This presentation will describe the research and best practice foundations for building and sustaining data cultures within educational agencies. This includes developing data literacy, the supporting technologies, the vision and purposes for data use, the alignment of educational questions and issues to the requisite data, and the need for leadership to support effective data use. The presentation will use research findings such as the IES Practice Guide (Hamilton et al, 2009) and various NCES Forum Guides. It will draw on work in two states and at both the LEA and SEA levels. The session will engage attendees in discussing their agencies' context to provide guidance about actionable steps they can take to develop, embed, and sustain a data culture that will promote effective and responsible data use. It will differentiate data for accountability versus continuous improvement, identifying keys processes for enculturating data use.