Data, data everywhere - but not a drop to drink?

Given we are Post-ESSR funding, but with worse than pre-pandemic learning loss, data could play a critical role in shaping decisions at every level, from daily classroom instruction to long-term strategic planning. However, the challenge often lies not in the availability of data, but in how effectively it is used to drive meaningful change. This discussion aims to explore

• how you interact with data

• how often you rely on it,

• what types of data are most valuable, and

• the impact it has on key decisions such as professional learning, hiring, and student outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• Data-Driven Decision Making is Prevalent: data drives your decisions to a high degree (75-100% of the time).

• Variety of Data Sources: A wide range of data sources are used, including state and district assessments, classroom data, progress monitoring tools, and behavior/attendance data.

• State Assessment Data is Highly Valued: While specific data sources for day-to-day decisions vary, state assessment data (PM1-3/EOC) is generally considered very important or essential for decision-making.

• Focus on Student Achievement and Growth: Your top priorities center around student achievement, growth, and success, with a some emphasis on subgroups like ESE and ESOL students.

• Desire for More Specific Data Insights: you a need additional data insights to support your priorities, such as data on home support, math progress monitoring, cohort growth, and disaggregated data for different student groups.

Results:

1. Average % of time you use data to drive decisions: 85%

2. Here are all of the data sources you listed: State Assessment Data, District Assessment Data, In-class assessments by teachers, Acadience, PowerBI, NWEA, Progress Learning and other online platforms like Imagine Math and Reading Plus, k-12 lift, school-based data, PowerBI, all tiers of data, NINE weeks exams, iReady, classroom, attendance, discipline, I ready, Reflex/FAST, ELA, Math, Science Module Assessments, Distrrict attendance monitoring, Progress Monitoring data, benchmark assessments, dashboards, standards tracking, Data from our database and districts and DOE, Observational data, school-based data, district data, PM1-3, performance matters, eSchool attendance/discipline, PM Data

3. The data most useful for Day-to-day planning:

   • Progress Monitoring Data: This includes data from tools like FAST, PM data, PowerBI, Progress Learning, NWEA, and classroom assessments. This data provides real-time insights into student performance and informs immediate instructional adjustments.

   • Attendance and Behavior Data: Tracking daily attendance and behavior patterns helps identify students who may need immediate support or intervention.

   • Classroom Data: This includes teacher observations, comprehension checks, and other formative assessments that provide daily feedback on student learning.

4. Most useful for Long-term planning:

   • State Assessment Data (PM1-3/EOC):These standardized assessments provide a broader picture of student achievement and can be used to identify long-term trends and areas for improvement.

   • District Assessments: These assessments, often aligned with state standards, offer additional insights into student performance and can be used to track progress over time.

   • NWEA and Progress Learning: While also useful for day-to-day planning, these assessments can track student growth over time and inform long-term instructional goals.

   • Unit Assessments and Early Warning Systems (EWS): These assessments and data points can help identify students who may be at risk of falling behind and inform long-term interventions.

5. Average importance of State Assessment Data: 4.5 (between very & essential)

6. Top Priorities

   • All Listed: ESE, ESOL, subgroup populations, Student achievement, closing gaps, grad rate, PL master scheduling course offerings, Student success, teacher success, district success, Instructional Focus/Delivery, Instructional Review Calendar, Supports, Student Growth, staff and stakeholder growth, Coaching, Student Safety, Student growth, student proficiency, Improvement, building capacity in leaders, growthcurrent data that aligns ability, diagnostic data/gap data, demographics, attendance, and behavior, Individual learning gains, subgroup data, school grade data, Student safety, student achievement, educator capacity growth, Learning gains, students feeling success, improving reading, Learning Gains, Proficiency, EASSA subgroups, Attendance, Increase standards mastery, increase rigor with tier 1 instruction, increase proficiency/learning gains, Make sure our database has most updated data

   • Top 5 of the group:

     • Student achievement/success/growth (mentioned in 8 responses)

     • Instructional focus/delivery/support (mentioned in 6 responses)

     • Closing gaps/learning gains/proficiency (mentioned in 5 responses)

     • Student safety (mentioned in 2 responses)

     • Teacher/staff/stakeholder success/growth/capacity (mentioned in 4 responses)

7. If you had a Magic Wand - what would data do for you?

   • ALL Listed: Home support, math data progress monitoring for Algebra and Geometry, cohort growth, projection of student achievement on BEST/EOC, benchmark data with benchmark questions to assist with instruction, itemized standard analysis linked back to resources and activities for students, data for high school courses without PM data, learning gaps, ELL data, more clear data disaggregated more easily by SWD, ethnicity, demographic, etc., instructional practices that impact student deficiencies in Reading, Math and Science.

   • Top 5 of Group:

     • Learning gaps (mentioned by multiple respondents in relation to different subjects and student groups)

     • Disaggregated data (more detailed breakdowns by subgroups like SWD, ethnicity, demographics)

     • Itemized/standard analysis (detailed analysis linked to specific resources and activities)

     • Data for high school courses without PM data (specific need for data on courses lacking Progress Monitoring data)

     • Home support data (insights into home life and support to better understand student needs)

Want to learn more?

Join us Tuesday April 8th 10:30-11:30 for Webinar with FASA

What State assessment data keeps you up at night?