The use of data systems as a policy instrument is not a straightforward issue for schools. School performance feedback (SPF) has turned out to be a necessary yet insufficient step. Both users (for instance teachers and school principals) and feedback systems have to meet certain requirements in order for data to be used in practice (Visscher & Coe, 2003; Verhaeghe, Vanhoof, Valcke, & Van Petegem, in press). Consequently, current research often reports disappointing results from school feedback use (Coe, 2002; Saunders & Rudd, 1999; Tymms, 1995; Schildkamp, Visscher & Luyten, 2009; Van Petegem & Vanhoof, 2004; Verhaeghe et al., in press; Zupanc, Urank, & Bren, 2009). Although it is often argued that the value of school feedback use is situated at classroom level, data use is primarily documented at school level. Therefore this paper deliberately focuses on data use by teachers. It examines whether and how Flemish primary school teachers make use of feedback data. Answers are sought to the following research questions: (1) ‘How do teachers use SPF (in terms of processes and results)?’ and (2) ‘To what extent can the variation in SPF use be explained by characteristics of the school in which teachers work?’

Research shows that the process of SPF use in schools proceeds in many different ways (e.g., Schildkamp, 2007; Schildkamp & Kuiper, in press). In the process of school feedback use, Verhaeghe et al. (in press) distinguish between receiving, reading and discussing the SPF to arrive at a correct interpretation. After the school has performed an analysis of its results, the next stage involves putting to use the information from the SPF, which includes diagnosing by searching for explanations for the results. Results of SPF use are referred to when the process of SPF use results in specific actions or changes in thinking. Differences in the process and results of school feedback can be attributed to a variety of factors. There is empirical evidence about the impact of the following sets of factors: context, school and user, SPF-system, and support related factors (Verhaeghe et al., in press). This study mainly focuses on school related factors. Based on evidence from existing research, the following explanatory variables are set forward: attitudes towards school feedback (Williams & Coles, 2003), performance orientation within the school (Denessen, 1999), the actual school performance level (Visscher & Coe, 2003) and aspects of the school’s functioning (of policies) (such as 'professional relationships among team members’; ‘shared goals’ and the role of the ‘school leader as culture builder’ (Little, 1990; Staessens, 1993; Hargreaves & Fullan, 1992).

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