As school district administrators, the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) provides a framework for making informed decisions and maximizing positive outcomes for students and staff. As a district leader, promoting the concepts of evidence-based practice can have a positive impact on all district and school improvement efforts. A common misconception is that data is only…
Data vs. Analytics: Do you know the difference? And, how does this apply to a school district environment? As a school district administrator, you may have heard the terms “data” and “analytics” being used frequently (often together or interchangeably), but may not fully understand the difference between the two. It may seem rather basic, but…
School districts often face an unprecedented level of complexity when it comes to managing their strategic learning initiatives, operations, and finances. At times, it can be difficult for school district leaders to stay on top of everything. That’s why many school districts use a strategic dashboard as a way to stay organized, informed, and focused…
At The School Superintendents Association’s (AASA) 2023 National Conference for Education in San Antonio, TX, ECRA Group had the privilege of presenting with Wheaton Community Unit School District 200 (CUSD200) about their recent adoption of a Strategic Dashboard. Dr. John Gatta, CEO of ECRA and Dr. Jeff Schuler, Superintendent of Schools at CUSD200, described how…
Effective communication of data starts by communicating what truly matters in your community. In this video, Dr. John Gatta, CEO of ECRA Group, provides guidance on how to report data and how to identify what numbers are most important in communication efforts at your school district. Dr. Gatta shares a simple three-step process you can…
In the August 2022 issue of School Administrator magazine, published by The School Superintendent’s Association (AASA), Dr. John Gatta, CEO of ECRA Group, contributed an article on the topic of academic return on investment (ROI). The article can be viewed, in context, via AASA’s digital magazine. For your convenience, the article is also posted below.…
Listen to Dr. John Gatta, CEO of ECRA Group, in this interview with Larry Jacobs on Education Talk Radio, discuss how districts can measure academic return on investment (ROI). Dr. Gatta helps define academic return on investment and outlines several examples and some strategies for measuring ROI. This interview was made possible because of ECRA’s…
The ECRA Strategic Dashboard is a powerful tool that encourages district leaders to think differently about student success and school quality. The strategic dashboard provides an infrastructure for school districts to build their own school report card at the local level against a local definition of quality. It provides a framework for the superintendent to…
This white paper discusses strategies that district leaders can use to reshape the narrative surrounding their schools.
Dr. John Gatta from ECRA Group and Dr. Erika Schlichter from Huntley 158 presented on the topic of Academic Return on Investment (ROI). In this webinar, Dr. Gatta explained best practices for measuring Academic Return on Investment (ROI) and Dr. Schlichter presented a case study from her school district. This livestream was presented in conjunction…