Data Advisory Commission

The Student Opportunity Act (2019) established a Data Advisory Commission for the purpose of assisting DESE in identifying, analyzing and making recommendations on high-impact, cost-effective data strategies for assessing student needs and addressing persistent disparities in achievement, including, but not limited to:

• establishing a data collection and reporting system to:
  • track funding allocated for low-income students and students identified as English learners pursuant to chapter 71A and ensure spending is targeted to the intended populations; and
  • allow for access to school-level expenditures and data across all districts to inform the public and policymakers of high impact, cost-effective school-level interventions and investments.
• strengthening the department's capacity to analyze and report staffing, scheduling, and financial data in ways that support strategic resource allocation decisions at the district and school levels, including a review of national best practice models that ensure greater financial transparency.
• strengthening district capacity to use state, district- and school-level data to inform strategic resource allocation and implementation decisions; and
• streamlining data reporting, eliminating duplicative reporting requirements, and improving data quality

Meeting Schedule

Commission Members

DESE Staff Contacts

Matt Deninger: Chief Strategy and Research Officer, Chairperson of the Commission as designated by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

Annual Report

• 2024 Annual Report

• 2023 Annual Report

• 2022 Annual Report

• 2021 Annual Report

• 2020 Annual Report

Last Updated: February 13, 2025