Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation

by Shane Safir, Jamila Dugan

Radically reimagine our ways of being, learning, and doing

Education can be transformed if we eradicate our fixation on big data like standardized test scores as the supreme measure of equity and learning. Instead of the focus being on "fixing" and "filling" academic gaps, we must envision and rebuild the system from the student up—with classrooms, schools and systems built around students’ brilliance, cultural wealth, and intellectual potential. Street data reminds us that what is measurable is not the same as what is valuable and that data can be humanizing, liberatory and healing.  

By breaking down street data what it is, how to gather it, and how it can complement other forms of data to guide a school or district’s equity journey, Safir and Dugan offer an actionable framework for school transformation. Written for educators and policymakers, this book

· Offers fresh ideas and innovative tools to apply immediately

· Provides an asset-based model to help educators look for what’s right in our students and communities instead of seeking what’s wrong

· Explores a different application of data, from its capacity to help us diagnose root causes of inequity, to its potential to transform learning, and its power to reshape adult culture

Now is the time to take an antiracist stance, interrogate our assumptions about knowledge, measurement, and what really matters when it comes to educating young people.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Teaching, Leadership, Professional Development, Social Justice, Race

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2021

Reviews

[Rachel Ashera Rosen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a deeply well-meaning, painfully earnest book. I even agree with the authors on a number of points—that the education system is deeply racist, that at requires radical change, that standardized tests are killing our students' souls—maybe I even agree with them on most points. However, the vague, jargon-laden solutions proposed ("centre the margins!" "pound the pavement!" "flip the table!") are just yet another repackaging of the platitudes spouted by highly paid educational consultants. Also many of the strategies they propose are either so top down as to be irrelevant to your average teacher (sadly, I do not have the power to abolish standardized testing) or slightly illegal ("shadowing" my students and following them home).

There is also no actual data in this book. Which, I know, is the point but. If you are aiming to change a system based on consultations with stakeholders, it's basic statistics 101 to make sure that your sample is representative of the overall population. Listening to parents, in the real world, means listening to the sorts of parents who can attend meetings with you, privileging more well-to-do parents over, say, single moms with three jobs.

Better to read bell hooks or Paulo Freire than water down their ideas for a neoliberal audience.

[Adrienne Michetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read if you are even remotely interested in equity in K-12 schools.

Extremely accessible, reliably referenced, and with enough tools and resources to get you started tomorrow, in your classroom, as well as allow you to set goals for long term strategy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I will be returning to it regularly, and many of the quotes, tools, and references have inspired me to do more research and reading.

[Patrik Bystrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

While social justice work is crucial in America and even though the learning skills promoted in this book are crucial to all students, I feel like the whole premise for the book is flawed.

The assertion that the USA is underperforming in international standards assessments because we are too "Western, Male and White-centred" in our pedagogy is flawed. The countries outperforming the USA in PISA and similar international standards assessments are, to a man, more didactic and more teacher-centric in their approaches. There are great inequities in the American social and educational systems, but that is not related to standardized testing. I absolutely believe that we should better support the BIBOC community and empower them to improve the world in their favour, but creating an "educational village" where we no longer learn from teachers but students only learn from each other seems unfeasible. That will only increase the performance gap.

I like the overall rethink of educational approaches, and I think an increased awareness of meta-cognition is definitely helpful, as is the need for increased support and funding, but we can't throw out all educational content with the proverbial bathwater. There must still be content that somehow is passed from teacher to learner in some way, even though that model should probably be inductive rather than didactic in nature.

[Anna (bibliophiles_bookstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute must read for anyone working in education. It is time to start dismantling inequitable practices in schools, and one fabulous way to do so is to rely on student voices and their experiences through street data. I can see myself reading this one over and over. It's heavy, but it's necessary. It is so fabulously written with excellent case study examples that are heavy and hard to read, but that can be internalized and encouraging about where we can go.

[Terry Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me strong in the intro and first chapter and it just kept delivering. This is a book I recommend to all leaders in education, both admin and teacher leaders. Excellent questions at the end of each chapter to dig deep into your and our collective practice. I’ve never seen a book about data that centers students and community so well.

[Joseph Jeffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! This is a phenomenal book that examines a new way of being a leader, embracing new ideas and moving towards an equity lens that recognizes what many teachers have known for a long time - the 'street data' you collect in your classroom day to day is far more valuable than any standardized test, any metric can be in providing quality education.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

there’s not a lot that’s new in this book, which is part of the point. The authors cite a great deal of the work done before and synthesize it in different ways. That being said, it is another good resource for admin or instructional coaches on theory as well as practice.

[Jabiz Raisdana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical, philosophical and packed with resources this is a remarkable professional development book for educators involved with DEIJ work in their classrooms and their schools.

