District superintendents or school principals need to be able to access and use high-quality data to make good decisions. Often this data is collected and stored locally, but information that is publicly reported by the state can provide additional value. Although public reporting in a few states is designed to serve information needs, states' efforts are geared toward compliance with state and federal laws. Consequently, most publicly reported information goes unseen, unused, or underused. Having this high quality reporting data can support superintendents and principals: (1) to understand student performance in context, (2) to advocate for the needs of school and district, (3) to effectively allocate scares resources, and (4) to empower others to be informed participants. High-quality reporting public data that is useful, trustworthy, timely, and easy to find allows district superintendents or school principals to use this information to inform their decisions and take action to improve student learning. [Also see briefs for: Local School Boards at ED560617, and Parents at ED560620.]