Charter LEAs face many challenges connected to data analysis. For many charter LEAs, data is isolated in several different systems that lack the ability to provide comprehensive student level data to teachers. Additionally, many systems lack the ability to analyze assessment and standards-based classroom performance data in a way that can inform instruction. The OSSE seeks to provide Race to the Top participating charter LEAs with supplemental funding to develop instructional improvement systems that will equip teachers with student-level data. An instructional improvement system enables teachers and administrators to analyze student information and use their unique expertise to target instructional materials and resources, based on the collected data. Participating LEAs are encouraged to develop consortia to maximize their resources and develop shared systems that can meet group and individual school needs.

As defined by the US Department of Education, instructional improvement systems are technology-based tools and other strategies that provide teachers, principals, and administrators with meaningful support and actionable data to systemically manage continuous instructional improvement, including such activities as: instructional planning; gathering information (e.g., through formative assessments, interim assessments, summative assessments, and looking at student work and other student data); analyzing information with the support of rapid-time reporting; using this information to inform decisions on appropriate next instructional steps; and evaluating the effectiveness of the actions taken. Such systems promote collaborative problem-solving and action planning; they may also integrate instructional data with student-level data such as attendance, discipline, grades, credit accumulation, and student survey results to provide early warning indicators of a student’s risk of educational failure.