Data Wise: Educators Collaborating So Each Student Thrives

During the first three days of this program, you will interact face-to-face on Harvard’s campus with the Data Wise teaching team and peers from different settings. While on campus, you will focus primarily on Steps 1–3 of the eight-step Data Wise Improvement Process as you plan how to integrate the framework into your school or system. Through case studies, large group presentations, and small group discussions, you will also see examples of how educators have used the entire process to improve outcomes for students.

After you leave campus, you will deepen your learning about Steps 4–8 through interactive online coursework and experiences. These include six live online sessions with your dedicated Data Wise coach to support the collaborative inquiry work of your school or system team. These coaching sessions, which are scheduled at the convenience of your team and your coach, will take place from January through June 2026.

• Cultivate the habits of mind that help build a culture that is centered on equitable continuous improvement
• Engage in intentional collaboration by using a Meeting Wise “rolling agenda” and practicing wise meeting facilitation and participation.
• Demonstrate a relentless focus on evidence when collaboratively analyzing a wide range of data sources.
• Create a plan for integrating the Data Wise framework into the core work of your school or system team.
• Work collaboratively to improve learner outcomes in a focus area of your choice.
• Document learning and build internal capacity to lead future collaborative inquiry cycles.

• Teachers, coaches, and school and system leaders who are interested in leading data inquiry cycles in their setting.
• All people who apply in teams should have dedicated time to meet throughout the 6-month course and work through a Data Wise inquiry cycle together.
  • Ideal school teams have  3-6 people and include the principal, two or more teachers, and an instruction specialist such as a literacy or mathematics coach.
  • Ideal system teams have 3-6 people and include central office staff who plan to use the Data Wise Framework to improve their own practice. If a system team is focused on supporting schools in completing inquiry cycles, it would be ideal for that team to include members who are data coaches, instructional coaches, and directors of curriculum and instruction.
• If you apply as an individual, you will be placed on a team with other individual participants and will continue to meet with that team and a dedicated Data Wise coach for the 6 virtual sessions. During those sessions, you will discuss the successes and challenges you and the other individuals are having as you integrate Data Wise in your various settings.

If you have any questions about team size or composition, please reach out to us at ppe@gse.harvard.edu.

This program welcomes applications from both individuals and teams. First-time applicants need to create a Professional Education account to apply.

Individuals: Click the "Apply" button at the top of this page to log into your Professional Education account and access the application page. Proceed with the individual form until submission.

Teams: Designate one participant or an administrative staff member as the Coordinator.

• The Coordinator should click the "Apply" button at the top of this page to log into their Professional Education account and access the application page.
• Proceed with the team form, including providing the name, email address, and job title of each participant in your team.
• The Coordinator can choose to receive a team invoice.
• Contact us if you need to make any changes to your team after submitting the form.

Invoices: Invoices will only be available upon your acceptance.