Paula Gottesman, Prizmah board member, along with her late husband Jerry z”l, have been leading day school philanthropists for decades. She shared, “There are many ways to use your resources, but none more rewarding than nurturing a project you believe in. My husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to promote our concerns in concentrating our efforts on Jewish education, but I never expected to feel joy from seeing their success.”

Through community partnerships and the work of their foundation, Paula and Jerry have collaborated with four day schools to establish a community endowment initiative in Greater MetroWest. Their inspirational work has since become a catalyst for unprecedented cooperation and innovation when it comes to day school affordability for middle class families, and a model for other Jewish communities across North America.

Paula is simultaneously pragmatic about the immediate needs of schools and visionary about their potential. “We know that strong, successful schools can endure,” she said, even if future challenges are not yet known. “By nature, Jewish day schools are always paying attention to the next generation; they are centers of Jewish community. We need to invest today in the best teachers, heads of schools, and facilities so that these schools can thrive for years to come.”

Paula continues her support of MetroWest while also making an impact field-wide. “Donors most often give parochially to schools or other institutions in their immediate community where they feel a personal relationship.” Nearly twenty-five years ago, though, Rabbi Yitz Greenberg broadened Paula and Jerry’s vision of day school philanthropy when he asked them about joining PEJE (Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education) with other North American funders to support day school education. It was their relationship with Rabbi Greenberg that really encouraged this new partnership.

This informs the advice she offers to both solicitors and funders: “Start from a connection that matters—an interest in a particular school or cause or a personal relationship. Identify what matters to you and to those you are supporting—whether it is scholarships or security or another area of need.” She continued, “It’s such a reward to see the schools in our community thrive, and an unexpected pleasure to witness the impact of our contributions.”

Rosh Chodesh Shvat, according to Beit Shammai, marks the New Year for trees. However, according to Beit Hillel, we observe the date on the 15th of this month (טו בשבט), which arrives today. This machloket (disagreement) highlights for us the fact that this whole season is important for trees. This holiday takes place in the middle of winter because in Israel the fruit trees start to open up their blossoms right around this time of year, marking the new cycle for this year’s fruits. Wherever you are, there is something you can learn and teach from the trees around you.

Lessons From Trees

Trees can thrive under incredibly harsh conditions. The larch tree can withstand temperatures as cold as -65º C. A look outside in your neighborhood reveals that this spring’s buds are already waiting on our trees, but they will not open up until the right moment later this spring.
 
Trees show us what it means to be patient. Resilience and patience are two traits that are hard to teach, but learning them from the trees can be resonant with many of our learners.

Nature With Your Students 

If you’re wondering how you might approach nature with your students, we recommend using what you have nearby. We created this Scavenger Hunt as a way to learn more about your natural surroundings. If you want learn more about the plants around you, the photo app on your phone has features to help you identify the plants you photograph. We also love the iNaturalist app to participate in regional naturalist programs.
 
Get out and play: You can use this trail finder or forest finder for local places to recreate in nature. Be sure to check with local regulations if bringing school groups.

Develop An Educational Garden At Your School 

School gardens are rich with educational opportunities. They provide space for students to get outdoors, have fun and learn about nature. They offer sites for experiential education par excellence. Educators can design them to draw out Jewish lessons related to our sources and traditions. Students of all ages can learn and benefit from them. And they can plant— flowers, vegetables, trees—watch them grow and discover the mysteries and fascination of the cycles of life.
 
In 2021, with the help of an Ignition Grant from the Covenant Foundation, GrowTorah started our Anafim program, training teachers in schools across the USA to implement our program. Three years later, we are delighted to share that we’ll be expanding the program with in-person training, more curricular resources, and an ever-growing cohort of educators and school partners, thanks to a Signature Grant from Covenant.
 
In our home base of New Jersey, while we are surrounded by cold and snow and our trees are still in their dormant phase, this holiday reminds us to be optimistic for the future. In this region, Shvat’s arrival marks the start of sap flowing in the trees, maple sugaring season is right around the corner, with spring right after. At GrowTorah, we constantly seek Torah inspiration from nature, and in turn, we are inspired by the Torah to protect and preserve our beautiful world.
 
May the flowering of the fruit trees bring about the peace we so desperately need and be a harbinger of good things to come for all of Am Yisrael, and all people on this earth.

This year, as we observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the significance of the day takes on a new depth in the wake of October 7th. Resonating strongly for us, is the pain of our present moment with the recent Hamas attack being the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and with antisemitism on a precipitous rise around the world. The very ideals we swore to protect, the lessons we learned from our history, are tested once again. The shadows of the past stretch into our present, compelling us all the more to confront prejudice, hatred, and violence head-on.

Within the history of the Holocaust, we find echoes of countless voices silenced but not forgotten. We remember those who suffered, the lost individuals’ whose potential has gone unfulfilled, the families torn apart, and the communities forever changed. We are the torchbearers of their stories, entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the world never forgets. And yet, we are acutely aware of the challenges we face today. The battle against antisemitism, in all of its forms, is not a relic of the past; it is an ongoing struggle that demands our attention and commitment. As Elie Wiesel said, “Even in the darkness, it is possible to create light.” We must find the strength to stand united against discrimination and violent hate. We draw inspiration from the resilience of our ancestors, from the stories of survival and unwavering human spirit. 

