Description

In this episode, host Cindy Blackburn sits down with Eric Heilman from CIRIS to unpack a question many independent school leaders are quietly asking: What is institutional research, and how is it actually used to make better decisions in schools?

Together, they explore how institutional research can move beyond dashboards and compliance to support clearer questions, healthier data culture, and more human decision-making. Eric shares how schools can democratize access to data, distinguish between operational and strategic data, and build governance practices that make data trustworthy and usable rather than overwhelming.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• what institutional research looks like in independent schools
  
  
• how school leaders can use data without drowning in it
  
  
• the difference between having data and having clarity
  
  
• why better questions matter more than more metrics
  
  
• how AI is beginning to intersect with institutional research and data governance
  
  

This episode is especially relevant for heads of school, academic leaders, and anyone responsible for stewarding data in K–12 independent schools who wants to use information thoughtfully, ethically, and in service of their mission.