For too long, the education system has failed Indigenous students. Despite some improvements in recent years, Indigenous students continue to lag behind their non-Indigenous peers in terms of academic achievement, graduation rates, and post-secondary education attainment.

One of the challenges in improving education for Indigenous students is the lack of good data. Too often, data is collected in a way that doesn’t reflect the unique needs and circumstances of Indigenous students. This makes it difficult to identify the factors that are contributing to their success or failure.

A new way of looking at data is needed to better understand what’s working for Indigenous school kids and what isn’t. This approach must be based on the following principles:

* Indigenous data sovereignty: Indigenous communities must have control over the collection, use, and dissemination of their own data.

* Culturally responsive data collection: Data must be collected in a way that respects Indigenous cultures and values.

* Community engagement: Indigenous communities must be involved in the design, implementation, and analysis of data collection efforts.

* Disaggregation of data: Data must be disaggregated by Indigenous identity, language, and community to identify the specific needs of different Indigenous groups.

By following these principles, we can collect and use data to improve education for Indigenous students. This will help to close the achievement gap and ensure that all Indigenous students have the opportunity to succeed.

Here are some specific examples of how a new way of looking at data can help to improve education for Indigenous students:

* Identify the factors that are contributing to Indigenous students’ success or failure. By disaggregating data by Indigenous identity, language, and community, we can identify the factors that are contributing to the success or failure of different Indigenous groups. This information can then be used to develop targeted interventions that address the specific needs of these groups.

* Track the progress of Indigenous students over time. By collecting data over time, we can track the progress of Indigenous students and identify the areas where they are struggling. This information can be used to make adjustments to our educational programs and ensure that all Indigenous students are making progress.

* Evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs for Indigenous students. By collecting data on the outcomes of educational programs for Indigenous students, we can evaluate their effectiveness and identify the programs that are working best. This information can be used to scale up the programs that are working and discontinue the programs that are not.

A new way of looking at data is essential to improving education for Indigenous students. By following the principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, culturally responsive data collection, community engagement, and disaggregation of data, we can collect and use data to make a difference in the lives of Indigenous students.