In early December 2005, the School District of Philadelphia announced that, for the fourth consecutive year, students showed measurable improvement on standardized, nationally normed TerraNova tests. The school's good performance was induced by a well managed instructional program that includes data-driven instruction and decision-making characterized by six-week benchmarks and assessments, plus increased and standardized professional development during and after the regular school day and year. Philadelphia is not the only district realizing such performance growth. In this article, which is the first part of a four-part series, the author explores how school districts across the country are embracing data-driven decision making to assess performance, analyze trends, and deliver individualized instruction that ultimately improves district and student outcomes. The author observes that the main problem faced by many school districts is about matching resources to its data project goals. Still, some resourceful district administrators are finding ways to automate their routine processes. The author provides five keys that can help school districts to assess their progress in adopting performance-driven practices. These keys include: (1) Effective data gathering; (2) Outcome assessments; (3) Monitoring and feedback; (4) Ownership of outcomes; and (5) Building a learning organization.