Despite the weight of our history and the challenges of our present moment, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is also a time to look toward the hope of our future. We carry the torch of remembrance, have a responsibility to educate, and have an obligation to advocate. We can be the architects of a world that learns from its past and rejects hatred. We understand that our actions today shape the world our future generations will inherit.

Rabbi Sacks wrote, “Antisemitism is never ultimately about Jews. It is about a profound human failure to accept the fact that we are diverse and must create space for diversity if we are to preserve our humanity.” Our commitment to the principles instilled in us through our Jewish tradition and values is unwavering. It is a commitment to the sacredness of life, to our shared humanity, to the Jewish people and our homeland, and that we should have the ability as Jews to live safely wherever we are in the world. In the hope of our future, we envision a world where the lessons of the Holocaust guide us toward a more compassionate and just society.

We have a shared commitment. The Jewish people have not simply survived, we have persevered. It is not because of our tragedies but because of the beauty and spirit of our tradition. We take pride in our heritage and our ability to effect positive change. As we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day this year, let us reflect on the shadows of our history, confront the pain of our present, and strive to illuminate the path toward a brighter, more inclusive future.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 10, 2024

Report also details families’ stated reasoning for wanting to transfer into Jewish day school during this time

January 10 2024 – A new report released by Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, representing 110 schools across North America, shows increased inquiries from public and private school students interested in mid-year transfers into Jewish day schools and yeshivas. The primary reasons are wanting their children to be in a Jewish environment, fear of antisemitism, and disappointment with how their current schools are handling the Israel-Hamas war. The report shows how Jewish day schools welcomed over 1000 temporary Israeli students fleeing from war, attending to their academic and mental health and wellness needs. It also suggests potential for enrollment increases in the next school year starting summer of 2024.

“The war in Israel is impacting enrollment in Jewish day schools and families,” said Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah. “Parents of public and private school students are turning towards Jewish day schools out of a desire for their children to benefit from all that makes Jewish day schools great - an excellent education, a warm, nurturing Jewish environment, and protection from antisemitism they might experience elsewhere. The best defense against antisemitism and hostility to Israel is to nurture strong, confident, knowledgeable Jewish youth, and Jewish day schools answer that need.”

Covering the period from the start of the war in October 2023 to December 8, 2023, the report presents a snapshot of the responses from 110 schools in the United States and Canada.

Three important trends are apparent in the study:

• Thirty-nine percent of schools reported inquiries and or enrollment from public school students interested in transferring mid-year. Top reasons schools reported that public school transfer families provided for transferring are:
  • Wanting their child(ren) to be in a Jewish environment (73%)
  • Fear of antisemitism in school or community (68%)
  • Response from their current school around the war in Israel (32%)
• Twenty percent of schools reported receiving inquiries and or enrollment from independent school students interested in transferring midyear. Top reasons schools reported that independent school transfer families provided for transferring are:
  • Wanting their child(ren) to be in a Jewish environment (80%)
  • Response from their current school around the war in Israel (50%)
  • Fear of antisemitism in school or community (40%)
• Ninety-five percent of schools reported receiving inquiries and/or enrollment from temporary Israeli students interested in attending a Jewish day school on a short-term basis, and over 1,000 temporary Israeli students were hosted in the schools that responded to the survey. Most schools reported that their temporary Israeli students needed English Language Learning (ELL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) support, as well mental health support as is often needed for students fleeing their country due to war.

As the report highlights, “The findings emphasize the resilience and adaptability of these educational institutions in responding to the increased interest of transfer students and their families. It also underscores the schools’ commitment to providing a supportive environment, despite the anticipated return of temporary Israeli students to Israel.”

For the full report, please click here.

In 2021, CASJE (the Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Education) released the Career Trajectories of Jewish Educators Study, which sought to understand the recruitment, retention and development of Jewish educators in the United States. Among the many findings in this multi-strand study, we learned that a distinguishing feature of people who launch careers in Jewish education is that they are mission-driven. Jewish educators come to their work to make a difference in the world.

But how do we know if our work is making the positive change we want to see? Research evidence can be a critical input for understanding who we work with, how our educational programs are functioning, and what outcomes they produce.

Research Evidence vs. Data

You may notice that I made a little move there just now, shifting from the term “data,” which is the focus of this issue, to the term “research evidence,” which is the focus of CASJE’s work. I think of data as collected information. Data can be processed or organized to make sense of phenomena but, in my mind, data are essentially inert. Data doesn’t do or say anything on its own. Data needs to be interpreted.

Research is a systematic way of collecting and analyzing data with the aim of answering questions, and research evidence is what is produced from that process. Data is all around us, but without a question in mind and disciplined way of sifting data to generate answers and insights, it’s not necessarily useful.

It’s Hard to Be “Data-driven”

We live in a time where being “data-driven” is commonly seen as a positive attribute in the professional world. Everyone says they want to be “evidence-based.” At CASJE, we have come to appreciate that being a data-driven and evidence-based Jewish educational leader is not an easy or straightforward undertaking.

