School Systems Data Audit Template
A complete audit of how data is collected, used, and connected to decisions across your school
Work through this audit with your leadership team — not alone. Complete Part 1 first (student data inventory), then Part 2 (adult and implementation data), then Part 3 (integration assessment), then Part 4 (gaps and next steps). Be honest. The value of this tool is in what you're willing to see.
The five purposes of assessment: (1) Inform instruction · (2) Identify who needs support · (3) Diagnose why · (4) Monitor progress · (5) Determine if outcomes are met
PART 1 — STUDENT DATA INVENTORY
List every student data source your school currently collects. Be exhaustive — not curated.
| Data Source / Assessment | Purpose (which of 5?) | Frequency | Who Owns It? | What Decision Does It Drive? |
|---|
Which data sources can nobody explain the purpose of? Which ones drive actual decisions? Everything without a clear decision it drives is worth questioning.
PART 2 — ADULT & IMPLEMENTATION DATA INVENTORY
List the data you collect about adults and about how your systems are actually running.
Adult / Staff Data
| Data Source | Purpose (which of 5?) | Frequency | Who Owns It? | What Decision Does It Drive? |
|---|
Implementation Data
Check each area: do we currently collect data about this? What does it show?
Implementation Data Checklist
Are interventions being delivered as designed, at the right frequency, for the right students?
Is coaching actually changing instructional practice? How do we know?
Is our PD changing what happens in classrooms? Do we track this?
Is the master schedule being followed? Are intervention blocks protected?
Are our data and leadership meetings producing decisions? Do those decisions stick?
What does our family engagement data actually tell us about who we're reaching?
Where are the biggest blind spots? What adult or implementation data do you wish you had?
PART 3 — DATA INTEGRATION ASSESSMENT
How well are your data sources talking to each other — and connecting to real decisions?
1. When your team looks at student performance data, do you routinely connect it to implementation data?
Example: When reading scores are flat, do you immediately ask "is the intervention being delivered as designed?" before assuming it isn't working?
2. When your team looks at behavior data, do you connect it to instructional data?
Example: When behavior referrals spike, do you ask "what's happening instructionally in these classrooms?" before defaulting to a behavioral response?
3. When your team looks at adult data, do you connect it to student outcomes?
Example: When staff attendance varies by team, do you look at whether it correlates to student outcomes?
4. Does data flow freely across your team, or does it live in silos?
Think honestly: is there "my data" vs. "your data" in your building? Are there people who guard information instead of sharing it?
PART 4 — GAPS & NEXT STEPS
What does this audit tell you? What do you need to start, stop, or change?
Stop
Data we collect that serves no clear purpose:
Start
Data we need but don't currently collect:
Change
Data we have but aren't using well:
Our Top 3 Data System Priorities from This Audit
Pair this audit with the School Support Systems Routine Kit (5 meeting-ready data routines) and The Assessment Blueprint (complete assessment planning tool) — both available in The Collective Resource Vault.
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