New Podcast Episode: Demystifying the NYKids Performance Tracker
We’re excited to announce the latest episode of our podcast, where we dive deep into the world of student performance data with two brilliant minds: Doug Fulton and Suzanne Smith.
In this episode, we explore the NYKids Performance Tracker, a powerful tool designed to help educators and policymakers make sense of complex school performance data. But what makes this tracker more than just a dashboard? How can it actually drive better decisions in education?
To help us unpack these questions, we’re joined by:
Doug Fulton
Managing Partner at WISERTrade, Doug brings a unique blend of economics, software development, and entrepreneurial grit. With academic roots at Harvard, LSE, and UMass Amherst, Doug has helped shape data platforms like WISERTrade and now contributes to NYKids with a focus on usability and insight. (Also, he’s still holding out hope for a spot in the NBA’s “no-longer-can-jump” league!)
Suzanne Smith
Director of Research and Evaluation at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Suzanne has spent her career using data to advance economic justice and racial equity. From analyzing affirmative admissions to tracking homelessness data, her work is all about turning numbers into meaningful change. She’s also a proud Smith College and UMass Amherst alum.
What We Talked About:
- What exactly is the NYKids Performance Tracker?
- Doug and Suzanne’s roles in its development and evolution
- The art (and science) of creating user-friendly data displays
- How to foster data-informed decision-making in the age of AI
Key Takeaways:
- The tracker acts as a matchmaker between schools, helping identify peers and learn from each other.
- Spotting “funky data” is crucial—sometimes anomalies are insights, other times they’re errors.
- Denominator issues matter: who’s included in the data (and who isn’t) can dramatically shift interpretations.
- In a world of generative AI, critical thinking and context are more important than ever when using data to shape policy.
Whether you’re an educator, policymaker, or data enthusiast, this episode offers practical insights into how data can be a tool for equity and improvement—not just accountability.
Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and join the conversation on how we can use data to build better schools and brighter futures.
