The District Performance Office (DPO) is responsible for driving continuous improvement in district, school, and student performance through the use of high-quality data, aligned accountability systems, strategic analytics, and cross-system data integration. Our goal is to support the continuous improvement of our schools for all children.

Research and Evaluation strives to support day-to-day decision-making by providing schools and communities with understandable, clear, and actionable research evidence that can drive positive change. Our largest projects are guided by the District’s Action Plan 3.0, and our Research Review Committee works with external researchers to support, review, and approve high-quality, externally conducted research in District schools.

The Office of Planning and Evidence-based Supports provides District schools with the necessary guidance to enact the policy requirements of various federal programs, including Title I, NCLB, and the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). We also lead the development of school- and District-level comprehensive plans that address student achievement needs and guide progress toward improved student outcomes. These plans include a strategic cycle to monitor the implementation of the plan, identify evidences of success, and revise the plan using data-driven decision-making processes.

The Office of Data Governance is one of five offices in the Evaluation, Research, and Accountability (ERA) division, which leads the District’s use of data and evidence to improve outcomes for students. The Office of Data Governance (ODG) establishes good data use practices and ensures the quality and integrity of available data. ODG also manages Certify, the District’s initiative designed to notify relevant staff when a data quality issue arises in need of attention.

The Office of Assessment is one of five offices in the Evaluation, Research, and Accountability (ERA) division, which leads the District’s use of data and evidence to improve outcomes for students. The Office of Assessment coordinates administration of five District-wide assessments:

• Keystone Exams
• PSSA
• PASA
• Benchmarks
• ACCESS