The article examines how quantitative data are used by schools for decisions about instruction. The context is the American educational system, which by German standards has a high affinity to data. After a brief description of the institutional context for data use, we give a summary of noteworthy findings drawn from the recent American research literature related to data-based decision making. The literature suggests that a well-developed data infrastructure and an easy-to-use interface are essential. Conducive organizational conditions are the availability of data specialists at the school level, professional development, and additional work hours dedicated to the study of data. Databased decision making ought to be systemic. It is facilitated at the school level when local school districts highlight the importance of data and communicate with all levels of the system via data.

Keywords
data use at schools, prerequisites for data use, systemic data use, school leaders, local school districts