UNDERSTANDING STUDENT DATA Welcome! Please get ready to describe the women in the picture to the right.

Which one did you see? Old Woman: Young Woman: Looking down, bonnet, bangs, large nose, mouth is a split line Young Woman: Head is turned away, see ear and jawline, choker, feather in bangs Was your initial answer based on data or perception?

Individual work, small groups, whole group and reflection Agenda and Norms Agenda Review school and student level data Diagnose student needs Create instructional groups Discuss appropriate interventions for instructional groups Learning Activities: Individual work, small groups, whole group and reflection What norms do we need?

SAMPLE SCHOOL DATA Individual Activity – 5 minutes Using the sample ISAT reading data: Identify any trends you find. Use post-its to write down 2 or 3 hypotheses about student achievement at this school. (One post-it for each answer.) Group Activity – 10 minutes Categorize group responses and look for common hypotheses. Create headings and post the responses on the 11 x 7 sheets on the tables. Select one person to report to the larger group.

STANDARDS AND STRANDS Whole group discussion: What should students know and be able to do in English Language Arts for grades 3, 5, 8? How do the content strands help diagnose student needs?

USING STUDENT DATA Tools: Sample student level data for grades 3, 5, 8 English Language Arts Standards Task – Grade level groups Select 3 content strands that show the greatest need of improvement, based on student scores and/or demographic groups. Create an intervention group for each content strand selected. Identify the rationale/ranking for each group. Provide at least one instructional intervention strategy for each group. Identify exit criteria for students in each group. (Use the standards to determine what students should know and be able to do in order to exit the group.)

IIRC RESOURCES: 02/20/2009 Item Analysis Summaries for ISAT Assessments now available The IIRC now provides the ITEM ANALYSIS SUMMARY reports for ISAT assessments for schools. The reports drill down into ISAT results for Reading, Mathematics, and Science for grades 3 to 8, displaying the percent of test items correct on each of the Learning Standard assessment objectives. The reports, which allow schools to analyze at a glance instructional effectiveness on specific topics, were developed by the Illinois State Board of Education. To locate a report, select a school, then click on the Test Results tab, and next click on the Item Analysis hyperlink on the right- hand side of the gray menu bar. Comments or feedback can be sent to iirc@niu.edu.

IIRC RESOURCES, continued: 12/19/2008 Individual Student Data Posted at Secure Site Individual-level student test results are now available in an easy-to-use format for all Illinois school districts. ISBE has posted individual student results for state assessments given in 2007 and 2008 to a secure web link on the IIRC. Features of the student data site provide users with a rich variety of ways to understand test data that can be used to raise student achievement, such as – Sort and compare students by performance levels, content strands, national norms, and other measures Select and create customized student groups for review Analyze group means and differences Track performance of individuals and groups of students over time Local superintendents have received passwords for accessing this confidential, secure site.

SAMPLE STUDENT DATA @IIRC

INTERVENTION RESOURCES “Intervention Central offers free tools and resources to help school staff and parents to promote positive classroom behaviors and foster effective learning for all children and youth. The site was created by Jim Wright, a school psychologist and school administrator from Central New York.” http://www.interventioncentral.org/ National Center on Response to Intervention http://www.rti4success.org/ the National Center on Response to Intervention (RTI) has developed an evidence-based strategy for delivering technical assistance (TA) to individual state educational agencies (SEAs) across the country.

REFLECTION Materials: Two postcards Task: Write down at least one way you will start to use data differently to inform instruction. Make two copies of the strategy. Turn one copy over and address it to yourself. Complete the evaluation and turn in the self-addressed copy with your evaluation. Please stay for the closing.

CLOSING THOUGHT: “Understanding and using data about school and student performance are fundamental to improving schools. Without analyzing and discussing data, schools are unlikely to identify and solve the problems that need attention, identify appropriate interventions to solve those problems, or know how they are progressing toward achievement of their goals. Data are the fuel of reform.” Joellen Killian & Thomas Bellamy. “On the Job: Data Analysis Focus School Improvement Efforts,” JOURNAL OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT, Winter 2000. Quoted in Using Data to Improve Student Learning in School Districts. Victoria L. Bernhardt, Ph.D.