For one thing, Jewish educational leaders often don’t have access to research evidence that was produced with Jewish educational questions and concerns in mind. Even with the efforts of CASJE, the Prizmah Knowledge Center, The Journal of Jewish Education, the Mandel Center and others, there just isn’t all that much research production in Jewish education, such that it can be hard to find relevant research studies to consult. Often research that might be useful is behind a paywall.

Even when Jewish educational leaders can access research, it’s often not communicated in ways that are easy to understand. On one hand, an article may be pitched to an academic reader with a lot of jargon and technical terms that aren’t explained with a professional audience in mind. On the other hand, the findings may be reported though the filter of a news story or social media that makes it hard to ascertain what the researchers actually said or on what evidence they based their claims.

Finally, research evidence only sometimes will perfectly and unambiguously answer our questions. More often it frames new ways of thinking and possibilities for action without telling us exactly what to do. Research evidence needs to be further interpreted with careful consideration for the particular contexts in which educational leaders work. Further, educational leaders need to account for how any interventions these interpretations suggest can be meaningfully implemented in their own programs.

Focusing on Use

When CASJE was founded, we initially focused on developing high-quality research evidence. Now our mission has widened such that we also focus on high-quality use of research evidence. To that end, and with direction from a host of much valued practitioner-leaders in Jewish education who have shared their needs and perspectives with us, we have begun to develop new tools to support educators in their efforts to use data and research evidence to improve the work they do. These tools include a research digest, a research use fellowship for practitioners (launching January 23), a discussion guide for talking about research with colleagues, and free consultations for mission-aligned organizations with questions about research and research use.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that research use isn’t just something people do, it’s something people can study as well. The last ten years have seen increasing attention to research into the use of research, that is research that examines how decision-makers use research to shape practice and policy. At CASJE, we have been following this line of inquiry to help us frame our own efforts to strengthen the capacity of Jewish educational leaders to use research to fuel improvements in Jewish education.

Many of the pilot initiatives introduced above are also serving as learning labs for CASJE to begin to develop a formal body of knowledge about how Jewish communal leaders think about and use research. Our questions include, How do Jewish educational leaders define research? How do they access research? What mindsets and skills do they bring to their assessment of research? What are the ways research shapes their thinking and activities? How can relationships between researchers and practitioners help foster more high-quality research that is useful and used?

As we pilot these new initiatives and begin to learn more about the use of research evidence in Jewish education, we look forward to hearing from you, both about how you are using our tools and how you are using research more generally in your work.

Suggested resources those interested in learning more about research use:

• Weiss, Carol (1979). The Many Meanings of Research Utilization, Public Administration Review, 39:5.
• Tseng, Vivian (2012). The Uses of Research in Policy and Practice. Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development.
• Network for Research in Jewish Education Panel (2021), From Ivory Tower to Practice: Bridging the Research-Practice Divide in Jewish Education. Video with panelists Jack Schneider, Sharon Feiman-Nemser, Rivka Press Schwartz, and Larry Cuban, moderated by Arielle Levites.

How does my school tuition, cost per student, and fundraising compare to others? 
Is what happens at my school a fieldwide trend or unique to my school? 
How do I know what salary I should be asking for the position I’m negotiating? 
Are there tuition affordability models that I should be considering for my school?
How are others handling the Israeli students that have enrolled since October 7?

These questions, and many more, are ones that Prizmah has researched and can help you answer. 

At Prizmah, we believe in the strength of data-informed decision making and have developed a robust framework of research and data collection to serve the field of Jewish day schools and yeshivas.  Borrowing the Qualtrics model, Prizmah strategically focuses on Operational (O) and Experience (X) data. Examples of O data are school financial, operational, enrollment, and development metrics. These are usually derived from objective, measurable processes. X data, on the other hand, is how people think and feel. It’s about the human experience. The most effective leaders look to both O and X data to inform their strategic-decision making. At Prizmah, we can help you access and learn from both. 

Here are three avenues of support that Prizmah provides for data-driven leaders. 

Data-Driven Decision Making for School Leaders 

Day school leaders steeped in their school’s finances may find themselves or their boards asking for comparative school data. How much do other schools budget for financial aid? What percent of  revenue should come from net tuition and other revenue sources? How much are similar schools spending on teacher professional development?

The answers to these questions lay in O data. Benchmarking operational data helps schools understand how peer schools are performing and their areas of strength and growth. School leaders look at salary ranges while considering their staff’s salaries and raises. Advancement data enables development professionals to set fundraising goals. Admission professionals compare their yield rate, acceptance rate and attrition rate to peer schools. The data can show schools where they have room for growth, which helps determine priorities and how they can be focusing their time most effectively. Heads of school, executive directors, COOs, and CFOs use the data to understand where their tuition stands in the marketplace, how much other schools spend on salaries as a percent of their budget, and what percent of revenue comes from tuition and other sources.

This year, 120 Jewish day schools entered data into DASL (Data Analysis for School Leadership), accessing free custom benchmarking data to help with some of those hard strategic financial decisions. 

To give you a head start - look to the reports that our Knowledge Center publishes on an annual basis: 

• Prizmah’s Facts at a Glance 2022-2023, provides an aggregate summary of DASL data; and our
• Salary Data Bank, reports on Jewish day school salary comps making accessing fieldwide data more accessible than ever. 

