Diving Into Data 2012

EWA Seminar on Data-Based Journalism

What can you conclude about the teacher-turnover rates in your local schools? What is the relationship between students’ family backgrounds and high school graduation rates? Which schools are beating the demographic odds in student learning growth? Do students’ grades in your local high schools line up with their need for remediation in college?

Those are among the data-based questions journalists explored at the Education Writers Association’s first “Diving Into Data” workshop March 9-12, 2012 at the University of Colorado Denver campus.

Attendees received intensive training on how to use databases to pursue education-related stories, as well as how to access and assess available education data. Participants also examined the use of data by schools, districts, and states to inform instruction, manage performance, and determine what is and isn’t working to help students learn.