Advancing Data Equity: A Commitment to Inclusive and Influential Evaluation

Data can be powerful in dismantling inequities or, if mishandled, can reinforce them. Recently, Edvestors published our Data Equity Statement, the culmination of several months of rigorous reflection and research on data equity. This blog will explore how we approach data equity, why we believe it’s essential, and what’s next for us as we continue our data journey.

Why Data Equity Matters

Data are used in education to drive decisions at every level—from the classroom to district-wide policy-making. However, data are not neutral. They reflect the systems of power that shape them, and without intentional equity practices,  risk perpetuating biases. Data equity ensures that the people whose data are of focus, especially those from historically marginalized groups, have a say in shaping the data collection, analysis, and use, are not overburdened by these processes, and have access to the results. In other words, it ensures that those most affected by data collection are empowered to influence how data is gathered, how it’s used, and how they might benefit from it.

The Process: Crafting a Data Equity Philosophy

One of EdVestors’ primary ways of working is to incorporate evidence, or data, to inform  decision-making. Collecting and using data is a key part of how we work with our partners: schools, organizations, educators, and students. During one of our monthly DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) meetings, staff identified that it would be helpful to have a tool to explain our approach to data while also providing a framework for public accountability. From there, a four-person working group was established.

This group served as the facilitators and primary drafters of the statement, guiding the process from concept to completion. The first step was to explore existing models. We sought examples of data equity statements or philosophies from other organizations, hoping to build on their insights. We found a few high-quality sources that inspired us.

After reviewing these sources, we identified some additional aspects that we wanted to incorporate into our approach. Many of the examples didn’t differentiate between the various stages of the evaluation process or the specific considerations needed at each stage. With this in mind, we developed an outline that addressed each stage of the process and the equity standards we aspired to achieve at each step.

We then brought our draft outline and ideas to the rest of the EdVestors team for feedback. This step was vital for identifying blind spots and ensuring the philosophy reflected our organization’s values and goals. After incorporating feedback from our colleagues, we drafted the Data Equity Statement. The final stages involved seeking feedback from our partners and community members outside of EdVestors to further refine the statement, ensuring it resonated with those impacted by our work. With their insights incorporated, we published the Data Equity Statement—a tool we plan to use to hold ourselves accountable and guide our data practices moving forward.

Operationalizing Data Equity: Turning Vision into Action

We see the Data Equity Statement as just the beginning of our commitment to equitable data practices. We don’t want this philosophy to remain a standalone document; instead, we aim to integrate it into every aspect of our work. We strive to ensure that data equity becomes a core part of how we approach our programming, from planning and evaluation to decision-making and partnership. 

Many of the tenets in our Data Equity Statement are already a reality across several of our programs. For example, in our BPS (Boston Public Schools) Arts Expansion work, we’ve streamlined the Annual BPS Arts Survey to include only the questions essential for understanding the state of arts education in BPS, and the resulting data are shared publicly as accessible data sheets. Similarly, in our Math work, we focus heavily on the experiences of both students and teachers, grounding much of our efforts in their feedback. While we’re proud of how we’ve already integrated data equity principles into these programs, we recognize that there is much more we can do and learn. 

The next operational step is to audit all our data tools and methodologies alongside the statement to identify where we can improve. This will look different for each of our programs and departments due to the differing nature of their work, leadership, funding requirements, and long-term goals.

Challenges on the Path to Data Equity

While our commitment to data equity is unwavering, this journey has and will continue to present challenges. Key obstacles include inherent biases within existing data systems, the risk of misinterpreting data when taken out of context, and the tendency to simplify data in ways that strip away nuance. Historical data often reflects systemic inequities, and addressing these biases requires intentionality and sustained effort.

A further challenge lies in ensuring that the communities we serve have the capacity and resources to engage meaningfully with data. Data literacy is essential for equity, and we are committed to supporting stakeholders—especially students and families—in understanding and using data to advocate for their needs. We aim for each program to explore ways to advance data literacy within its specific context.

Additionally, balancing our commitment to data equity with funding requirements can be complex. Our intention is to have conversations with our funders to share our data equity approach and if necessary, discuss potential adjustments to data collection and sharing that align with our data equity philosophy. What this looks like in practice will vary depending on the strength of the relationship with each funder. We recognize that we will need to take a measured approach to advocacy, remaining true to our values while not jeopardizing support for our programs. 

Finally, data privacy concerns significantly challenge our equity efforts, particularly when disaggregating data. We must carefully navigate the need for detailed, equity-focused data while upholding our responsibility to protect privacy.

Accountability: Ensuring We Stay on Track

Accountability is central to our data equity work. We strive to hold ourselves accountable through transparent reporting and by setting measurable goals for equity across all our programs. We also plan to regularly seek feedback from our partners and the communities we serve, ensuring they have a voice in the data collection process and how data is used, interpreted, and shared.

Internally, we are committed to continuous learning and improvement. This includes regularly revisiting our data practices, learning from our mistakes, and being transparent about how we need to improve. We believe that improvement is an ongoing process, and we are dedicated to evolving as we learn more about the complexities of data equity.

EdVestors is committed to turning our data equity principles into sustained action. We recognize that data equity requires a commitment to internal accountability and an openness to change—embracing feedback, refining our processes, and staying responsive to the communities we serve. This journey will involve learning, adapting to challenges, and engaging with partners, educators, students, and families. As we continue navigating data equity's complexities, we commit to making our progress visible. We look forward to this continued journey and the powerful, equitable changes we can achieve together.

Access the printable version of the data equity statement here.