Valuable student data is based on the teacher’s value of the data.
Valuable performance data answers questions about student learning, provides feedback on growth, or gives insight to effectiveness of instructional practice.
Performance data is neither right nor wrong. It is valuable or not.
The value comes from the data’s ability to answer questions or provide direction for the next steps about students or instruction.
What do we need to learn about our students?
Once establishing a reason or need for the student data, planning instruction and the needed assessments become useful for short and long term learning targets.
Student data comes from many sources.
- Assessments
- Curriculum-embedded work
- Writing
- Tasks that require a student to show their thinking
- Discussions
Ask questions about instruction, students, curriculum, professional development, or district programs
How effective is an instructional practice?
If using common or specific methods or techniques during instruction for a learning outcome, design an activity or test to measure their effectiveness. Create the test or task to measure student performance with the style and items used during teaching. This includes passages and tasks using similar vocabulary and structures occurring during instruction.
At the classroom level, student work product from performance tasks or writing will generate improved insight into instruction used with a multiple choice environment. Student work that shows thinking will provide valuable insight into teaching.
What skills do we need more information from our students?
Critical skills and knowledge provide a base for future learning and are necessary to move students along a learning progression.
Common formative assessments do not have to be formal, just designed to show how the students apply or use the skills. In some content areas, this requires action, either writing or a presentation.
How do we know our new curriculum is working?
- Is the curriculum is working for us?
- How does it compare to the previous material for the same learning outcome?
- Is the rigor and complexity meeting our needs?
New adoptions bring new resources and materials, with little real-world data on their quality and alignment. Until you use the materials with your students, it is hard to measure their value and effectiveness. Since many districts have data platforms, it is possible to compare current results against previous data from retired adoptions. This is possible only if the old adoption has actually been retired. It provides a baseline to look at the strengths and weaknesses of new material.
Is this professional development effective?
If a training teaches new techniques, try them out, and give students a common assignment or assessment. This data will provide useful feedback for deciding on future use, attendance, and also for those delivering the professional development.
Do we have performance data measuring student progress participating in district programs?
- English Learner
- Special Education
- Intervention
- After school tutoring
- Saturday school participation
How are we monitoring our students with past performance issues?
Often, students with previous performance issues have growth, move out of the intervention or support, then go back to struggling.
Do you have a system in place to monitor students that have left an intervention and moved back into regular instruction?
*What issues will trigger additional support for these students?
- Low grades
- Skills deficiencies
- Knowledge matters in content areas
- Weak aggregate performance data
- Poor attendance