Abstract
Strategic Performance Indicators (SPIs) are summary measures derived from parallel, descriptive analyses conducted across educational agencies. The SPIs are designed to inform agency management and efforts to improve student outcomes. We developed the SPIs to reveal patterns common across partner agencies, to highlight exceptions to those patterns, and to provide tools for educational agencies to understand their own successes and challenges. We present two examples of SPI briefs and highlight specific steps partner agencies have taken in response to such analyses. Our goal is that, with data, the SPIs will catalyze educational agencies to engage in deep investigation. If educational systems must rely on academic researchers to make progress on core management challenges, progress will be slow. The ability to use and analyze administrative data must be integrated into the everyday management of educational systems, much as it has been in many other sectors of the modern economy.