Data-Driven Framework: A Case Study for Using Data to Improve Climate, Access, and Opportunity

Presenters

• Ana Archibald, Public Consulting GroupFollow
• Lenworth Williamson, Public Consulting GroupFollow
• Anthony Outler, DeKalb County School DistrictFollow

First Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

MSW

Year First Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2011

First Presenter's Field of Study

Sociology and Social Work

Institution Where First Presenter Received Highest Degree

Boston College

First Presenter's Institution

Public Consulting Group

First Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Ana Archibald is a Senior Consultant with PCG. Throughout her career in education- and social-sector leadership, Ana has overseen a range of verticals including service delivery, strategic planning, and research and evaluation, and has significant experience helping cross-functional teams develop, assess, and implement innovative programming. At PCG, Ana has led assessment, planning, and implementation engagements at the district and state levels. Prior to joining PCG, Ana served as President & Chief Operating Officer at Thrive Scholars, a national non-profit organization expanding college and career opportunities for underrepresented students. Prior to Thrive Scholars, Ana served as the Community-Based Mentoring manager at Big Sister Boston, overseeing the organization’s flagship program with 1,400 mentorship matches each year. Ana is an alumna of the Massachusetts Educational Policy Fellowship and holds BA and MSW degrees from Boston College and is a native speaker of Brazilian Portuguese and conversational in Spanish.

Second Presenter's Institution

Public Consulting Group

Second Presenter’s Email Address

lwilliamson@pcgus.com

Second Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

M.Ed.

Year Second Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2022

Second Presenter's Field of Study

Education

Institution Where Second Presenter Received Highest Degree

Northeastern University

Second Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Lenworth Williamson is a Senior Consultant with PCG. His national consulting work has included designing and facilitating workshops for state-level strategic initiatives, leading stakeholder engagements, and conducting comprehensive data collection and analysis to inform evidence-based decision making. Before PCG, Len served as Program Director at BUILD.org, a national education nonprofit focused on youth entrepreneurship. Previously, Len was a school administrator and a history teacher. His experience in both traditional and nonprofit educational settings informs a deep understanding of student success and system-level change. Len has presented at conferences and has facilitated workshops for educators, administrators, students, and parents on the topics of student engagement and school climate and culture. He is a passionate advocate for expanding opportunities for young people and serves on the boards of multiple youth-serving education organizations. Len holds a B.A. in Sociology from Amherst College and an M.Ed. in Learning & Instruction from Northeastern University.

Third Presenter's Institution

DeKalb County School District

Third Presenter’s Email Address

Anthony_Outler@dekalbschoolsga.org

Third Presenter's Highest Degree Earned

PhD

Year Third Presenter's Degree Was Awarded

2017

Third Presenter's Field of Study

Education and Educational Policy

Institution Where Third Presenter Received Highest Degree

Georgia State University

Third Presenter's Brief Bio and Description of Credentials for This Presentation

Dr. Anthony Outler brings over 18 years of experience in education, curriculum design, and professional development. Dr. Outler holds a BS in Middle Childhood Education, an MSE in Urban Teacher Leadership, an MS in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Educational Policy Studies from Georgia State University. His professional endeavors are deeply aligned with his activism, focusing on using culturally responsive and emancipatory educational practices to empower youth to transform their communities. His research interests include culturally responsive pedagogy and identity. Currently, Dr. Outler serves as the Access and Opportunity Coordinator for the DeKalb County School District and is an adjunct professor at Morehouse College, where he teaches a course on advocacy in urban schools. In addition, as the Lead Trainer and Co-Founder of Epic Empowerment Consulting, Dr. Outler helps educators nationally become more effective change agents in the lives of the youth they serve.

Location

Scarbrough 5

Document Type

Individual Presentation

Primary Strand

School and District Leadership

Relevance to Primary Strand

This proposal directly supports the School and District Leadership strand by providing actionable, evidence-based strategies that strengthen individual and collective leadership skills to improve school climate, culture, and safety. It emphasizes the use of data-driven decision-making, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and practical leadership tools that empower staff at all levels to foster shared responsibility and drive sustainable improvements in climate and student success.

Alignment with School Improvement Plan Topics

Leadership/ Continuous Improvement

Brief Program Description

Dive into a real-life case-study of a large metropolitan school district to discover a practical, data-driven framework for advancing access and opportunity as the foundation for positive school climate. This session shares relevant strategies for district and school leaders, including models for data use, stakeholder engagement, and staff empowerment. Participants will leave with adaptable tools and proven methods to strengthen leadership, foster inclusive environments, and drive sustainable improvements in climate, culture, and student success.

Summary

This session presents a practical, data-driven model for district and school leaders seeking to advance access and opportunity as the foundation for a positive school climate. Drawing on a comprehensive audit conducted in a large, metropolitan school district, participants will explore actionable strategies that address persistent disparities in student outcomes, stakeholder experiences, and resource allocation.

The session will outline a six-domain framework (organizational leadership, instructional practices, professional learning, resource distribution, family engagement, and school climate) used to systematically assess and strengthen climate and culture across all schools and for all students. Attendees will learn how to implement mixed-methods research (combining stakeholder surveys, focus groups, classroom observations, and quantitative data) to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for growth and to inform a cohesive climate and culture strategy.

Key takeaways will include:

• Developing a districtwide vision and accountability framework for access and opportunity, with clear, measurable indicators that go beyond academics to include climate, engagement, and well-being.

• Leveraging disaggregated data to monitor disparities, inform targeted interventions, and drive continuous improvement in climate and culture.

• Expanding professional learning on culturally responsive practices, differentiation, and restorative approaches to discipline.

• Engaging students, families, and staff through inclusive feedback loops and transparent communication, building trust and shared ownership of climate goals.

• Developing interdisciplinary strategies to drive measurable improvements in culture and climate across functions and sites.

Participants will leave with adaptable tools, sample guiding questions, and implementation strategies to replicate or tailor in their own contexts. The session emphasizes practical steps for leaders to create welcoming and supportive environments where all students and staff can thrive.

Evidence

The proposed approach has demonstrated field-tested effectiveness through its implementation in a large, metropolitan school district, where it was used to conduct a comprehensive audit of access, opportunity, and school climate. The model’s impact is evidenced by measurable success in stakeholder engagement, the adoption of data-driven accountability structures, and the integration of consistent practices across district divisions. The six-domain framework is firmly grounded in established educational research and promising practices. Its emphasis on organizational leadership aligns with research on effective leadership for school improvement while the focus on instructional practices and professional learning is supported by studies on culturally responsive teaching and the positive impact of restorative practices on school climate. The model's use of disaggregated, mixed-methods data is recognized as a best practice for identifying and disrupting systemic challenges to culture and climate. By integrating these research-backed domains, the approach provides a robust, evidence-based roadmap for driving sustainable improvements in school climate, culture, and equitable student outcomes.

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to implement a practical framework for using data to identify and address needs related to school climate and culture.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to define actionable leadership strategies that empower staff and foster inclusive, supportive environments.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to engage stakeholders effectively and create feedback loops that drive continuous improvement in school climate and student success.

Start Date

6-1-2026 3:45 PM

End Date

6-1-2026 4:45 PM

Recommended Citation

Archibald, Ana; Williamson, Lenworth; and Outler, Anthony, "Data-Driven Framework: A Case Study for Using Data to Improve Climate, Access, and Opportunity" (2026). Southeast Conference on School Climate. 38.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/secsc/2026/2026/38

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.