Empowering Parents with Data: Ensuring Parents Have Data to Make Informed Choices
This two-page infographic presents results from a state survey on parents’ access to their own children’s data. According to the publishers, while most states create student progress reports, only 17 states provide parents with access to data that would allow them track their children’s individual progress over time. The publishers also report the number of states that provide information and training to help parents interpret and use state-collected student data.
While the purposes of this publication are not directly stated, they are easily inferred in both its title and content. The primary purpose is to promote parent’s access to state-collected student data on their children. That purpose is met in an effectively designed infographic that uses easy-to-understand English. A key caveat is that, while the publication infers that 17 states provide parents with “access to their own children’s data . . . primarily through local, secure portals or websites,” a check of five of the 17 states indicated that parents did not have direct access to their children’s state-collected data. In Texas, for example, access appears to be available only through a child’s teacher. According to the Texas Student Data System website: “Your children’s teachers will be able to use these dashboards to monitor their progress and to intervene if necessary to help your students stay on track, finish school, and prepare for college. The dashboards comprise a series of printable reports that can be shared with parents at parent-teacher conferences to help them understand their student’s progress and where they need extra support.” Utility of this infographic should be reasonably high, potentially increasing parent access to state-collected student data.