Bill Tucker's Commentary in EdWeek shares important lessons from the move to electronic medical records in the health care industry. Of particular note, Tucker is clear, as many of us have found, that the technology and mere availability of data are necessary, but not sufficient to create change.

In a March 8, 2010 Education Sector article, author Bill Tucker discussed the disparity between the billions of dollars spent on upgrading schools data systems and the actual use of data at the classroom level stating, ..despite states' and districts' tremendous progress in building data systems, policymakers are not yet routinely using these new data to improve accountability systems, support performance management processes, evaluate programs, or influence resource allocation decisions. And most importantly, the data is not yet being used where it matters most—in the classroom.

I have had the opportunity to recently engage with a number of staff from school district central offices and education foundations about the question in the title – who owns student outcomes? Unfortunately the answer I have often received is focused on why a particular individual, department, office or organization cannot, in fact, be held accountable for student outcomes.