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When Data Use Devolves Into Deficit Talk: Creating the Conditions for Productive Teacher Collaboration Using Data

Drawing on ethnographic research from a small urban high school serving predominantly low-income students in a large northeastern city, this case explores how a school leader seeks to improve the school’s graduation rates by analyzing student data. It asks readers to consider the overall organization of the meeting, the role of the principal, the positioning of teachers, and the resulting conversations about students that the meeting generates. The case suggests that data analysis is not a silver bullet for improvement and considers that organizational, cultural, and contextual elements need to be in place for teachers to effectively improve their practice and student outcomes.