Schools are inundated with data, from test scores, to grades, discipline reports, and attendence, among many others. How should school leaders leverage this data, that they already collect on students on a daily basis, in ways that helps inform their decision making for directing the limited resources of schools and districts to specific student needs? In this talk, Dr. Alex J. Bowers will discuss his research on how schools can use teacher assigned grades to help predict overall student outcomes, such as dropping out or graduating, using recent innovations in pattern analysis and data visualization.