Benchmarking Survey with DASL

2017 Survey

MISBO continues to collaborate with DASL by NAIS, as well as other associations serving independent schools, to collect your data through Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL).

DASL is an online tool independent schools can use to find actionable data related to all aspects of their school operations, including admission, enrollment, salaries, and more. A collaboration of more than 30 associations, DASL is the independent school community's repository of clean, comprehensive, usable data. In DASL, you can run benchmarking reports to compare your schools' figures to national or regional figures, or to the customized comparison group of schools that you choose.

Please read this data preparation guide and then log in at dasl.nais.org and complete the following steps:

  • Review the list of participating associations and the list of associations to which your school is tied in DASL (listed below the navigation menu on the left). Let them know if there are any changes.
  • Review the list of users in the User Permissions section. Depending on your data entry approach, you may need to add users. Remember to set the correct permissions for anyone who will be inputting data!
  • Alert your team about the data entry dates (August 8–October 11).

Read more about why independent schools should use DASL’s data benchmarking tools, and then take the coming weeks to make sure your team is ready. You’ll be able to begin entering your data on August 8, and the survey will close on October 11.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact DASL by NAIS at [email protected]. 

What this collaboration means:

  • Fewer surveys. When you put your data in DASL, it will go to many of the organizations to which your school belongs.
  • Shorter surveys. Based on characteristics you provide, your school will see only the questions relevant to you. For example, girls’ schools will not be asked for boys’ enrollment.
  • More choices. This year, you will have the option of downloading an Excel template into which you can enter your data, then upload the file to DASL, confirm your data populated correctly, and finalize your entry.
  • Faster system. DASL is on the cloud, with state-of-the art security and speed.

DASL Data Entry Preparation Guide