Which approach helps in evaluating school performance effectively?

The approach of using a variety of data sources to assess progress is effective in evaluating school performance because it provides a comprehensive view of the educational environment. This method encompasses multiple dimensions of student learning and school effectiveness, such as academic achievement, social-emotional development, and engagement levels.

By incorporating diverse data points—such as attendance records, standardized test scores, student surveys, teacher assessments, and formative evaluations—leaders can gain a well-rounded understanding of a school's strengths and weaknesses. This multifaceted evaluation supports informed decision-making, enables targeted interventions, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement within the school.

In contrast, relying solely on a single data source, such as testing scores, would provide a limited, often misleading perspective of a student's overall growth and the school's effectiveness. Similarly, annual surveys of student happiness might capture important sentiments but would miss critical academic insights necessary for overall evaluation. Finally, focusing only on staff performance overlooks the student's needs and experiences, which are essential for understanding and improving school performance as a whole.