Blending Numbers with Narratives in School Leadership

As a school leader, you're not new to data. From test scores to attendance rates to the usage metrics on your online learning platforms, the numbers roll in regularly. But the smartest decisions aren't based on numbers alone—they’re made by layering those numbers with real-world insights from your teachers, students, and staff.

That’s where triangulation comes in. Specifically, the process of mixing qualitative and quantitative data to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what’s happening in your school—and what to do next.

Triangulation is a method used in research to cross-verify findings by using multiple data sources. In schools, it means taking different types of data—both numerical (quantitative) and narrative (qualitative)—and examining how they interact, confirm, or complicate each other.

Think of it as looking at your school from multiple vantage points. A single number (like an attendance rate) can tell you something. But when paired with insights from teachers and students, it can tell you why it’s happening—and what might help.

⚡What It Looks Like in Practice

Here’s how you might combine different forms of data:

1. Academic Achievement

• Quantitative: Test scores, progress monitoring data, platform usage rates.

• Qualitative: Teacher observations of student effort, student engagement logs, student and parent feedback.

You might notice a dip in math scores. But platform usage data shows students aren’t logging into the online math tools regularly. Teacher comments suggest students are frustrated by the platform design. That’s a richer, more actionable picture than any one data set could provide.

2. Attendance Patterns

• Quantitative: Daily attendance rates, tardiness trends by grade or subgroup.

• Qualitative: Notes from parent phone calls, counselor reports, student surveys about belonging and school climate.

If attendance is dropping in a particular grade level, qualitative feedback might reveal students don’t feel connected to teachers or peers. Now you’re not just reacting—you’re understanding and addressing the root cause.

3. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Quantitative: SEL screener scores, discipline referral and suspension rates.

• Qualitative: Teacher and counselor notes, reflections from students, classroom climate check-ins.

This blend helps you evaluate whether SEL programs are reaching students in meaningful ways, beyond just scores on a screener.

🔆Why This Matters for School Leaders

Triangulation isn't about making your job harder—it's about making your decisions smarter. Here’s why it works:

• It builds confidence in your conclusions. Multiple data types pointing to the same issue = a strong signal.

• It reduces blind spots. One type of data may mask deeper issues or miss important context.

• It empowers your team. When teachers and students see their input influencing decisions, engagement rises.

💡Tips for Using Triangulated Data Effectively

• Start with a guiding question. What are you trying to understand? Student engagement? Literacy growth? School climate?

• Layer your data. Begin with the quantitative, then look at the qualitative and ask: “What stories support or challenge this data?” “What solutions support what the data is telling us?” “What existing strategies do we need to change or omit?”

• Use collaboration. Invite teacher teams, counselors, and students to interpret data together.

• Look for patterns, not perfection. Triangulation isn't about perfect alignment—it’s about making informed, nuanced judgments.

💭Final Thought

In the age of dashboards and data reports, it's easy to chase numbers. But real school improvement comes from connecting those numbers with the lived experiences of your school community. When you triangulate quantitative and qualitative data, you're not just leading with information—you’re leading with insight.

Let your data tell its story. And make sure it's a story told from all sides.