Building a better data culture can be the path to better results and greater equity in schools. But what do we mean by data? Your students are not just statistics. They aren't simply a set of numbers or faceless dots on a proficiency scale. They are vibrant collections of experiences, thoughts, perspectives, emotions, wants, and dreams. And taken collectively, all of that information is data-and should be valued as such. Equity in Data not only unpacks the problematic nature of current approaches to data but also helps educators demystify and democratize data. It shows how we can bake equity into our data work and illuminate the disparities, stories, and truths that make our schools safer and stronger-and that help our students grow and thrive. To this end, the authors introduce a four-part framework for how to create an equitable data culture (along with a complementary set of data principles). They demonstrate how we can rethink our approach to data in the interest of equity by making five shifts: Expand our understanding of data. Strengthen our knowledge of data principles. Break through our fear of data. Decolonize our data gathering processes. Turn data into meaningful, equitable action. We have an opportunity to realign school data with what students want out of their educational experiences. When we put equity first, we put students first.

Information systems are a critical component of business success today. Unfortunately, many companies do not truly understand what an information system is; where, when, and how it should be implemented; or the effects of integrating it into the organization. As such, we continue to see implementation horror stories of projects run amuck- going over time and over budget-or information systems that never get fully implemented, requiring "work-around" by employees in order to get things done. Sound familiar? If so, you'll want to learn just why information systems can be poorly developed, and how to fix them. Inside, you'll learn what information systems are and how to integrate them into your business processes with real specifics. This books gives you and other decision makers details on how information systems work, and, most importantly, what constitutes a successful information system-how to make them better and to last longer. And in the conclusion, you'll have a keen sense of how data is created, transferred, analyzed, and used within your organization. From this understanding, you'll be able to design, build, and implement information systems that accurately reflect the flow of the business processes; adjust quickly to support critical functions; and provide efficient and effective value-added services to employees to maximize the profitability of the company