Using Student Experience Data to Co-Design Learning Environments

This brief shares learnings from Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) district partnerships around the sixth Essential Action: Measure What Matters. This Essential Action focuses on achieving equitable learning environments through the routine collection and review of relevant student feedback data to co-design new practices and policies to improve learning environments. Although the following paper highlights a specific student feedback tool (Elevate), the authors believe these learnings are applicable to other student-centered data systems used by schools and districts alike to measure what matters. As a result of working directly with district and school partners, in addition to focus groups with BELE Network coaches and leaders, the authors found five key actions as necessary for supporting effective implementation of student-centered data systems to improve learning conditions and experiences at the classroom and school level: (1) center and share power with students through student experience data; (2) clearly and frequently communicate the purpose for student data systems; (3) use data to cultivate and model a culture of learning and growth for adults and students; (4) build on and nurture foundational trust and safety through practices that demonstrate respect and professional regard; and (5) demonstrate and facilitate effective implementation through district- and school-level support. Each section of this paper centers on a key action, interwoven with field examples ("In Action") of the condition's practical application in partner districts. [This report was produced with the National Equity Project, part of the Building Equitable Learning Environments (BELE) Network.]