As Chief Data Officer for KASB, it is my responsibility to manage and oversee all the association’s data assets, in particular the data we collect annually from members. I took on this responsibility from my predecessor Jim Hays, who retired after 29 years with KASB.
During those almost 30 years, Jim built an impressive program of data collections that cover a wide range of topics pertinent to the planning and decision-making school boards often have to do. These include:
- School District Calendars
- School Board Elections
- Teacher Salary Schedules
- Administrator Salaries and Benefits
- Fees for Students, Parents, Facilities Usage, etc.
- Supplemental Pay
- District Policies
- Teacher Contracts and Negotiations
In this piece, I’d like to share the philosophies and ideals around which these data collections are built to give you a better idea about the spirit with which this data is collected, the nature of the data itself, and the intended uses for this data.
Whenever I talk to a group about the data we collect, there are usually some awkward moments when I have to explain that the nature of KASB’s data is different than what a lot of people are used to. For example:
- We never get 100% of districts to respond to each survey each year.
- There are no set deadlines for our surveys.
- There are no penalties for not submitting the information.
- After submitting, districts can go back in and change their answers. (For the current school year and for previous school years.)
- Some of the questions are intentionally vague, allowing for a range of interpretation that can change the nature of the answers submitted.
These things might seem to call the quality of our data into question, but KASB does not believe that expecting every district to respond to every question on every survey every year is either realistic nor is it necessary for the data’s intended purpose.
And what is that purpose, you might ask?
The primary purpose of KASB’s annual data collections is to provide information to members that allows them to compare their district with others throughout the state to build a foundation for setting policy and decision making.
In other words, KASB asks you, our members, to provide us with data so that we can in turn provide it back to you and all the other KASB members. Though we sometimes use this data for state-level reports and sometimes as part of our advocacy efforts, the primary purpose is always to give you more information to work with.
In addition, the data we provide is always intended to be a first step. We hope that districts are looking at the information provided by another district or districts and using it as a foundation for a conversation with other districts. KASB recognizes that sometimes the most effective service we can provide is a way for districts to connect with each other.
Our data collections are very different than those required by KSDE and other groups, where the data is needed for reporting tied to funding and outcomes. The stakes for our data collections are lower, which is why we don’t always see as many responses as we’d hope to get. I have had many conversations with district staff where I have encouraged them to focus on the mandatory reporting and not worry about our surveys until they have more time available to them.
In an ideal world, each district would be able to provide KASB all the information we ask for each year, and KASB in turn would be able to offer this data back to you, clean and crisp and without any flaws. But as you know, we do not live in an ideal world, and so we have to strive to make the best decisions we can with the resources we have available to us.
KASB will continue to strive to improve the quality, completeness, and ease of use of this data, both for those providing it and those who need to use it. However, we encourage members to utilize the data that is available for planning and decision making, and are always available to help you access, interpret, and use this valuable resource.
We may not be able to offer you absolute facts, but we can give you good indicators to work from.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
