This Message Center is organized and operated by David Vitale Few educators today are inclined to denounce data.  But the data we have is seldom the data we need to make sensible decisions about teaching and learning. For example, WKCE scores are readily available and are often synonomous with school performance.  WKCE scores, however, represent a less reliable measure of internal, day-to-day performance that is critical for determining goals and the deployment of resources to improve teaching and learning. 

Identifying 5 or 6 critical questions would allow staff to eventually access and use data that gets to heart of what is essential to know.  What might these questions look like?  Consider the following:

How do student outcomes differ by schools?

To what extent have specific programs, interventions, and services (Everyday Math, Read 180, Guided Reading, ERE, Readers' Workshop, or even a new textbook) improved student outcomes?

What is the longitudinal progress of a cohort of students?

What are the characteristics of students who achieve proficiency and those who do not?

How do student grades correlate with state assessment results and other measures? 

(For secondary teachers) What is the variation in students' reading skills within each course section?

How many of our students read below grade level?

Collaboratively focusing on basic essential questions about performance will help us gather useful information and make real connections between assessment, data, and instruction. 

 

posted November 26, 2008 | comments « back to Message Center home

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