Community Benchmarking

Through partnerships with federations, schools in three communities now  have  access to critical community wide benchmarks on key financial and operational metrics that can help them understand areas of strength and growth, and where they sit relative to their peer schools. 

Landscape Research for the Field 

In conversations with school leaders, we know that there are broader issues and trends at play that impact schools. Prizmah conducts landscape research for  Jewish day school professionals, lay leaders, funders, and day school adjacent organizations with fieldwide data that can shape informed perspectives on our field. 

Landscape research helps us understand those issues. offering a holistic understanding of the school environment and empowering informed decision-making. Through landscape research we can identify and name challenges, leading to problem-solving and equipping school leaders with critical information that can help schools adapt and serves as a valuable tool for long-term planning. 

Driven by emergent issues in the field, Prizmah conducts pulse surveys throughout the year to surface specific trends and in-depth qualitative data. Recent pulse surveys have focused on the impact of the war in Israel on day school enrollment and development. These pulse surveys help school leaders understand what decisions other schools are making and how their experience is the same or differs from other schools. They also help the broader community understand aspects of day schools that they don’t usually have a window to.  According to this research, 95% of schools that responded received inquiries and/or enrollment from temporary Israeli students, and some schools are seeing an increase in inquiries from public and independent school transfer students. An earlier pulse survey identified additional support schools needed to assist these students, influencing funders’ decisions to extend financial assistance to the schools. 

Our in-depth qualitative research captures the experiences of specific day school stakeholders. By shining a light on specific areas of focus like the experiences of board members ( Unlocking Leadership: Obstacles and Opportunities for Improved Day School Volunteer Leadership) we have learned what the obstacles and opportunities are.  Seizing the Moment: Transferring to Jewish Day School During the Covid-19 Pandemic homed in on the experiences of parents who transferred their kids to day school during the pandemic, offering a distinctive perspective on how parents make decisions about what school their children attend.  

Modeling Data-Driven Decision Making 

At Prizmah, we model what it means to be a data-driven organization by using data to craft organizational strategy, define programmatic goals and evaluate and measure impact. After webinars, cohort programs, and gatherings, we solicit participant feedback through surveys and use that data to inform and improve future offerings. We utilize school data, collected from DASL, pulse surveys and other research to make strategic decisions. 

We envision a world where day school leaders seamlessly integrate X and O data and research into their practice to enhance their effectiveness as leaders, sustaining vibrant Jewish education for our community. As we look to the horizon, we are dreaming of more ways to support schools with data and research with parent and staff satisfaction surveys that will link the experience side of schools with the operation side of schools. 

The integration of robust data analysis and strategic research offers a powerful toolkit for school leaders. Armed with these insights, leaders can navigate the intricate landscape of education with precision, making informed decisions that lead to better outcomes for their school community. As school professionals harness the potential of data-driven strategies, they pave the way for continuous improvement.

I welcome your thoughts and ideas about a data driven field of Jewish day schools at  [email protected].

Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), Greater Boston’s Federation, has long played the part of a central convener, grant maker, and thought leader for its 14 Jewish day schools. One of its thought leadership roles is the collection and analysis of school data. Over time, CJP has built a number of methods to collect and analyze the unique set of data that comes out of our schools. In the past two years, we have reevaluated the goals and process of CJP’s day school data collection efforts in order to increase their value and lessen their burden on the schools.

We’ve centered all of our efforts around two use cases for data collection:

Network insight: What data might we collect to push our collective day school agenda forward and create a sustainable ecosystem of schools?

School-specific insight: What data might we collect that would allow for smarter action by school leaders?
Based on our previous methods of data collection, we observed three challenges.

Data Entry is Time Consuming 

Given the tremendous pressure school leaders and administrators are under, taking on another tedious responsibility is challenging. Exacerbating the baseline responsibility of data entry is the fact that schools may belong to other associations, such as the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE), that also require them to enter data. Asking our professionals to take a leap of faith and enter data that might pay off for them and our network as a whole is no small ask.

Analysis is Impossible Without Common Definitions 

Another challenge data collectors face is making sure they are defining the information they are asking for clearly such that it is understood in the same way by administrators. As just one example, in an effort to allow schools to benchmark themselves, CJP long asked for information on the size of school admission pipelines. The hypothesis was that if the conversion rate of pipeline size to applications received varied by school, it might allow a school to question what it could learn from another school with a higher pipeline to application conversion rate. 

The challenge is that the concept of an admission pipeline can differ dramatically between schools. One school might define it as having collected an email address, while another could define it as having had a substantive connection with a prospective family by email or over the phone. Aside from hard measures like gross tuition, net tuition, and enrollment size, the vast majority of data points we previously collected bumped up against this definitional challenge.

Framing Data for Action is Hard 

This is perhaps the most critical challenge, and there is no easy solution for it. Even with the data in hand and accurate definitions, the challenge of a central data collector is framing the information in such a way that it comes across as accurate, credible, and clear enough to make the school or the network question its current tactics. On top of those challenges, school heads and administrators possess different levels of comfort with data and have differing capacities to act on it.

