From Democratic to ‘Need to Know’: Linking Distributed Leadership to Data Cultures in the Florida College System

The Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS) at Florida State University has been assessing implementation of SB 1720 every year since Spring 2014. A key component of the overall evaluation is an annual survey of lead administrators at FCS institutions. The current survey for year 5 places a new emphasis on exploring the process of institutional change. It examines how colleges use data on student outcomes, the types of changes that have been made in response to these data over time, and perceptions of accountability metrics. The survey also asks college leaders to rate their own institution’s performance, and to identify peer institutions they perceive as leaders in improving student outcomes under the reform.