Make sure to check out the excellent Forbes article on the nation's best charters, forward-thinking districts, and the use of data.
Lots of name-checking of ed reforms biggest stars, like Achievement First, Wireless Generation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the Gates Foundation, New York City Public Schools, and more.
It seems to me that there are two leaps that need to be made with regard to data use and public schools. The first, which gets most attention today, is simply getting schools, districts, unions, and others to appreciate that student performance data can and should be used. This is such a change from years gone by, that it still causes major heartburn.
The second leap, which this article nicely describes, is moving from having the data to actually using it well. It's one thing to build gigantic databases and send reports to teachers, but it's another to know how to turn this all into actionable information?information that can improve student achievement.
Of course we need people to continue fighting on this first front (D-Day, Battle of the Bulge, etc.), but while that's ongoing, we need more people formulating the Marshall Plan.
?Andy Smarick