Solutions 

While we certainly haven’t designed a perfect solution for all of these challenges, here are a few things we’ve started to do in an effort to tackle these challenges. 

Lean on DASL for Thoughtful Definitions 

Through Prizmah’s partnership with the National Association of Independent Schools, our schools gained access to their Data Analysis for School Leadership solution (DASL). One of the advantages of this system is the precision of the data-entry fields and definitions they provide to data enterers. With the help of school experts in all the areas of data collection, they have refined the information they request and defined it carefully.

DASL’s definition of student attrition is a good example of this precision:

While one could simply define attrition as the students who were in the school last year who didn’t come back, DASL has enhanced the precision of attrition by detailing abnormalities like exchange students and students who were dismissed that could throw this definition off. They apply this same deep understanding of school dynamics to all of the areas of data they collect, so that we do not need to recreate our own definitions.

Limit Data Collection 

In the first year of our data reboot, we asked for a wide variety of data and created 20 different views across multiple areas of school operations. In certain areas, like development, we were able to create some useful benchmarks for schools, but the amount of time required for data entry relative to its output value did not warrant our efforts. As a result, we trimmed our data collected by 50% from year one to year two.

Entering the Data Ourselves Where Possible 

In order to further reduce the burden on school administrators while increasing accuracy, we decided to enter all of the financial data ourselves. In previous years, when we had asked for self-reported data on revenue and costs, we had trouble ensuring consistency among the schools. For instance, when we asked for information on philanthropy, some schools entered all giving whereas others entered only unrestricted giving. These sound like easy definitions to notate, but for busy professionals rushing through data entry, these nuances can be hard to specify clearly. This past year, instead of asking for self-reported data, we asked for audited or even pre-audited financials. Because the outputs of school financials are typically similar, it was relatively easy for the team at CJP to simply ask for the financials and do much of the data entry ourselves, thereby ensuring greater accuracy.

Standardize Our Analysis Readouts 

The final, and perhaps most consequential portion of the work, is to figure out how to report on inputted data. There is no easy answer on how to make the readout understandable and actionable. One of our findings was that it is typically not interesting enough for schools to examine their own performance vs. overall average. We found that schools wanted to see their own performance against their peers. We reported these results in an anonymized way, making some efforts to protect each school’s identity. Below is one example of multiyear reporting across a range of schools grouped by category (non-Orthodox K-8, Orthodox K-8, and high school) that allows for peer comparison on absolute measures and rates of growth.

Cost to Educate

While the first year of charting these results was arduous, we did show signs of meeting some of our goals. Among other successes, two schools used their data to make arguments to funders, two reexamined their base teacher compensation, and one became more aware of how facilities could fuel non-tuition revenue lines. For this coming year, with the help of Odelia Epstein at Prizmah, we are hoping to standardize our results in an automated dashboard that can pull our data out of DASL and Excel. This way, in future years, all we need to do is update our existing data set, which will then update the charts available to our school.

We remain convinced that day school data can provide critical insight into the health of our network and ways for schools to improve. That said, we are cognizant of how challenging data entry can be for us as an organization as well as our schools. By regularly evaluating yield versus effort, we maximize the value of our data and serve our schools most effectively.

The Jim Joseph Foundation is committed to strategic learning and informed decision-making. We have a diverse array of research and evaluation studies that currently shape our approach to investments. This work transcends the conventional role of a mere accountability tool. Instead, we see our learning agenda as a dynamic process that contributes to the strategic growth and effectiveness of our grantmaking. With this perspective, we foster a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement and field-building.

Implementation 

Studies in our learning agenda generally fall into one of four categories: 

1. Individual grantee evaluations that build the capacity for our grantees to be learning organizations.
2. Cross-portfolio evaluations that examine shared outcomes and synergies across various sets of grantees to identify overarching trends and opportunities.
3. Funder-commissioned research that partners with external experts to delve deeper into specific areas of interest that align with our mission. 
4. Grantee-commissioned research that empowers grantees to conduct research, enhances their own understanding, and contributes to a broader knowledge base. 

Beyond individual studies, we also invest in the development of talent to ensure a robust, skilled, and diverse research and evaluation pipeline. This is meant to help grow the capability of communal organizations to apply learnings.

Professional Team Learning 

For the foundation internally, we look to integrate insights and learnings into our own day-to-day operations, thus modeling being a learning organization. We lean into our First Principles, which include staying curious, centering youth, and being in relationships. We listen for themes and trends and actively question our assumptions. As we pride ourselves on being a relational grantmaker, we regularly preview early research findings with relevant grantee-partners before public dissemination. Program officers prioritize learning in conversations with grantees and with other funders, often asking what program providers are hearing from target audiences, or what adjustments are being made as a result of learning. We also read other research (that we are not funding) and share what we are reading, either with grantees directly or publicly. If necessary for improvement, we are unafraid to pivot to model being a learning organization.

The program team meets regularly to discuss important evaluation findings and shares reports on an internal platform. We continue to support individual evaluation work both with funding and non-grantmaking support.

