c)

This template shows how to structure a single shared document that contains all of the agendas for a series of meetings. (For more information about rolling agendas, please see [Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators](http://hepg.org/hep-home/books/meeting-wise).)

#### **Step 2** 

[Data Literacy Scavenger Hunt Template](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CzyjAaQuX0P-BTQYWSiz3kwa-nkJ_y9d/view?usp=drive_link)

This template provides a structured way of understanding what data were collected or what was assessed so that educators can understand how results are reported.

[Evidence Inventory Template ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qv7T5akh1rnAj6F99P2aKRBZw8ibgoOf/view?usp=drive_link)

This template helps educators create a list of existing and desired evidence related to the focus area, including details about the data sources and how they are used.

#### **Steps 3-5** 

[Data Overview Design Rationale Questionnaire and Data Display Checklist](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q2oj6vk3al_cgQvJ2Ssy25ZEmuRzcoDFyG7S1_Ysnl8/edit?tab=t.0)

This document supports leaders in thinking deeply about a data overview’s rationale before making it. The second page is the Data Display Checklist, which serves as a reminder of how to format data displays or charts so that readers can easily interpret the information they contain.

[I Notice / I Wonder Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i_jBI9cQjkZHSmnXA9jH_flcnNQhq6KN/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol provides sentence stems that helps educators be deliberate about where statements fall on the ladder of inference and to separate low- inference claims from higher- inference questions.

[Affinity Protocol ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bgR0LHUaEpZRWCThNyJ6hXU27vROOxLz/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol supports teams to categorize and cluster similar forms of data together to see patterns and hypothesize relationships. The protocol takes its name from the word affinity, which means “similarity.” In the Data Wise Improvement Process, this protocol works best in Step 5, “Examine our own practice,” when participants have already documented their specific and descriptive notes after observing practice (e.g., classroom instruction).

#### **Steps 6-7**

[Instructional Core Brainstorm Protocol](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s0Rb67zQcgN9zg-se_tOuqwvoIMoX-0I/view?usp=drive_link)

This protocol supports team members to get on the same page and build common language about what will be happening when they introduce a new instructional strategy. This protocol can also work for other new strategies that are applied outside classrooms (e.g., a family engagement strategy where school leaders are working with caregivers). In this case, you would substitute “learner, facilitator, and content” for “student, teacher, and content.”

[Action Plan and Plan to Assess Impact Template ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bY-OwdIDmyJJP5hWJEfiZenSq2qe7eK0/view?usp=drive_link)

This template supports a team with documenting tasks, roles, deadlines, and success criteria associated with their action plan. It also includes a section to record which assessment tools the team will use to assess impact.

System Wise [Action Plan Template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18Ni-gFSHFKFrDvaa0rYNT0QrSIOyXqlMi_aDENSE6U4/edit)

This is an editable version of the rolling action plan template found on page 148 of [System Wise: Continuous Instructional Improvement at Scale](https://hep.gse.harvard.edu/9781682538777/system-wise/). The purpose of this document is to capture intended actions and track learning and progress as they unfold. [This Example Action Plan](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VAsdfpbHDNChb2KqyR8VoLiZBVgv7ZC8deh9D0Spxvc/copy) shows what it looks like when the template is filled out.

#### **Step 8** 

[Data Wise Throughline Template](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hFfRG7S8ATHMC25ACOhN8SLQQtuNHZQB/view?usp=drive_link)

This template shows the main deliverables for Steps 2-7 of the Data Wise improvement process and the quality indicators for each deliverable. Team members use it to document their progress through an improvement cycle and check their deliverables against the quality indicators.

[Impact Story Template ](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10MrJ50PdrAviYD-kpx9F_17mXH1-PXuGmeUaUe8thns/edit?usp=drive_link)

This template is for team members to share the story of their impact at the end of an improvement cycle. It focuses on evidence and learning from implementation as well as impact on learner experience and performance. It also includes a space to summarize implications for their next cycle.

[Data Wise Journey Presentation Template](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GNLkQYBHYclTkVvnConNGjCPf6EtmZAzlAyTZ-38pcY/edit#slide=id.p4)

This template provides a format for capturing a team's journey through the eight steps of the Data Wise Improvement Process. A [universal version](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16lzwKIhQ7u5kEzdFq2TorGcrFykUxdnL2NT35pmTqU4/edit?usp=sharing) of the Journey Presentation Template is also best for system-level teams.

[Improvement Journal Template ](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SwDBGVnp4eLzUG0agmYm91sopKIWFcHvacSO_VdjM0s/edit?usp=drive_link)

This template provides an opportunity to capture a team’s learning at each phase of the Data Wise Improvement Process (Prepare, Inquire, and Act), as well as a space to capture individual and shared *Why* stories, reflections from the Compass Points protocol, reflections on equity, and other celebrations.

