Case Study: Accountability Dashboards and Annual Reports

Ideas for Creating User-Friendly Reports

Accountability Dashboards and Annual Reports
One important element of accountability is reporting on student learning and achievement in ways that keep data front and center for your staff, and in ways parents and community can read and understand. Get ideas to adapt for your district from this compilation of best practice dashboards, scorecards, assessment reports and annual reports from across the country.

Many states require school districts to post student assessment results on their websites in the form of the state’s official "report card." Often these reports are none too user-friendly and can be daunting for parents and community members to read and understand.

Some districts, however, are going beyond the state report card in fulfilling their accountability responsibilities and are displaying performance data on their websites in formats that are easy to read and interpret. Using charts, graphs and color coding, they are presenting data that answer key accountability questions in some very innovative and accessible ways.

We've listed some excellent examples for you to consider. You will likely find ideas for a format that would make sense for your district, as you work to improve accountability reporting in your communities.

The examples we’ve provided are in these categories: