Since 2014, DQC has conducted public opinion research to better understand how parents and teachers think about education data. Since 2016, we have been asking parents and teachers directly, through polls completed by The Harris Poll, to share their opinions on important issues in education data – from access to privacy. In 2022 we asked students and superintendents how they value and use data in their decisionmaking. In 2024 we asked early childhood administrators and adult learners looking to enhance their careers how they use data. The findings from this research inform the resources we create and the recommendations we make to ensure policies and practices related to education data are serving the needs of those closest to students.
Findings from DQC’s 2024 National Poll
Early Childhood Administrators Value Data for Decisionmaking: DQC surveyed early childhood administrators to find out how they are collecting, using, and reporting data. Early childhood administrators voiced that while data is essential for their work, they need better access to data and shared that data collection and reporting requirements tend to be inefficient—if not overwhelming.
People Want Information to Improve Their Career Trajectories and Access New Opportunities: DQC surveyed adult learners about how they have used data to explore and select certificate, short-term, and noncredit programs. Adult learners reported that they value challenging themselves, seeking out skills that allow them to stay employed in a changing job market, and pursuing learning opportunities that offer tangible career and personal benefits.
Findings from DQC’s 2022 National Poll
Students Want Access and Support to Use Their Own Data to Navigate Their Futures: During the COVID-19 pandemic, students have faced uncertainty inside and outside of school. A national student poll from the Data Quality Campaign and the Kentucky Student Voice Team surveyed high school students to find out how they are thinking about data as they navigate high school and are making their postsecondary and workforce plans. Students conveyed that data about learning and academic progress is important to helping them stay on track after the pandemic, but their own data isn’t getting back to them. Their message came through loud and clear: students want access and support to use their own data to navigate their futures.
Better Access to Data Helps Superintendents Make Decisions. They Want More of It.: Access to data enables district superintendents to make decisions for the students and schools they serve. A national poll from the Data Quality Campaign and AASA, The School Superintendents Association, surveyed district superintendents to find out how they are using data to support their students and schools. Superintendents shared that data is an important part of their decisionmaking, providing insights about student and school performance and instilling confidence that their students are on track for success. But whether it is provided by schools or their state, superintendents want access to more data.
Findings from DQC’s 2021 National Poll
Disconnects in Perceptions of Data Use Threaten Recovery. State Leaders Must Act Now: DQC’s sixth poll of parents and first poll of principals uncovered several disconnects in perceptions about data—disconnects that must be addressed. From parents’ supportive views on state assessments to principals’ confidence in teachers’ capacity to use data, our 2021 polling results show what parents and principals are thinking about data use and how education leaders can work to overcome these potential barriers to recovery efforts.
Findings from DQC’s 2020 National Poll
Teachers Want Data to Understand the Impact of Remote Learning and Training to Use It Effectively: DQC’s third national teacher poll surveyed teachers in the midst of school closures and remote learning, seeking to better understand their experiences and needs. The poll results show that teachers want data about how the COVID-19 crisis has affected student learning as well as training and resources to use that data effectively.
Parents Want Data to Understand the Impact of School Closures and Support Recovery: DQC’s fifth national parent poll also surveyed parents during remote learning and school closures. Parents are clear: they need data to support their students, and they want more information, including assessment data, to understand the impact of school closures on student learning and to inform future recovery efforts.
Findings from DQC’s 2019 National Poll
Teachers Want to Use Data But Can’t Go It Alone: DQC’s second national poll of teachers found they are strongly committed to using data in service of students – but are left on their own to make this happen. Policymakers and school leaders are missing critical moments throughout teachers’ careers and these missed opportunities are driving teachers to build their own capacity to put data to work.
Parents Are Ready for the Next Generation of Education Data: DQC’s fourth national poll of teachers uncovers steady support for education is also driving parents’ appetite for this information to be used in new ways to support their children, including through greater public reporting and secure access to data by adults who support students outside of the classroom.
Findings from DQC’s 2018 National Poll
Teachers See the Power of Data – But Don’t Have Enough Time to Use It: Commissioned in 2018, DQC’s first national poll of teachers found that teachers value data. Teachers reported that data can be used to ensure student success but report roadblocks, like time and training, are keeping them from effectively using data in the classroom. Teachers also believe that it’s up to school and district leaders to take action to remove these barriers to data use.
Parents & Teachers Agree: Data Is Key to Supporting Students: DQC’s third parent poll and first teacher poll uncovers insights on how parents and teachers view data collection, access, and use. Findings include an increase in parents’ trust in both the protection of their child’s data and in educators to use their child’s data appropriately.
Findings from DQC’s 2018 Focus Groups
Utah Teachers Value, Use, and Need Data: DQC partnered with Hope Street Group to learn more about the opinions of teachers in Utah. We heard that, like the national sample of teachers in our 2018 poll, Utah teachers value, use, and need data to better support their students’ learning and outcomes. Utah teachers also expressed the actions states can take to ensure the time, training, and tools needed to make data use in the classroom possible.
Findings from DQC’s 2017 National Poll
Parents Value, Trust, and Rely on Education Data: The findings from DQC’s second national poll of parents found that parents value, trust, and rely on publicly reported education data and individual data about their child to make important decisions to support their child’s educational success.
Findings from DQC’s 2017 Focus Groups
Tennessee Teachers Value, Use, and Need Data: DQC partnered with Hope Street Group to ask Tennessee teachers from across the state their opinions about data. We learned that Tennessee teachers value and use data to help their students learn and grow, and need greater support from states to make data use a more seamless part of the day.
Findings from DQC’s 2016 National Poll
Parents Want Their Child’s Data: DQC’s first national poll of parents examined their opinions on the education data that is collected to support students and the types of information they are most interested in receiving to make better decisions.
