The Data You Can’t Download: Street-Level Insights for Future-Ready Leaders

Schools have more data than ever, from dashboards and surveys to analytics and performance metrics. Yet some of the most important information about students' lives, experiences and needs can't be captured in a spreadsheet. Inspired by Shane Safir's concept of street-level data, this round table discussion explores how one high-achieving STEM magnet school transformed professional learning by taking educators beyond campus walls and into the communities students call home. Through a structured community tour led by student voices, staff explored neighborhoods, community resources, transportation realities and lived experiences that challenged assumptions and deepened understanding. Discuss practical strategies for planning and facilitating community tours, engaging students as partners, gathering human-centered data and translating qualitative insights into school improvement, professional learning and family engagement. You will leave with a framework for combining traditional metrics, survey results and community-based observations, helping you balance digital data with authentic community understanding to build empathy and make more informed decisions.