Ep.56-Matthew Courtney's Story-The Education Data Expert-”I help schools help kids!"

I interviewed Matthew Courtney, a Policy Advisor for a state Department of Education. Matthew helps schools help kids! Whether he is supporting his state's schools through the creation of new policy, conducting search and data analysis projects, training on data use at a national conference, or completing a program evaluation for a consulting client, his career is dedicated to helping schools provide the highest quality instruction to their students. Matthew shares so many examples of how looking at data in a unique way can tell you much more than just test scores. Matthew is also a former educator for many years so he can relate to current teachers. He helps to train teachers and show them the various ways data can truly improve not only their teaching but how they can address student concerns and needs. Matthew's work shows that there is deep meaning behind the numbers.Matthew Courtney’s LinkedInMatthew Courtney’s websiteQuotes “I remember driving home from student teaching saying this it…this is where I need to spend the rest of my life.”“I’m going to give you a handful of strategies and data analysis tools, and then you are going to solve your own problems.”“This is an empowerment framework. Teachers are the most innovative people on the planet. They are like scientists running tiny experiments all the time, all day, everyday.”“I want to help teachers capture that data empirically and prove their interventions are working.”“Prioritizing data research in a new way will help with reshaping the education system moving forward.”“We need to elevate the quality of life for teachers.”