Facing Federal Contract Cancellations Head-On 

Maximizing the Data We Have to Drive Equitable and Sustainable Improvements

Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion. -W. Edwards Deming

Three weeks after taking office, the Trump Administration canceled nearly $900 million in contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USED). These cancellations not only upended evaluations of federally funded programs, but threaten access to massive data sets that states, districts and schools rely on to make good decisions. 

These include the What Works Clearinghouse—a repository of practice guides and evidence-based practices for educators and researchers—and the Common Core of Data, USED’s primary database on public elementary and secondary education, which supports analysis of a broad array of K-12 demographics and operations. One of the canceled contracts supports analysis and public dissemination of the results of the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP). 

Practically, these cancellations threaten states’ and districts’ abilities to submit, generate and utilize shared data effectively, potentially undermining efforts to support equitable and meaningful educational improvement. As risks to educational funding increase, those of us who continue to work in educational research must be proactive and think creatively about sustaining high-quality systems that enable state, district, and school leaders to make good decisions based on trustworthy data.

The Importance of Systems Thinking

One of the most critical lessons we’ve learned over the years is that assessment and accountability are not just about compliance—they are about using data meaningfully to improve teaching and learning. But that doesn’t mean we’ve done a good job of building systems to address that need.

So, while data can be a powerful tool for identifying needs and supporting progress, it must be interpreted thoughtfully to avoid reinforcing inequities or driving unintended consequences. Areas with the biggest challenges, like rural, urban, impoverished, and highly diverse sites, often require the biggest and most sustained investments. This requires a systems-level approach that integrates multiple data sources, not just standardized assessments, to monitor progress and identify areas for growth.

As states and districts face the risk of tighter budgets and losing access to federally funded data, the need to maximize the use and impact of existing data grows exponentially. We must think beyond traditional assessment data use and explore ways to integrate non-academic indicators, formative and instructional information, and local data sources to create a more holistic picture of student learning and school effectiveness.

Creative Approaches to Using Data for Improvement

If the Trump administration makes good on promises to make further cuts to federal education funding (in addition to canceling the USED contracts and firing dozens of USED staffers), we must prioritize efficiency and the utility of the data we still have available. Here are five ways we’ll need to be creative in using and preserving data:

1. Make Better Use of Existing Data

If we face expanding restrictions on collecting federal data, we’ll need to utilize the data states and districts already have, ensuring that it is accessible, understandable, and actionable. While the new administration appears to be on a trajectory to continue questioning federal data-collection requirements, those requirements are grounded in the need to address poverty and inequities in educational opportunities. 

To fulfill that important responsibility, we need to step up our own state-based monitoring efforts while emphasizing the need to use these data continuously. We must remain focused on how these data are used, ensuring that they inform improvement rather than drive misinterpretations.

2. Refine Instead of Rebuild Existing Reporting Structures

Data reporting should be designed with utility in mind, focusing on formats that empower educators, policymakers and communities to take informed action. Reports should be dynamic, interactive and user-friendly, leveraging dashboards and visualization tools that enable stakeholders to explore data meaningfully. Simplifying complex data into bite-sized suggestions can help educators and policymakers act on the information effectively. 

Additionally, integrating real-time reporting mechanisms can support more timely interventions and decision-making, allowing for a more proactive approach to addressing challenges in schools and districts. However, this requires transitioning away from a focus on outcome-oriented measures and addressing learning conditions and opportunities. 

Enhancing data visualization, streamlining user interfaces, and tailoring reports to key decision-makers can yield significant efficiency gains without requiring extensive new investments. Shifting the focus from passive reporting to actionable insights tied to leading indicators can help better use limited resources while driving meaningful improvements in education systems.

3. Enhance Cross-System Collaboration

Using existing collaboration networks of agencies, researchers and local education leaders can create efficiencies and allow for strategically sharing resources. Multi-agency task forces or regional data-sharing agreements can align goals, streamline processes and reduce duplication of effort, making the most of constrained resources. 

A key component of successful collaboration is ensuring that different entities are aligned in their interpretation and use of data, avoiding misalignment that leads to conflicting initiatives or redundant reporting requirements.

4. Emphasize Local Contexts

If the new administration downsizes its own role in education, it could diminish support for assessment and accountability. If that happens, states and districts must take greater ownership of their assessment and accountability systems.  

With reduced access to national models and the streamlining of costs using economies of scale, states can look to local expertise to develop efficient assessment and intervention strategies. This allows them to tailor solutions to local needs and use local expertise to ensure that assessments and interventions reflect the unique challenges of their communities. 

Additionally, fostering partnerships between schools, community organizations and local industries can create customized strategies better suited to regional educational priorities and workforce development needs. However, this shift requires vigilance to ensure that decentralized approaches do not lead to more significant disparities in how data are collected and used across different regions, potentially exacerbating inequities rather than addressing them.

5. Build Capacity For Data Literacy

Given the risk of financial constraints, states and districts should prioritize building data literacy within existing education teams to maximize the impact of available resources. Investing in professional learning programs that focus on interpreting data efficiently, equity-focused data analysis and actionable decision-making can ensure that data are used effectively without additional costs. Encouraging peer networks and mentorship programs can also serve as low-cost, high-impact solutions for enhancing data literacy and effective decision-making.

Increasing data literacy should not just be about technical understanding; it must also encompass critical thinking about how data are framed, what assumptions underlie analyses, and how to recognize potential biases in interpretation.

A Call for Equity and Action

Equity is not a bad word; it is essential to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have a fair shot at success. Equity empowers those in a position to make change—teachers, principals, and district leaders—with the tools and insights they need to drive meaningful improvements. It’s not just about access to data; it’s about ensuring that data are actionable, understandable, and used to support better learning conditions. 

By being creative, embracing technological advancements, and focusing on collaboration, we can build smarter, more sustainable systems that put equity at the center of education improvement efforts. Now is the time for education leaders, policymakers and researchers to embrace equity—not just as a goal, but as a guiding principle in all data-informed decision-making.

Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages