Six high-performing/high-poverty schools provide insights into what it takes to make a dramatic turnaround. School leaders had to make tough calls--and many of those decisions were about how to use resources. The budget in a high-performing, high-poverty school is a moral document, reflective of the school's beliefs about the conditions necessary…

In fall 1997, a midwestern district initiated changes to enable all stakeholders (especially teachers) to be knowledgeable users of standardized and teacher-made test results. Two major activities were implemented: data notebooks for each school and a data-mentor program to develop school personnel's data-analysis skills. (MLH)

Discusses how connecting instruction, professional development, and student learning can make the difference between successful and unsuccessful data use. Uses a case-study approach to show that by acknowledging that implementation occurs over time, schools can safeguard against discarding new instructional practices prematurely. (Contains one…