I couldn't stop highlighting sections. This will be a book I will refer to often.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book that gives educators line myself a lot to consider. We all have our biases that filter into our teaching whether we realize it or not. This book among other things provides a framework for learning to practice empathy and be willing to actually listen and consider how our biases affect others, and then to make active decisions to alter our instruction, and the general school experience as a result. Some of the ideas would certainly be a challenge given the way American schools are set up and run but it would be a challenge worth embracing.

[Krissy Ronan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots to consider and shake up the way I think about education- and go about changing it in the places I have influence.

[Ann Kielas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas to go forward with.

[Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for work and really enjoyed it. There are a ton of examples for you and your school. It is also great to read with others.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

When schools attempt equity transformation yet remain beholden to the same dehumanizing data sources that we always have, are we really making change? Street Data answers this question and guides readers through the what, why, and how of radically shifting how we view data. This book is SO useful and has a ton of tools, case scenarios, templates, and more. Highly recommended, especially for school leaders who already have a strong foundation in equity work and are looking to take things to the next level.

[Steve Rees · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book's virtue is that the authors capture many of the reasons why the profession of education has not yet really grown up. Too many educators cannot see the results of their efforts. Evidence is rarely regarded. Errors in practice are rarely noted. (See John Hattie's "Visible Learning.")

The book begins with a critique of empirical reasoning, citing its roots in a European intellectual tradition, which, was shaped by thinkers who were "white" and for the most part, men. And for those two reasons, the authors conclude that empirical reasoning is an instrument of white supremacy. A book with a clear warning sign in its first chapter is a gift, of sorts. The authors announce they are educators who stand in opposition to post-Enlightenment reasoning and the scientific method. And they wrap themselves in the cloak of "diversity warriors" as if that makes their views more sound. Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation

The authors then take the next step. They criticize the measurement of everything, and all uses of measurement. It is not just the measurement of learning they oppose. They oppose measurement in full, which is why readers will find no numbers in its pages. Instead, they champion observation of student behavior, in brief, anthropology. But they do so with no commitment to the methods of the science of anthropology.

What is surprising to me is that a book with so bold a purpose is one which requires argument, debate, engagement. I did not find it. Instead of argument, I found a series of assertions, with no effort to build a logical case in defense of their own views. The book, in my view, is more a religious work, a series of assertions that rest on faith alone. Perhaps this explains the gushing praise it has earned in some quarters.

I hope the book sparks a debate among educators and those in education management. [Note, I am also co-author of a book, "Mismeasuring Schools' Vital Signs" (Routledge, 2022). See the book's website at: https://k12measures.com. And I have worked for 25 years helping California school and district leaders to make better sense of their evidence. So I have come to my opinions through both my work and my own studies.]

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The primary message of this book is "seek root causes over quick fixes." The authors invite teachers and school leaders to shift their focus from standardized test scores as the primary data for student achievement and instead focus on "street data" - interviews of student, parent, and community leaders; classroom and student observations; home visits; and other forms of qualitative data. Standardized test scores may tell us that we have a problem, but they don't help us hone in on what the problem is or how we can address it, which is the goal of an analysis of street data.

Another big focus of the book is on shifting to a "pedagogy of agency," both as teachers and school leaders. For teachers, this means making sure students feel that they have a voice in school: feeling like their identity is accepted, that they are valued, that they understand how to improve and show mastery as a learner, and that they feel like they can make a difference in both their own learning and in the community at large. The authors especially emphasize shifting from traditional tests to project and performance-based assessments. For school leaders, pedagogy of agency means respecting teachers as experts in their own content and disciplinary pedagogy and supporting them (rather than judging or evaluating them) to make changes toward meeting the school's overall vision.

Since I'm about to start a new job that is half intervention teacher and half literacy coach, I took copious notes as I was reading and believe I will be able to apply many of their ideas to both aspects of my new position.

