Data Services and Support

Data & Evaluation Services

Making Data Understandable and Actionable

The Office of K-12 Outreach provides comprehensive data and evaluation services to support school improvement, instructional quality, and student learning outcomes. Our team, led by Dr. Jacqueline Gardner and Tyler Thur, partners with schools and districts to offer:

• Tailored professional development and coaching
• Custom tools and resources for data use
• Program evaluation and action research design

We work closely with educators across varying levels of data expertise—from beginners to experienced users—to ensure meaningful application of data in instructional decision-making.

Our Approach

We believe effective use of educational data is key to driving continuous improvement. Our services help educators understand:

• State accountability metrics (e.g., Top-to-Bottom Rankings, Gap Metrics, Z Scores)
• Summative and formative assessments (e.g., MEAP, MI-Access, NWEA)
• Systems and perception data (e.g., ERS, Climate Surveys)
• Curriculum implementation data (e.g., SEC)
• Online data tools (e.g., MI School Scorecard, MISchoolData.org)

We also assist schools in navigating state resources from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and CEPI to support data-informed planning and improvement efforts.

Evaluation & Research Support

Our data team is well-versed in both public and restricted-use datasets and experienced in:

• Developing evaluation goals, logic models, and surveys
• Designing and guiding action research projects
• Analyzing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method data
• Ensuring data compliance with FERPA, HIPAA, and other regulations

We collaborate closely with the K-12 Outreach technology team to streamline data collection and reporting, offering both short- and long-term consultation.

Meet the Team

• Jacqueline Gardner, Ph.D. – Director of Data and Evaluation
• Tyler Thur – Assistant Director of Data and Evaluation
• Reis Davis – Student Assistant
• Wyatt Flatt – Student Assistant

Whether you're looking to improve instructional practices, meet accountability goals, or evaluate your programs, our team is here to help. Contact us to learn how we can support your school or district.