Interactions with the Board 

We keep our board informed of our research by maintaining an internal website of the most widely used and relied on evaluation and research the foundation has commissioned, in addition to individual memos to the board detailing new research findings when warranted. All grant recommendations presented to the board for approval are grounded in data. Based on learnings from past research, in 2023 the board approved new initiatives that focus on early childhood educators, early-and mid-career Jewish professionals, immersive travel to Israel, new modes of rabbinic training, and a convening of communal professionals to discuss the talent pipeline issues facing the field. In other words, research leads to actions.

Our Portfolio of Research and Evaluation, and Impact 

Individual Grantee Evaluations 

For the first category of investments—individual grantee evaluations—we have many evaluations in progress at any given time. The fact that dozens of grantee organizations collect and use evaluation data internally is a positive sign that the field values the use of data and the capacity to collect it. Our signature grantees are sophisticated consumers of evaluation data and have proven time and again to be thoughtful partners. Many times, these individual evaluations provide insight into the grantee’s work and illuminate themes related to audiences, interventions, and settings that others share and are of interest to the foundation. For example, a recent RootOne evaluation provides learnings for The Jewish Education Project as well as others interested in teens and their parents, and in immersive Israel travel in general.

Cross-Portfolio Evaluations 

The foundation’s cross-portfolio evaluations are increasing and are generally major endeavors that can yield a plethora of data and insights relevant to many in the field. For example, stemming from the success of our teen initiative’s cross-community evaluation and the development of shared outcomes and measures, we have applied learnings to think about shared outcomes and measures in other grantmaking areas as well. 

In one project, Rosov Consulting and five signature grantees that directly serve young people convened to discuss the pilot phase and plan a second phase of their shared data collection initiative, which will incorporate a series of focus groups with participants who have been deeply engaged across multiple programs. These five organizations are not siloed; high proportions of their alumni also participate, over time, in the other organizations’ offerings. The more programs can collaborate in their data gathering, the wiser they will be about the extent to which they are meeting their participants’ needs, especially those from under-represented populations. Collaboration of this kind should also help programs gain a better understanding of both their own value proposition and their ability to contribute to a broader cross-communal effort.

Research Studies 

Of the multiple studies the foundation commissioned last year, the Study of Online Jewish Learning by Benenson Strategy Group embodies much of our approach to research. This study aimed to gain a more thorough understanding of the diversity of the online Jewish learning experiences for young adults who identify as Jewish, the motivators for engagement, and the benefits of online Jewish learning and virtual experiences. The methodology consisted of a series of focus groups, a survey of 300 active online learners sourced from 14 providers of Jewish online learning, and a survey administered to a national sample of 800 Jewish young adults. 

We learned that online platforms and sources play a significant role in how young Jewish adults go about learning about and connecting with their Judaism. While differences exist in how, why, where, and how often, many young Jewish adults are engaging and interacting with online and virtual sources in some way. Further, there is evidence that learning and engaging with and through online platforms help establish and foster an individual’s sense of connection to Judaism, meaning, and purpose. 

Importantly though, online platforms are complementary to other non-digital sources. There is a role online plays, and benefits that are unique, but it is not the only source young Jewish adults are relying on for information, connection, or meaning in their lives. This study, along with several new grantee evaluations, will inform our grantmaking decisions in this arena and our stewardship of grants that utilize online Jewish learning. 

In all areas of our work, we look forward to bringing more evaluation and research to fruition in 2024 to benefit our grantees, our internal team, and the field at large.

“What’s happening with my child?”

One recent fall, after sharing student standardized testing data, a parent reached out to 
school administrators and teachers, exasperated:

“Why are his scores declining for the second test in a row? Shouldn’t he be growing?”

The usual answers were hollow: “It’s one standardized test, don’t worry. This kind of performance fluctuation can happen in a high-stakes environment. When anxiety increases, performance decreases. Did your child get a good night’s sleep before the test?”

Unsatisfied, we dug deeper, to see what else we could do in order to answer the parents’ questions about “Alex.”

Individualized Measurements 

In 2013, a group of like-minded administrators at Scheck Hillel dreamed of creating what we brainstormed would be called an ILP. What if each child in our school could have an Individualized Learning Plan or Profile? We know their test scores. We know their classroom grades. What other data would be important to create this kind of plan? What if we knew so much about our students that we could partner with parents to maximize their achievement, supporting them as they explored their passions and fostered their identity?

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) was a starting point. Their reports for teachers, administrators, students, and parents are detailed. Aligned to national core learning standards and grade level skills, MAP reports make grouping accessible by skill level, extending learning, and/or remediating specific skills. Further, MAP’s measurements of achievement and growth allow all stakeholders to measure progress on both individual and comparative levels. As a company, their continual improvements in reporting and data visualization have improved our approach to using data. 

In recent years, adaptive learning practice platforms have evolved, and MAP scores can be linked to tools such as Dreambox Math, Khan Academy, IXL, NewsELA, and more. These are the low-hanging fruit of leveraging the data, and require fewer teacher and administrative touch points, making implementation of data-informed instruction easier. 

However, creating the systems and structures to support data-informed planning and learning activities is daunting. Change management, teacher turnover and other factors slow progress in data usage. Nevertheless, the benefits are definitely worth the efforts. The long-term value lies in student goal-setting and processes that encourage regular practice, “bite-sized” goals, and reflection—of all stakeholders.

