Resources Roundup for Fall Data Challenge: After the Bell
September 22, 2022
Fall weather is quickly approaching, and so is the seventh annual Fall Data Challenge! This year’s theme, “After the Bell,” will encourage students to explore the factors that surround familial involvement in K-12 education–and through their analysis, identify powerful ways students and their loved ones can help to power their academic success.
The Parent and Family Involvement in Education (PFI) is a dataset included in the National Household Education Survey (NHES), which is collected by the US Census Bureau for the Department of Education.
As you fire up your computers and prepare for the contest to start on October 17, here’s a collection of materials to help lay the groundwork! Explore the following examples of academic data in action with these recent examples and resources:
In the News
Today’s students will lead the future, so it’s no wonder the question of how to advance their success is a popular topic in media coverage. With the recent years of remote and hybrid learning, and many returning to in-person classrooms, interest in the topic has surged.
Here are some recent headlines that highlight the status of familial involvement in their children’s K-12 education:
K-12 Dive: Parents encouraged to talk to schools about students’ math progress
The NWEA research organization found that student achievement in mathematics for the 2021-2022 school year has significantly declined since the pandemic. While schools explore different learning recovery opportunities to boost academic achievement in K-12 students, one campaign recommends the involvement of parents and guardians to help practice their math skills with their children. This article explores how parents can aid the improvement of their children’s student success.
Public School Review: Parental Involvement is Key to Student Success
Research has shown that reading at home can improve children’s reading skills. This article shares how parental and guardian involvement in their children’s K-12 education could have a positive impact on a child’s academic performance and boost the morale of their teachers.
The 74: The Biggest Blind Spot in Education: Parents’ Role in Their Children’s Learning
Family members can have a larger impact on a student’s public school academic performance than teachers, according to this analysis. The 2020 national test results revealed the pandemic had a significant effect on student education, leading to an overall decline in test scores in the past decade. This article explores a connection to family involvement for student performance.
Tools & Research
For the 2022 Fall Data Challenge, students will apply their statistical skills to analyze real-world K-12 educational experience data and provide recommendations and insights supported by their analysis.
In addition to the provided PFI dataset, students have the option to utilize additional datasets on the topic to inform their analysis. Here are some examples of tools and resources that explore the topic from different perspectives.
This dataset tool from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Center for Education Statistics provides results and factors related to student education from The Nation’s Report Card assessments throughout the years.
The Urban Institute Data Catalog
This collection of open data contributed by researchers and data scientists of the Urban Institute allows individuals access to public datasets that explore various societal issues.
Additional Resources for the Fall Data Challenge:
- Fall Data Challenge Web Page
- Fall Data Challenge Guidelines
- Fall Data Challenge FAQs
- Fall Data Challenge Educator Resources
If you have questions about the Fall Data Challenge, please contact us at thisisstats@gmail.com.
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