Using Stakeholder Input to Guide Data Visualization and Reporting to Promote Evidence-based Practice Use in Public Schools

Background High-quality implementation is crucial for students to reap the benefits of school-based evidence-based practices (EBP). Despite data being routinely used to support EBP delivery to students, there is a dearth of data-driven decision-making related to school-wide implementation of universal EBPs like Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). The lack of specialized knowledge (e.g., what data to collect and how to interpret it) and systems (e.g., data teams) required to support data collection, analysis, and presentation act as barriers to school teams’ effective use of data to guide and be responsive to implementation efforts. Methods Guided by principles of human-centered design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 school-based implementation practitioners and stakeholders (principals, administrators, and expert intermediaries) to guide the development of data reports that provided information on a school or district’s implementation context (leadership, climate, and citizenship behavior). Results Four themes emerged from the interviews including: (1) interpretation and description of the report/feedback; (2) application of data to districts and/or schools; (3) reactions to the report; and (4) use of the report. The results of this qualitative case study point to the importance of incorporating stakeholder feedback as a methodology to ensure the end product (e.g., data report) is meaningful and applicable to the setting and has direct implications for how to incorporate stakeholder feedback to help shape and improve data visualization and interpretation for better use in schools’ decision-making process to support MTSS and other EBP implementation. Conclusions Practical implications related to report redesign and the utility of well-designed data products to support school-based implementation are discussed.