Standardized testing is a singular measure of student achievement. It is by far not the best measure of student progress, but it is an indicator. Other data sources help to measure student achievement: class grades, quizzes and tests, and project-based rubric scores. Attendance and tardy data may also indicate where and why a student may or may not be reaching their potential.

Back to our ILP: What other data sources could we use? Classroom grades are easily accessible. Attendance? Yes. Discipline? Yes. What about the so-called “soft skills” or what used to be called soft skills? Social-emotional learning skills?

Measuring SEL

In 2015, we found a new education company that was leveraging stakeholder feedback to improve learning. PanoramaEd uses survey tools for social-emotional learning (SEL) and school culture, among others, to support students in school systems. Our focus then was to learn more about how our students felt about their own social-emotional learning skills and competencies.

It took a few years and pilots to develop the ongoing systems and processes in order to implement these principles, and we’re still working to improve how we use them. We survey our students in Grades 3-12 annually about specific SEL skills. Beginning in Grade 3, students answer questions about growth mindset, self-management, classroom effort, and learning strategies. Students answer these same questions again in grades 5, 7, 9, and 11. 

Beginning in fourth grade, students answer different questions, focusing on grit, self-efficacy, social awareness, and emotion regulation. (These same questions are asked again in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12.) The rationale behind asking questions on alternating years was to avoid survey fatigue and allow two years for growth between measurements. These surveys opened a significant window into the minds and hearts of our students. 

Simultaneously, we started to ask more questions to inform that ILP idea:

• What if we were able to see all our student data in one place?
• Could be combine the standardized tests, class grades, attendance, behavior, and student self-perceptions about social-emotional learning competencies? 

Thanks to an incredible database manager and a growth-minded team, we created a student data dashboard that is updated each term. Teachers, administrators, and counselors can access the dashboard to review student information, all in a single place. Leveraging powerful data visualization tools and techniques, we were able to create this tool for grades 2-12. Yes, the indicators are mostly lagging ones, yet combined with anecdotal teacher, counselor, administrator, student and parent input, a clearer picture and profile of the learner can be made. 

Here’s a sample report of the data dashboard for our middle school division. The lower and high school divisions have different layouts that represent their respective programs.

The Student at the Center 

What is the practical application of something like this? The dashboard enables us to ask better questions, to engage with our stakeholders at the table with a plethora of information available. 

Having all the data in one place enables us to ask new questions. Are the standardized measures of achievement aligned to classroom ones? What does attendance look like, and how does it correlate to achievement? How does the student feel about their own abilities related to intelligence, grit, emotional regulation, among other indicators? How might these factors be influencing achievement?

Most importantly, because we are focused on the student in the center, conversations look very different. We can use the data to draw correlations to home behaviors and attitudes that without the SEL data were previously unseen. 

After digging deeper with Alex’s family, the educational team (administrators, counselors, teachers) found that the child’s self-perceptions were having an impact on classroom performance and standardized test scores. The child believed that it is “not all possible to change how easily he gave up” and felt that “his level of intelligence was only a little possible to change.” The classroom teacher and school counselor noticed that the student required constant reinforcement, and that he rushed through completing assignments without checking them against rubrics or other self-paced guidelines. 

Through further conversation with the parents, the educational team learned that some of the same behaviors were manifesting at home and with extracurricular activities. The team came together and crafted a plan or an ILP for the child, and the school/family partnership was strengthened through specific shared actions, both at home and at school. A summary of the plan appears below.

Alex’s Plan

Summary 

Through MAP data, classroom observations, and collaborative conversations between school and home, we have come together to identify ways to support Alex’s progress. Alex has a fixed mindset about his intelligence and his ability to move past challenges. This has been seen in his academic performance, self-reported surveys about his social-emotional skillset, as well as extracurricular activities. In order to help Alex reach his full potential, we are coming together to support him as he develops a growth mindset.

Goals 

• To develop a growth mindset in school and at home when presented with challenging situations.
• To exhibit grit on classroom MAP assessments to persevere as questions become more difficult. 

Next Steps 

In School

1. Bi-weekly meetings with classroom teacher and counselor. These meetings will focus on goal-setting and providing techniques to develop a growth mindset. 

2. When presented with challenges, teachers will use the following phrases to promote a growth mindset 

• “Build your brain’s muscles by working hard!"
• “You learn from your mistakes."
• “Thinking dislike giving your brain a workout."
• “Everyone makes mistakes."
• “Failure=learning."
• “Great effort!"
• “I can tell you tried your best on this."
• “When the work gets hard, you start learning."
• “Wow, that was hard–you stuck with it."
• “That bag is heavy, and you picked it up anyway.” (Rather than you’re strong). Bi-weekly meetings with classroom teacher and counselor. These meetings will focus on goal-setting and providing techniques to develop a growth mindset. 

3. Duckworth Grit assessment tools 

• Grit Scale- Angela Duckworth
• Growth Mindset strategies MINDSET QUIZ | UNC Advising 
   

4. Leading up to the next MAP assessment, we will guide Alex through test prep including what to do when faced with challenging questions.

