1. Christopher Thorn
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Value-Added Research Center

2. Core challenges
 Systems designed to manage building
resources and student teacher ratios –
not teaching and learning
 Multiplicity of funding streams has
generated many parallel – non-
connected systems
 New analytical demands rapidly
exceeded system capacity and new
demands increasing in scale and speed

3. Logic of performance
systems
Inputs Activities Outputs Outcomes
Design Program Public &
Goals Educators
Project Measures Educator Effort
Receive
Funds Incentives
Information
Goals
Deliver New Measures
Project Incentives
Staff Program Changes in
Instruction
Educator
Measure Participation
Top Mgmt & Performance
Key Improved
Stakeholder Leadership & Student
Support Educators Achievement.
Report
Receive
Outcomes
Appropriate
Recognition
Context Other District
Opportunities
Programs &
& Resources
Initiatives

4. Core data system concerns
 Data quality and quantity adequate
 Timeliness of results – both formative
feedback along the way and summative
reports on performance
 Instrumentation for collecting non-test
score measures
 Ability to federate data from multiple
sources

5. Technology support
broadens
 Original concerns about creating valid
performance calculations for payout
 Out-year tasks are reducing burden of
observation, logs, and other data
streams
 Challenge of creating systems to track
implementation of interventions at all
levels to enhance evaluation capabilities

6. Where we are working
 Connect resources to outcomes
 Track resource expenditures down to
school, classroom, and student
 Value Added Analysis
 Connect data to operational decisions
and improvement planning
 Build new measures into KPI
frameworks

7. From Small Measures

8. To Large

9. Bottom Line for Tech
Strategy
 Moving to performance compensation
changes the game
 Evaluation of programs, practices,
teacher prep partners, etc. becomes a
core business function
 Culture of evidence can grow from focus
on productivity
 Substantial new demands on socio-
technical systems

10. Inventory
 SIS (granularity and S-T links)
 DW (refresh, reports, and dashboards)
 IMS/LMS
 HR/Finance
 PD
 Platforms in schools/models of use
 Network (backbone & building deployed)

11. Discussion & Questions
Chris Thorn
University of Wisconsin-Madison
cathorn@wisc.edu
608-263-2709