Why District Problem Analysis Matters
Explain the value of Problem Analysis at the district level and how it supports instructional decision-making
District Problem Analysis gives leadership teams visibility into how students are thinking, not just how they performed. By analyzing student responses to the same problem across classrooms, schools, and grade levels, districts can move from surface-level data to instructional insight.
Key benefits:
Visibility into student thinking across buildings: See how students are reasoning on the same problem across classrooms, schools, and grade levels — beyond overall scores or percentages.
Accountability with instructional context: Compare patterns in student thinking across buildings to understand where instruction is aligned and where additional support may be needed.
Identify system-wide misconceptions: Quickly surface common errors shared by many students to determine which standards, concepts, or representations require focused attention.
Leverage PLCs more effectively: Use authentic student work and problem-level trends to ground PLC conversations in evidence rather than assumptions.
Support faster, more targeted decisions: Bring classroom-level insights directly to leadership to prioritize professional learning, instructional coaching, and district resources.
District-level impact:
Problem Analysis enables district teams to turn problem-level data into meaningful action by:
Prioritizing standards, grade levels, or buildings in need of support
Identifying where coaching, modeling, or instructional alignment will have the greatest impact
Grounding PLC and leadership conversations in real student work
Aligning professional learning to actual classroom needs, not assumptions
Making timely decisions that maximize instructional support and district resources
When to use Problem Analysis:
District teams often rely on Problem Analysis when reviewing:
Common Formative Assessments (CFAs)
Unit assessments
Benchmarks or district-wide quizzes
Priority problems tied to focus standards
Used consistently, Problem Analysis helps districts monitor shifts in student thinking over time and evaluate the impact of instructional initiatives.
District Problem Analysis Flow
How to access and use Problem Analysis in the District Dashboard
Navigate to the District Dashboard.
Select an assignment or quiz with submitted student work.
Click into a specific problem to open Problem Analysis.
Review how students responded to that problem across schools, classes, and grade levels.
What you’ll see in Problem Analysis:
Breakdown of all solutions, correct answers, errors, and no solutions.
Responses grouped by the answer students submitted, making it easy to identify patterns in thinking and common misconceptions.
For each answer choice:
Percentage of students who submitted that response
Student work samples connected to that answer
Grouping and filtering student work:
Group by: School, Class
Filter by: School, Class, Student
Save filters to quickly return to commonly used views (e.g., specific school or grade-level team).
Best practices for using Problem Analysis effectively:
Start with high-leverage problems connected to priority standards
Focus first on the most common error to identify system-wide instructional needs
Use student work samples to anchor PLCs and cross-building discussions
Revisit Problem Analysis over time to monitor shifts in student thinking
Pair insights with clear, actionable next steps for instructional support and coaching