The tone of this book is very heavy-handed with anti-racist jargon, which makes sense since part of the purpose is to provide a new model for addressing the consequences of structural racism, but I think it could be off-putting to some readers, limiting the audience. It reminds me of some anti-racist trainings we've had at school where the presenter will use certain phrases, and immediately you can feel a palpable shift in the audience's openness to change. For sure, some white teachers' defensiveness is part of the problem, but I just think the message could invite in more changemakers if the tone and language were a little more inclusive.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is certainly on a topic that's very important... and gives a few concrete ideas of how to approach the type of work that may help change adult behaviors and childrens' experiences in school... But the idea that to really know how or why something works or doesn't or led to quantitative outcomes means you need to do good qualitative data collection and analysis? That to figure out how to reach a specific person means you have to actually pay attention to them and get to know them? Neither are new concepts. Not even remotely.
The amount the author cited herself and the work she had previously done (other books, trainings, work as a principal, etc.) also made the book feel more preachy (you should do as I say) than I think she probably intended (yes, there are coauthors, but they're very explicit who wrote each chapter and the main author wrote most).
She talked a lot about how you shouldn't use standardized testing... for what it's not intended for anyways? And that's why you should just stop having it at all? It felt more like she was pandering to the teachers who have been misjudged and unfairly evaluated using tests not designed for teacher evaluation and statistical models with so large of error in them to be meaningless. As with all quantitative data, test scores may indicate where efforts should be focused, and it may be an artifact of something else (e.g., where there is the appearance of smoke there is not always fire).
I do wish she hadn't given examples of survey questions that break the most basic tenets of bad survey items. If you're going to push how survey data is helpful, maybe make sure you're advocating to ensure the survey questions are collecting what is intended?
Overall, I think this book is a good place to start to think about ways to approach making meaningful changes in schools, but it certainly isn't a "Bible" that educators should take as the only way to think and move forward with trying to implement exactly as suggested.

[Jessica rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was creating a lot of buzz in education recently but it didn't seem as empowering as I was expecting.

Should we talk to students after we realize we have a lot of attendance issues? Obviously. To not center the actual conversations with students after you see data that's concerning is not doing proper due diligence. Gathering this "Street data" is important but it should not be the only thing we do. we can't just ask kids how they're doing. we can't just ask them whether they're prepared and have conversations and listen and think about whether we think they're prepared. We have to actually look at comprehensive set of data and think carefully about what we're still missing and gather that in the form of Street data. To think that we only need "Street data" is concerning and alarming in the same way that we might only be using standardized testing data. We need comprehensive data we need both qualitative and quantitative data to affirm what we think we know or to challenge what we don't know. It seems sort of like a no brainer to think that we'd only define a student by a failed test. And to not think of the student as a full complex being with strengths and weaknesses alike. The presumption that people only look at standardized test data as the only thing that is being used in schools is short-sided. But simultaneously I appreciate their desire to bring forth the voices of students and the observations that we should all be doing in our schools to assess how kids are doing and get to the root cause students who are not successful. Additionally the recognition that the work is messy and requires public learning and vulnerability is certainly key.

I appreciated chapter 8 and the many ideas for gathering street data. Chapter 9 felt important but simultaneously felt disjointed from the rest and could probably be it's own book.

Overall I was underwhelmed by the book and found it lacking in research.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some great ideas here, but this book just doesn’t live up to its promise because the core author, Shane Safir, comes across as too strident advocating extreme all-or-nothing perspectives (ironically the either/or thinking that she identifies as indicative of White supremacist culture).

What is good here:
1. The general concept of centering Street Data (or data related to voices on the margins)
2. Use of project-based learning
3. Advocating for a warm demander position
4. Creating portraits of a graduate
5. Organizing around student-engaged assessment practices like student-led conference and passage presentations
6. Using focus groups, cogens, and dyads to gather Street Data
7. Supporting vulnerability and public professional learning

But then, Safir undermines all of these great ideas by suggesting in extremist language that grades, standardized tests, data dashboard, improvement science, and frankly everything that she associates with what she terms satellite data is just a product of oppressive white supremacy that “incarcerates” our minds. While I agree that school and all of these tools too often are used as tools to oppress students and families, particularly students of color, I don’t believe that they are all irredeemable and don’t include important data about success that can be used to help create more equitable schools that see and support the brilliance of all of our students.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about the book. I really wanted to like the book: I know how bad the disparities between White and non-White students are not just in terms of academic performance and graduation, but also in in terms of discipline. In my opinion, anything that can help reduce that disparity is a Very Good Thing.

I also appreciated the myriad of techniques and strategies presented in the book. And the authors didn't hold back: if they suggested a technique or strategy, it was fully presented and, when appropriate, example rubrics, materials, or content were included so that readers could use the technique or strategy right away. Purchasing additional materials was not needed: readers could dive in right away.

But I did struggle with a central premise of the book (and this is the reason for the low rating): that all standardized assessments should be thrown out in favor of exclusively street data collection. I'm sorry, but I just can't get behind that perspective. Every tool has its use and purpose. And every tool - even street data - can be abused. I agree that standardized assessments have been used in ways that they should not be used, but that problem lies with the people misusing the tests/results, not the assessments themselves.

[Hillary Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2021 as the pandemic was sweeping across our world. This educational book was recommended reading as part of the Association of Washington State Principals training that I've been blessed to attend as an intern this year. My biggest take away from this book, is testing isn't working, we need to get our data through interviews of our students, teachers and students working together for Professional Development, educators actively listening to students' and how they learn best & incorporating those strategies into our content curriculum instruction, and having those difficult conversations with colleagues and BIPOC families when the microagressions come out, address them and learn from them. When you know better, do better. A powerful book for educators who want to make our public education system truly equitable, we've got to do the hard work!