[Data Wise Journey Presentation Template](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GNLkQYBHYclTkVvnConNGjCPf6EtmZAzlAyTZ-38pcY/edit#slide=id.p4)

This template provides a format for capturing a team's journey through the eight steps of the Data Wise Improvement Process. A [universal version](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16lzwKIhQ7u5kEzdFq2TorGcrFykUxdnL2NT35pmTqU4/edit?usp=sharing) of the Journey Presentation Template is also best for system-level teams.

[Improvement Journal Template ](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SwDBGVnp4eLzUG0agmYm91sopKIWFcHvacSO_VdjM0s/edit?usp=drive_link)

This template provides an opportunity to capture a team’s learning at each phase of the Data Wise Improvement Process (Prepare, Inquire, and Act), as well as a space to capture individual and shared *Why* stories, reflections from the Compass Points protocol, reflections on equity, and other celebrations.

 

 



###    Videos  expand\_more  

#### [The ACE Habits of Mind: The Foundation of Data Wise](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=33ae062f-f06c-4748-82a7-b14e00dc48ff)

Educators discuss how cultivating these habits allows them to support students and colleagues to thrive.  *July 2017*

#### [Gutman Book Talk: System Wise](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG1kPYE4yFg&list=PLJX6dtNZ-81YegSo5FZPYBs_2nFIC4rn1&index=3)

Gutman Library Book Talk, "System Wise," with Adam Parrott-Sheffer, Carmen Williams, David Rease Jr., and Kathryn Parker Boudett. *October 2024*

#### [Participant Experience: Data Wise Institute](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=ec39d1d8-62c5-4ed4-abb7-b006015618ce)

An interview with Data Wise institute participants from New York. *February 2023*

#### [Data Wise Experience: Branchville Elementary School](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtOJQUYUOto)

Watch as Branchville Elementary teachers share their experiences with the Data Wise Journey, a structured approach to using student data for instructional improvement. Learn how they identified challenges, refined their teaching strategies, and collaborated to enhance student learning through data-driven inquiry. *April 2018*

 

 



###    Webinars  expand\_more  

 

##  System Wise Wednesdays 

Wise Wednesdays are free 45-minute webinars designed by the authors of System Wise.

We explore practical strategies for building your teams’ comfort with data, and draw on stories from real districts to illustrate how to collect, curate, and communicate meaningful data that captures impact at the district, school, and classroom levels. Whether you’re tracking systems-wide initiatives or looking more closely at classroom practice, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of how strong data literacy leads to better support for adult learners and improved outcomes for students.

 

 [Register for the next webinar. chevron\_right](https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tf7KM1dJRwaCJiY-bASbwQ?utm_source=ppemt&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=k12_dl_swli_0626&utm_content=virtual_info_session#/registration) 

 



  [### Wise Wednesdays: Scaling Joy (A System Wise Approach to Leading Through Feelings)

 ](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=864c9fd7-d3db-4593-b9fb-b3bc014e2841)December 17, 2025



 

 

   ![Wise Wednesdays December 17, 2025](/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-12/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.18.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=nv0Tt0oB) 

 



 

 

   [### Wise Wednesdays: Data and Literacy at Scale

 ](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=37dc3974-be64-4a47-b952-b3b1011cf3b1)October 22, 2025



 

 

   ![Wise Wednesdays October 22, 2025](/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-12/Screenshot%202025-12-12%20at%2012.50.51%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=1qup2Tsc) 

 



 

 

   [### Wise Wednesdays: Expect the Unexpected

 ](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=e6349d09-6adb-4e68-adf6-b36401229988)August 27, 2025



 

 

   ![Wise Wednesday August 27, 2025](/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-10/Webinar%20Bumper%20%28Fade%20in%20for%2010%20from%20Intro%20bumper%2C%20hold%202%20seconds%2C%20cross%20dissolve%20to%20video%29%20%281%29.jpg?itok=ClmfDpPg) 

 



 

 

  

 

 

 

 

##  Info Sessions 

Our virtual information sessions give prospective participants an overview of upcoming professional education programs. These sessions offer a chance to learn about program structure, curriculum, and participant experience, as well as meet faculty leaders and ask questions in real time.

 

 



  [### Data Wise Leadership Institute

 ](https://harvard.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=4fa9e4c6-20ec-4b32-a9ca-b3980159e088)November 5, 2025



 

 

   ![Data Wise Leadership Institute information session](/sites/g/files/omnuum4951/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-11/Screenshot%202025-11-17%20at%204.19.23%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=3gX6dFBU)