Data: Friend or Foe? Bob Bardwell Monson High School Monson, MA Thanks to Trish Hatch & Sheila Deam for slide sharing

Who Is Here? Secondary school counselors Guidance directors Graduate students Community Based Organizations Independent counselors College Admission Counselors Other

Why Are You Here? Professional development Your school made you come Nothing else to do Didn’t like the other sessions during this time slot

What Can I Offer? 20 year School Counselor and K-12 Director of School Counseling Leader – local, state, regional & national Advocate for students, school counselors and our profession Not a data geek but I know enough that data is the key to the continuation of school counseling as we know it

Why is Data Important It improves our programs and the services for students and families Students benefit from it – Achievement & Opportunity Gaps You probably already have it Others are using it We are accountable Why not?

Turn to a neighbor What kinds of data are important to school/independent counselors in 2013? How are you using that data in your school/college counseling program?

Challenges of using data Most school counselors are not comfortable using data do not have the training or resources to collect and analyze data Think that working with data is too time consuming considering everything else they have to do; not important enough Are uncomfortable reporting data to and advocating with policy makers

Types of College Admission Data Student-Achievement Data Standardized Test Data – SAT/ACT, PLAN/PSAT, AP Scores Grade Point Averages – Weighed/unweighed – Recalculated Completion of College Preparation Requirements (Graduating college eligible)

Types of College Admission Data (continued) Achievement – Related Data Course enrollment patterns Number of students taking PSAT/SAT/PLAN/ACT/AP Discipline referrals Extracurricular activities

Types of College Admission Data (continued) Standards and Competency-Related Data – Percentage of students who demonstrate: Belief (attitude) in importance of taking rigorous courses Skill to set goals Knowledge of college requirements

Collecting data Commercial programs – Naviance – Connectedu – PrepHQ – State portals MA- OR -

Data From Other Sources College Board/ACT – SAT/ACT – PSAT/PLAN – AP Potential – AP Exam Scores State testing results Colleges & Universities Regional Higher Education Consortia – WICHE

Other Options to Organize College Admission data Access Excel Create your own method of record keeping

Access Database fields

Analyzing Data EZ-Analyze – Using Access or Excel State education department Locally developed program

Reporting of Data Scattergrams – Grade Point Average (x axis) vs. SAT’s (y axis) Other reports – Access Report – Placement percentages

Scattergram Example

Placement Report Example

Evaluation of your College Admission Counseling Program Surveys, questionnaires – Online vs. paper Google Drive Pre & post surveys – Gives immediate feedback about the need or impact of your program/intervention

Program Evaluation Data Three types – Process data – Perception data – Results data

Process data “What you did for whom” Evidence that event occurred Example: Counselors taught students how to fill out a college application

Students Know Language Requirements

Perception Data A ttitudes or Beliefs – 32% believe they will succeed in college – 42 % believe they have enough money to attend college Competency Achievement ( S kills) – Every student in grades 9-12 completed a 4 year plan – Every 10 th grade student completed an interest inventory K nowledge Gained – 89% of students demonstrate knowledge of college entrance requirements

What type of question? “I believe” is an Attitude so use a scale Application/Demonstration = Skill Information or answer = Knowledge (clear answer – not scale)

What Do Students Believe (Attitude)? I believe that understanding the college preparation requirements will help me be successful in school…

What Can Students Demonstrate? (Skills) What is your GPA based on a 4.0 weighted scale?

Students Understand Options After High School (Knowledge)

Results Data So WHAT” data Hard data – application data Have your activities contributed to students ability to utilize the knowledge, attitudes and skills to effect behavior? – Attendance – Behavior – Academic achievement (graduating college eligible: College going rate improved 14% over three years)

# of AP Exams Has Increased!

4 Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rates are UP!

Increased College Post Secondary Plans!

Results Report How are students different as a RESULT of what you do? What does the data tell you? Was the program successful? What worked? What did NOT work? What needs to be changed?

Data Over Time Immediate – Change course offerings Intermediate – Change course selection pattern Long range (Impact Over Time) – Improve college placement rates

Sharing Your Data Celebrate what you find – School Profile – Accountability Report Card MARC of Excellence cle&id=116&Itemid=117SPARC cle&id=116&Itemid=117SPARC – Press release, faculty meeting or school board presentation, parent programs, etc. – NCLB Report Card – Data bulletin board

Cautions About Using Data Data doesn’t always give you the information you want College admissions is not an exact science Data shouldn’t take the place of human connection/intervention

Important Questions.. What is the purpose of the college admission counseling program at your school? What are the desired outcomes or results? What is being done to achieve results? What evidence is there that the objectives have been met? Is the program making a difference?

Resources to assist you with data Evidence-Based School Counseling: Making a Difference With Data-Driven Practices – Dimmitt, Carey & Hatch Making Data Work: An ASCA National Model Publication – Kaffenberger & Young Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap: How to Measure Equity in Our Schools – Johnson Using Data To Focus Instructional Improvement – James-Ward, Fisher, Frey & Lapp

Resources to assist you with data (continued) Center for Excellence in School Counseling & Leadership – Ronald Frederickson Center for School Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation –

Next steps – Create an action plan Pick one item to do upon your return to school – Educate your colleagues about what you learned – Get other stakeholders on board – Attend further training about using data – Celebrate your accomplishment(s) – Use your results to improve your program!

Questions & conversations What is not clear? What more do you need? How can we help each other? Who wants to share a success with data?

Contact info Bob Bardwell School Counselor & Director of School Counseling Monson Innovation High School 55 Margaret Street Monson, MA x