School Board Essentials Webinar – Using Data for Decision-Making

School Board Essentials Webinar – Using Data for Decision-Making is an online professional-development session from the Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) focused on data-informed school governance. Scheduled for January 13, 2027, the one-hour webinar gives board members a practical framework for connecting district data with priorities, strategic planning, and oversight.

What the webinar covers

The session introduces a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework for incorporating data deliberately into board governance and decision-making. Rather than treating “use the data” as a general principle, it addresses practical questions such as which information is meaningful, where board members can find it, and how evidence should enter board discussions.

Practical skills

Participants are expected to learn how to identify and access useful district data, formulate productive questions during board deliberations, and use evidence to establish priorities. The framework also connects data to monitoring progress toward strategic goals, making the webinar particularly relevant to boards trying to distinguish meaningful indicators from simply receiving more reports.

Why it matters for governance

AASB frames the topic around decisions affecting student success, district priorities, and community trust. The emphasis is therefore on data as a governance tool—helping boards make and monitor strategic decisions—rather than on teaching board members advanced statistical analysis or turning them into operational data managers.

Schedule and series context

The webinar is scheduled for January 13, 2027, from 12:00–1:00 p.m., with AASB providing online registration through its event page. It forms part of the broader School Board Essentials Webinar Series, whose 2026–27 program also covers effective meetings, school funding, board policy responsibilities, advocacy, and facilities issues.