1. The Data Retreat® Process: Empowering Teams for School Improvement
OVERVIEW
Judy K. Sargent, Ph.D.
CESA 7
Green Bay, WI
DATA RETREAT is a registered service mark of Cooperative Educational Service Agency 7, Green Bay, Wisconsin

2. Focusing the Journey
As we bring children on a journey of learning, how do we know …
Where we are now?
Why we’re where we are?
Where we want to go?
How we will get there?
How we’ll know when we get there?
How we’ll sustain the effort?

3. Data Provides Illumination for our Pathway to School Improvement
Data Retreat® Workshops …
Empower Teams
Model Best practice
Lead to Improvement Plans
Provides Clear Focus

4. Annual Data Retreat® Workshop
When do we need illumination?
Regularly
Sept.
Annual Data Retreat® Workshop
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
May.
Apr.
Periodic, systematic use of data to shape our direction.
June
July/Aug.

5. What Usually Happens? Data Collected is …
Not regular/periodic
Irrelevant – not useful
Not used
Cumbersome
Not clear or
Data is not collected at all.

6. Barriers to Using Data Meaningfully
Lack of …
Authentic Training
Meaningful Data
Perceived Lack of Time
Understanding the Value
Accountability Systems that Narrow the Focus

7. The Good News – The Data Retreat® Process
Provide Authentic Training
Build Capacity
Result in Improvement

8. What is a Data Retreat® Workshop?
specific days reserved for leadership team members to devote solely to the analysis and interpretation of data relevant to student learning.
culminates in the development of focused, data-driven goals and strategies for improvement.
[2.5 to 3 days]
[School and district improvement plans]

9. A Must: a trained Data Retreat® Facilitator from outside of the team
The Data Retreat® Team
A Must: a trained Data Retreat® Facilitator from outside of the team
District Data Retreat® Workshops:
Superintendent
Building Principals
Special Education Director
Curriculum Director
DAC (District Assessment Coordinator)
Program Representatives (Title I, G & T, Reading Specialist)
Teacher Representatives
School Data Retreat® Workshops :
School Leadership Team with Building Principal
Regular and special teachers

10. Team spirit through matching t-shirts that say “Show me the data!”

11. District Configuration
High School Team
Elementary School Team
Attend together to investigate K-12 patterns
Elementary School Team
Middle School Team
Elementary School Team

12. The Process -- 8 Steps 1. Team Readiness Before the retreat
Prep Packet
1. Team Readiness
2. Collect & Organize Data
3. Observe and Analyze Patterns
4. Pose Hypotheses
5. Prioritize & Set Improvement Goals
6. Design Study & Strategies
7. Define Evaluation Criteria
8. Make the Commitment & Plan the Roll Out
Before the retreat
During the retreat
After the retreat

13. To develop shared understandings
STEP 1: Team Readiness (How can we prepare our leadership team?)
Prep Packet
Examine why—What is the driving force for the Data Retreat® Workshop?
To evaluate student learning
Follow effective team characteristics (professional learning communities)
To develop shared understandings

14. STEP 2: Collect & Organize Data (What information do we need?)
Prep Packet
4 Lenses of Data

15. Step 2 (cont.) Collect and organize data during the school year.
Prep Packet
Step 2 (cont.) Collect and organize data during the school year.
Make Assignments Who will be the “Go to” person(s) for the data?
Collecting & Organizing ... Data must be in a format where all team members can view simultaneously
Paper copies of data 
Data input into data management systems 
Data input into Spreadsheet programs
Reveals data inadequacies in human and technological systems

16. STEP 3: Analyze Patterns (Where are we now?)
TEAMS …
Analyze –Sort the data to examine patterns
Study patterns together
Discuss and note observations
Move through the data lens by lens (student data, then programs, then professional practices, then family/community)

17. Stoplight Highlighting
One technique to make the data “pop.”
Blue = WOW! Exceeds expectations
Green = RIGHT ON! Meets expectations
Yellow = CAUTION! Below, but almost meets expectations
Red/Pink = URGENT! Significantly below expectations – needs immediate attention

18. Large displays to stimulate group discussion
STEP 3: Analyze Patterns (Where are we now?)
Move from broad to detailed data.
Display and describe patterns—what do we observe?
Study patterns of data across categories (e.g. achievement data along with professional practices data)
Record all observations
Large displays to stimulate group discussion

19. STEP 4: Develop Hypotheses (Why are these patterns occurring?)
Look for meaning in the patterns by formulating hypotheses … “What reasons can we give for these patterns?”
Brainstorm hypotheses in group discussion
Display all hypotheses
Accept or reject hypotheses (as supported by data)

20. STEP 5: Prioritize Challenges & Develop Improvement Goals (Where do we want to go?)
Which problems are most urgent?
Few
Clear
Data-Based
Measurable
Attainable
Reached by Consensus
Make a Positive Impact for Children
S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
All goals are “student” goals – what we will improve for kids (NOT PROCESS GOALS)

21. Action Plan—what strategies will implement to achieve our goals?
STEP 6: Design Plans for Study & Actions (How will we get there? )
Study Plan—how will we study best practices BEFORE we select our strategies?
Action Plan—what strategies will implement to achieve our goals?
Specific, research-based strategies
Timelines
Assignments

22. STEP 7: Define Evaluation Criteria How will we know when we get there
Criteria for fulfilling our strategies and goals
Evidence that we’ve met them
Internal Accountability

23. STEP 8: Make the Commitment (How will we sustain the effort?)
A Roll-Out Plan—to engage the rest of the staff
A Commitment—a “checks & balances” system during the year to keep on track toward the goals
For example ...
In regular staff meetings
In planned team meetings
In district/school newsletters
In professional development plans
In supervision/evaluation systems

24. Organizing a 3-Day Data Retreat® Workshop
Day 1: Analyzing Student Achievement and Demographic Data, Hypothesizing (Steps 3&4)
Day 2: Analyzing more Student Data, Professional Practice, Program, Family & Community Data, Hypothesizing (Steps 3&4)
Day 3: Formulating Hypotheses, and Developing Goals, Designing Strategies, Evaluation and Making Commitments (Steps 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8)
Note: Begin with student, and analyze all other data in light of student data.

25. Resources Scripted Process
Data Retreat® materials available from CESA 7 (one-time license fee). See order form.
Develop Trained Facilitators – by attending a (CESA 7) licensed Data Retreat® Workshop
Customization is available for other states

26. Contact Information
Dr. Judy K. Sargent (author/developer) CESA 7, 595 Baeten Road, Green Bay, WI
Nancy Schlies (Program Assistant)

27. Register Online at www.cesa7.k12.wi.us
CESA 7 Data Retreat® Workshops 2005
March Green Bay (SPECIAL ED)
June Egg Harbor (COMPREHENSIVE)
June Green Bay (COMPREHENSIVE)
June Mishicot (SPECIAL ED)
June Sheboygan Falls (SPECIAL ED)
August 1-2 Sturgeon Bay (SPECIAL ED)
August 9-11 Sheboygan Falls (COMPREHENSIVE)
Register Online at