These data aren’t just numbers; they’re students. This powerful message from IDC’s Interactive Institute inspired the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) to focus on the quality of their local data. With assistance from IDC, the state planned a two-day retreat where LEA leaders could focus on building their capacity to use and truly understand their data. On this episode of A Date with Data, host Amy Bitterman talks with SCDE’s Lisa McCliment and Sandra Garner about the process and the outcomes of helping LEAs spend time understanding their data and the students behind those numbers.