[Robert Mound · Rating 2 out of 5]

The general idea of creating more equitable schools.
Good
The general suggestions
Good
The writing
Terrible

It is not academic but it is not entertaining. It is sometimes practical.

This is a book where we make up words for things that already have words.
Storierntation: paying close attention to stories
Dyad: two people talking
Thought Partners: Sharing your thoughts with someone
Strategic Listening: Listening
Simplexity: complex problems caused by simple factors
Wise Feedback: Feedback
Empathy Interview: asking someone how they are doing

This keeps happening... paragraphs of sentences of words that have new meanings.... at least there is a glossary for some of them. The book is WAY longer than it needs to be and would have been shorter and better if good ideas were not buried in layers of word salad.

[Susan Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned so much from this book. At many points, I found myself feeling encouraged that our district is heading in the right direction. There were also moments when I caught myself thinking, “I could never say that to a student.” But the research presented makes it clear—we all carry biases. It’s our responsibility to look in the mirror, acknowledge them, and reflect on them regularly rather than deny they exist.

The book was a powerful reminder that we are all capable of causing harm without intending to. What matters most is that we own our mistakes instead of making excuses for them. I especially appreciated the real-life scenarios that placed me in a leadership role and challenged me to consider how I would respond. They pushed my thinking and encouraged deeper self-reflection. Overall, this was both a humbling and affirming read.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book for educators today to transform schools to educate students and focus less on standardized test scores or traps and tropes of equity. It details 9 components schools must incorporate—holism, awareness, anti racism, deep listening, agency, coherence,symmetry, vulnerability, and warm demander—to transform schools into equitable places for all students and families. Not all of the components are for teachers alone; several involve pretty big movements to address structural issues that only admin and school boards can achieve. But the central idea is in the title: we need to collect street data to effect change, not just use big data like test scores, attendance, and graduation rates. An important book for educators to move towards equity.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I REALLY wanted this book to be good… but it wasn’t. While the central argument is one that everyone in education should be thinking about, the data (street and otherwise) just wasn’t authentic. As I read I questioned our authors experience in the classroom, practical application and if they had EVER worked to have conversations around implementing change at the different “levels” they described. Their generalizations made me want to scream and left me so incredibly disappointed. If you are reading this book then you are likely well aware of everything it will tell you and there are no notable takeaways to implement change.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been given this book for a district-wide plan to better our school systems. This is an experience I'm continously grateful for. It's well written and not too difficult of a read. My view is just, well, "Yeah, I know". As a student, this is all stuff I've seen and wanted to see changed. To me, this isn't insanely new, but I know how imperative and vital this is for older generations who weren't aware how desperately our school district needs change. If you are a teacher or admin or in the education field, please! read! You might like it!

[Dr. Julie Wasmund Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors are well-read (yes, I pay attention to references and citations. I like to know whose shoulders they are standing on)! As a qualitative researcher, I love the way this book attempts to help school administrators and faculty pay attention to data that humanizes students and their families. The book is written for academics more than practitioners, which is why it earned 4 stars rather than 5. Much of the time I felt like I was reading a literature review, which I don't mind at all. It's just not reader-friendly for a classroom teacher.

[Misty Epperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many amazing ideas in this book that truly require supporters of outside entities. I tried to watch the Cult of Pedagogy mini-series simultaneously. They are not aligned. I would suggest reading the book first then see how Horace Mann and the HS utilized this in practice. The elements they implement of cogen and empathy interview aren’t explained until 184. While the elements are explained well, this text is meant to be worked with in a team and to be implemented require coaching and collaborative teams.

[Melinda Fierro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of strategies and models for school transformation is amazing. It brings together many of the best of the best over the past couple of decades in terms of thinking around data, equity, and student agency. Organized as puzzle pieces (each with their own chapter) around a related topic, the book walks through the concept of Street Data and is filled with real, practical examples. A must read for any school or district leader!

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone who works in education should read this, especially those of us who work with data. Test scores and attendance rates are only as helpful as the humans using them, and their experience is the real heart of education. This book offers many tools for re-centering our work on the human experience, leadership, and equity needed to change and improve our education system. I know I will be revisiting this book for years to come.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The other day, a person I follow on Instagram put a question in her stories, asking teachers something along the lines of what we need in order to continue being teachers, and my response was for her to read this book.

Though some of the chapters seemed a bit repetitive, the messaging is so on-point that I didn't really care.

It's the perfect balance of understanding the problems teachers face AND calling teachers and leaders to action and accountability in service of our most marginalized students and unheard and excluded communities.

This is one of the most important books on education I have read in my 10-year teaching career.