5. Include Alex in reviewing MAP scores and understanding how the test works.

At Home 

• Provide opportunities for Alex to practice problem-solving, grit, and pushing himself outside of his comfort zone. This could be building legos, housework responsibilities, playing video games, etc.
• Parents read Grit: The Power or Passion and Persistence by Angela Duckworth.
• Parents read Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink.
• When presented with challenges at home, parents will use the same phrases as school to promote growth mindset 

Parent feedback upon sharing the data has been overwhelmingly positive. Seeing everything in one place provides a clearer picture for them of the school experience. The plan enables them to be more fully engaged in the “home” portion of the school/family partnership. As we continue to refine our process and system, it is our intention to create these for each child.

Fundraising plays a vital role in supporting the financial health, accessibility, and overall mission of Jewish day schools. It enables schools to provide high-quality education, maintain a sense of community, and fulfill their commitment to educating students in a values-based and culturally rich environment. Data-driven fundraising strategies propel schools toward financial stability and lay the foundation for mission success. 

Data serves as the backbone of any successful fundraising strategy, providing invaluable insights into donor behavior, priorities, and trends. It allows schools to make informed decisions that maximize the impact of fundraising campaigns.

Understanding Donor Behavior 

A one-size-fits-all strategy is no longer effective in today’s philanthropic landscape. Data-driven fundraising begins with a deep understanding of donor behavior and insight into the preferences, motivations and patterns of giving among both individual donors and groups (alumni, grandparents, etc.). Armed with this information, schools can tailor their fundraising strategy to align best with their donors, increasing the likelihood of success. 

At the most basic level, schools can analyze donation histories, frequency, and amounts to identify trends. Demographic data (such as age, income level, geographic location, occupation, and synagogue affiliation) aid in segmenting donors, allowing for targeted communication strategies. Tracking interactions and engagement with individuals helps gauge donor interests and tailor outreach efforts. 

A deeper analysis of data may also help schools predict future donor behaviors. With a grasp on these behavioral nuances, schools can personalize campaigns, optimize fundraising channels, and cultivate lasting donor relationships. In an environment where there are tens if not hundreds of organizations and nonprofits vying for the attention, and dollars, of your donors, the relationship piece is crucial to the school’s fundraising success.

Prospecting Future Donors 

Prospect research is a pivotal component of data-driven fundraising. Schools can use data to identify potential major donors within their community or alumni network. Analyzing wealth indicators, past giving to similar causes, and personal connections can help schools prioritize prospects and tailor their outreach efforts for maximum effectiveness. 

By utilizing data to create detailed donor profiles, schools can approach potential supporters with personalized and compelling appeals. This increases the likelihood of securing major gifts gives another lever to strengthening the personal relationship with donors.

Optimizing Fundraising Strategies 

Data-driven decision-making provides tools that enable fundraising campaigns to achieve maximum impact. Analyzing the success metrics of past campaigns can help schools identify what worked well and what can be improved upon. This iterative process allows for continuous refinement of fundraising strategies, ensuring that each campaign builds on the successes of the previous ones. 

For example, if data analysis indicates that online campaigns generated a higher response rate compared to traditional mailers, the school can allocate more resources to digital channels. This adaptability is crucial in a rapidly changing fundraising landscape, where the ability to pivot based on real-time data can make the difference between a successful campaign and a missed opportunity.

Measuring Campaign Effectiveness 

Start by developing a clear understanding of your campaign’s goals and objectives. It may go without saying that the goal of any campaign is to raise money, but by articulating clear SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) goals, schools can use data to more precisely pinpoint and measure success. Identifying and tracking the relevant data points that align with your KPIs (key performance indicators) provide that clear picture.  

The most straightforward KPI is total funds raised, measuring the financial success of the campaign. However, that may not be your only or even primary goal. For example, your primary aim may be to engage and re-engage with donors, increasing your number of donors by 15%. For sure, you’ll still be measuring the total funds raised, but you really want to look at your lapsed donors, tracking outreach to them for this campaign and any donations or engagements. You may also want to use social media or Google Analytics to get a sense of your campaign’s online effectiveness, your messaging and outreach to old and new donors, website traffic and online donation conversion rates.

Data Reporting for Informed Decision Making 

Robust reporting strategies help transform raw data into actionable insights. Reporting tools can provide visual representations of fundraising performance, donor engagement, and campaign effectiveness.

Regular reports can highlight your progress towards achieving your KPIs. Metrics such as donor acquisition cost, donor retention rates, and average donation amounts can guide strategic decision-making and resource allocation.

Perhaps most importantly, data reporting facilitates transparency and accountability. By sharing performance reports with stakeholders, including board members, staff, and donors, schools can build trust and demonstrate the impact of their fundraising efforts. Transparency in reporting fosters a culture of continuous improvement, enabling schools to refine their strategies based on real-time feedback.

The integration of data-driven fundraising strategies is transformative for Jewish day schools and yeshivas. As schools navigate the complex landscape of philanthropy, data emerges not merely as a tool but as the foundation upon which successful fundraising campaigns are built. By embracing the power of data, Jewish schools strengthen their financial health, fortify their mission, and cultivate a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.