DATAG 2026 Summer Conference

As districts continue to expand the amount of data available to educators, a persistent challenge remains; how to ensure professional development meaningfully supports staff in using data effectively, accurately, and with fidelity. This focus panel is designed to elevate the conversation from tools and platforms to best practices in professional development that lead to informed, student-centered decision making.
This double-session panel will bring together a diverse group of educational leaders representing downstate, mid-state, and upstate New York, including two BOCES/RIC representatives and two district administrators. Panelists will share real-world experiences, lessons learned, and practical strategies for building data literacy across districts of varying sizes and contexts.
Through guided discussion and audience engagement, panelists will explore what constitutes “good data” versus “no good data,” how to build meaningful datasets that present a full picture of a student, and how districts ensure data integrity and fidelity. The panel will also address common implementation hurdles, strategies for gaining staff buy-in, approaches to professional development design and delivery, and methods for managing multiple data systems and platforms.
Attendees will leave with actionable insights, guiding questions, and shared practices they can immediately apply to strengthen professional learning and data-informed decision making in their own organizations.

Cybersecurity awareness is no longer optional it’s an essential component of digital citizenship for every member of a school community. With the adoption of NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, districts are being asked to take a more intentional, measurable, and people centered approach to cyber readiness. This session will highlight how Cyber IQ supports that shift by strengthening the “Identify,” “Protect,” and “Respond” functions through comprehensive human behavior training and analytics.

We’ll explore how Cyber IQ empowers districts to build their human firewall through realistic phishing simulations, customizable training modules, behavioral‑based risk analysis, and real‑time reporting. Participants will learn how the platform integrates with Microsoft Outlook and Google Mail, adapts to emerging threats, supports faculty, staff, students, and parents, and helps districts meet compliance expectations including the growing emphasis on cybersecurity awareness outlined in NIST CSF 2.0.

Implementing a district-wide data dashboard is rarely a straight line—it’s a winding road of technical hurdles, data silos, and culture shifts. In this session, we peel back the curtain on our district’s journey, sharing the truth about the trials and tribulations we faced. Beyond just showing you the technical solution, we will discuss the "messy middle" of implementation, strategies for overcoming resistance, and how we are turning overwhelming amounts of data into actionable insights. Join us for honest lessons learned that you can apply to your own data initiatives.

This facilitated followup session moves from discussion to application. Participants will reflect
on their own district or organizational context, collaborate with peers, and explore
professional development strategies that support meaningful, sustainable data use.
Topics Include: • Designing data focused professional development
• Supporting varied levels of data literacy
• Timing, format, and frequency of learning
• Identifying short and long term next steps

Move beyond the AI hype to explore how custom-built Gemini Gems can be programmed with the logic of trusted documents like the SIRS Manual to revolutionize district data governance. After a primer on how to create their own AI assistants, attendees will discover a suite of five specialized "Hidden Gems" designed to tackle the most time-consuming aspects of the District Data Coordinator role: a Reporting Navigator for residency and accountability scenarios, an Error Translator for decoding Level 0 and UIAS messages, a CTE Intensity Calculator for accurate Perkins V reporting, a Verification Protocol Generator for streamlining department-wide deadlines, and a Manual Search Specialist for instant access to codes and page numbers. By the end of the session, attendees will have a clear blueprint for deploying these private, automated tools to reduce reporting errors and reclaim time.

AI tips and tricks: using Visual Studio Code and GitHub Copilot to assist with everyday data troubleshooting.

On many data teams, critical information isn’t missing; it’s just hard to find. Guidance, reporting timelines, templates, and training materials are often buried in email threads, scattered across shared drives, or siloed in personal files. Additionally, many rely on individually bookmarked sites and links, which can lead to inconsistent access and ongoing maintenance as content changes.

The challenge is not a lack of information, but a lack of organization and visibility.

This session focuses on bringing those pieces together into a centralized, structured hub using Google Sites. We will explore how to create and design a site using pages, buttons, links, and embedded content to organize resources in a way that is easy to maintain and scale over time. Participants will leave with access to a sample site structure that can be customized to meet their team’s specific needs.

By creating a cohesive, user-friendly system, teams can move from scattered searching to streamlined access, saving time and strengthening data-informed practices.

Participants with a Google account and some familiarity with Google Drive and related tools are encouraged to bring a laptop and follow along during the hands-on portion, though all are welcome to attend and engage in a way that works best for them.