Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement

by Victoria L. Bernhardt

honestly review and use their data

truly believe that all children can learn,

one vision for the school

One plan to implement the school vision must be in place.

aligned to student learning standards.

collaborate and use student, classroom, grade level, and school level data.

professional learning

rethink their current structures as opposed to adding on to what is existing.

Educators know, intuitively and experientially, that focusing only on gaps in performance on one summative test will not get student learning improvements for all students,

When schools focus only on one part of student learning, the others parts will fall apart.

focused on specific subgroups of students

Although efforts focused on one area or one student group caused increases to the detriment to other areas, many good things came from NCLB.

providing a new definition of improvement, away from compliance, toward a commitment to excellence.

data literacy is the ability to collect, analyze, communicate, and use multiple measures of data to continuously improve all aspects of the learning organization,

Data use is the ability to transform data into information and then into action to improve all aspects of the learning organization.

multiple measures of data must be organized and accessible so staff can spend their time analyzing, making meaning of the results, and collaborating with one another to improve instruction.

framework for continuous school improvement and comprehensive data analysis.

timeline

Shows the big picture

Helps staff understand the components

Organizes the information

demographic data.

perceptions and organizational assessments

Culture and climate,

instruction-infused and formative and summative assessments,

listing and analyzing programs and processes

describe each process and program’s purpose, outcomes, intended participants, how they are to be

implemented, how implementation is being measured, and the results.

demographics, perceptions, student learning, and school processes.

mission, vision, goals, and objectives.

core values and beliefs

goals, objectives, strategies, activities, measurement of strategies and activities, person(s) responsible, due dates, timelines, and required resources,

how and when decisions will be made, identify professional learning and collaboration required to gain new skills and knowledge, and clarify how working with partners will help with achieving the vision.

LANNING takes up half of the cycle

many schools skip the first three components

By starting and ending with the gaps, schools miss the opportunities to innovate, rethink, and improve their systems.

Don't just focus on the gaps!!!

Continuums help school staff know where their learning organizations are and what they need to do next with respect to continuous school improvement.

measure, on a one-to-five scale, where the school is with respect to its approach, implementation, and outcome for seven continuous improvement categories

Information and Analysis, Student Achievement, Quality Planning, Professional Learning, Leadership, Partnership Development, and Continuous Improvement and Evaluation.

not yet begun

some good things going on in some places

system in place

system in place, everyone knows it, and it becomes the way business is done

one step removed from “world class quality.

Each Continuum moves from a reactive mode to a proactive mode—from fire fighting to prevention.

provides a benchmark that schools can use to see if their actions have created the results they intended.

establish the current context of the school and describe trends.

Trends help staff predict and plan for the future,

predict with some accuracy such things as the number of students and the ethnic diversity with which the school can expect to work in the future.

disciplines