Data Collection and Use in Schools. PREL Briefing Paper.

This report summarizes the problems schools are encountering as they try to use data to gauge the effectiveness of standards-based education, accountability efforts, and school reform. It provides an overview of the education market, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of available software, and describes systems used by 19 states. The article looks at the use of technology in schools and the market opportunities that are developing as more school systems are recognizing the importance of administration software. It compares the various types of software applications that are available in the administrative technology market, most of which can be categorized as student-information systems, school-administrative systems, or classroom-management tools. These kinds of software are being driven by macro trends resulting from the need to evaluate changes in standards, accountability, school improvement, and technology. The report states that this market reality will push school administrators toward the use of products that can meet all these needs in one streamlined system. It discusses some of the companies that dominate the market and supplies the names of some of the smaller companies that offer student-information systems. The report concludes with a short review of the states that use integrated administrative software. (Contains 17 references.) (RJM)