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Guiding Documents to Support

Data Analysis for Continuous Improvement by Victoria L. Bernhardt



Academic Summit
Purpose: Connect NeSA, MAP, and SIP data to instruction
December 22, 2016 & May 30, 2017
Use a systematic data analysis process to review and analyze data to make school improvement
decisions, impact instruction, and increase student achievement.

To access these resources digitally, use this link https://goo.gl/rCjupV to make a copy of the shared Google Document.

Click on the titles below to navigate to various resources within this document:

Overview of the Continuous School Improvement and Data Analysis Process 1

Where Are We Now? 1

Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement - Process Protocol 2


3. Analyze the Data 2
Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Demographic Data 4
Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Survey Results 9
Table for Analyzing Perceptions Data 10
Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Student Learning Data 11
Measuring a Program or Process 16

How Did We Get to Where We Are? 17

Where Do We Want to Be? 17

How Are We Going to Get to Where We Want to Be? 17

Is What We Are Doing Making a Difference? 17

References 17
Overview of the Continuous School Improvement and Data Analysis Process

The Continuous School Improvement Framework consists of five questions:


Where are we now? (comprehensive data analysis)
How did we get to where we are? (study the results of current processes)
Where do we want to be? (create or revisit the vision)
How are we going to get to where we want to be? (develop short- and long-term plans)
Is what we are doing making a difference? (evaluate programs, processes, and systems)

Where Are We Now?

Where Are We Now? Knowing where a school is now is the part of planning for continuous school improvement that
requires a comprehensive and honest look at all the schools data - not just student learning results. Looking at multiple
measures of data can help staff answer the four sub-questions of Where are we now? (Bernhardt, 2013, p. 15)

Four Sub-questions
of Where are We Types of Data Purpose & Inventory of Data to Gather, Analyze, and Use
Now?

Demographics Demographic data set the context for school, describe those
District who are teaching and learning in the school, and help us
Who are we? Schools understand all other numbers (Bernhardt, 2013, p. 28). See
Students and Staff Demographic Data Inventory (Appendix B1, page 205).
Community

Perceptions Perceptions data are important to continuous school


Culture improvement because they can tell us what students, staff,
Climate and parents are thinking about the learning organization.
How do we do Values & Beliefs Common approaches to understanding perceptions in schools
business?
include the use of interviews, focus groups, questionnaires,
and self-assessment tools. See Perceptions Data Inventory
(Appendix B2, page 209).

Student Learning Schools committed to continuous school improvement use


Summative multiple and ongoing measures of data to understand what
Formative students know as a result of instruction, what teachers are
How are our Diagnostic teaching, and which students need extra help and on what
students doing? (Bernhardt, 2013, p. 52).
The Role of Assessment in Learning: FOR, AS, and OF
learning (Bernhardt, 2013, p.53-57).
See Student Learning Data Inventory (Appendix B3, p. 211).

School Processes School processes data are important because they tell us
Programs about the way we work, about how we get the results we are
What are our Instructional getting, set us up to know what is working and what is not
Organizational working (Bernhardt, 2013, p. 80).
processes?
Administrative
See School Processes Data Inventory (Appendix B4, p. 214)
Continuous School
Improvement
and Measuring a Program or Process (Appendix D, p. 253).

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Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement - Process Protocol

1. Choose the Data

2. Make Predictions & Uncover Assumptions Without the data being present, participants share what they think they
will see in the data set and why they think that might be so. Use the following questions to invite and open thinking:
What are some predictions we are making?
With what assumptions are we entering?
What are some questions we are asking?
What are some possibilities for learning that this experience presents to us?

3. Analyze the Data


3a. Independent Review: Review independently each type of data (e.g., demographics, perceptions, student
learning, and school processes). Participants document what they are seeing as strengths, challenges, implications
for the continuous school improvement plan, and other data you wished the school had using the organizer below.
See examples of a completed organizer starting on page 336 and sample look fors and planning implications
starting on page 265 (Bernhardt, 2013).

Type of Data (e.g., demographics, perceptions, student learning, and school processes): ______________

1. What are the strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Strengths: Something positive that can be seen in the Challenges: Data that imply something might need
data. Often leverage for improving a challenge. attention, a potential undesirable result, or something out
Demographics Example: Grade level enrollments seem of a schools control.
to be relatively steady, although decreasing in upper Demographics Example: There has been a steady
grades. increase of students qualifying for Free/Reduced
Student Learning Example: Overall, 2014-2015 math Lunch. Close to twice as many in 2013-2014.
scores improved over 2013-2014 scores, except in Student Learning Example: Caucasian student scores
grades two and five males; grade three females; and were down for all grades, except grade four.
English only students, expect at grade eight.

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

Implications: Ideas the reviewer jots down while reviewing the data. Implications are placeholders until all the data
are analyzed. Most often are constructive responses to challenges.
Examples: Why are so many males identified for special education?; Are teachers prepared to teach the changing
population?; Did teachers focus too much on the students not proficient?; Do all teacher know what to do when students
are proficient?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other data would you want to answer the question?

* Clarify what additional data is needed

3b. Small Group Review. In small groups, participants share what they see as strengths, challenges,
implications for the continuous school improvement plan, and other data you wished the school had. Record
commonalities.

3c. Large Group Consensus. Combine the small group results to get a comprehensive set of strengths,
challenges, implications for the continuous school improvement plan, and other data you wished the school had.

**Complete a comprehensive analysis for each type of data. Repeat # 1-3 for each of the four types of data.
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4. Analyze Implications Across the Data. After participants have documented the strengths, challenges, implications for
continuous improvement plan, and what other data they wished the school had for demographics, perceptions, student
learning, schools processes, review the implications side-by-side. This alignment is important for seeing commonalities
across the different implications.

Implications Across Data

Demographics Student, Staff, Parent Student Learning Process Data


Questionnaires

5. Identify Implication Commonalities. In small groups, look across and highlight commonalities in demographics,
perceptions, student learning, and school processes. Share small group thinking with the large group.

6. Aggregate Implications for the Continuous School Improvement Plan. In small groups, or in the large group,
make a list of the items that must be addressed in the continuous school improvement plan, based on data. The aggregated
commonalities most often include leadership, curriculum, instruction, assessment, standards, vision, and so on.

Aggregated Implications for the Continuous School Improvement Plan

Instruction Assessment Curriculum Behavior Vision/Plan Professional


Learning

Collaboration Leadership Partnerships Data Climate RtI

7. Create the Plan. Use this comprehensive data analysis, along with the vision, to create the continuous school
improvement plan.

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Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Demographic Data
Use the template below to record your thinking as you review your demographic data. Also use these questions for
moving individual thoughts to small-group thinking, and then to whole-group thinking.

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

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Demographic Data: Student Enrollment/Membership

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

Demographic Data: Race & Ethnicity

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

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Demographic Data: Socioeconomic Status (Meal Status)

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

Demographic Data: Limited English Proficient (LEP)

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

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Demographic Data: Special Education

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

Demographic Data: Gifted

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

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Demographic Data: __________________________________________

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

Demographic Data: __________________________________________

1. What are the schools demographic strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other demographic data would you want to answer the
question Who are we?

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Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Perceptions Data
Use the template below to record your thinking as you review your student learning data. Also use these questions for
moving individual thoughts to small-group thinking, and then to whole-group thinking.

PERCEPTIONS DATA

1. What are the schools perceptual strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other perceptual data would you want to answer the
question How do we do business?

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Table for Analyzing Perceptions Data
Besides looking at the strengths, challenges, and implications for the continuous school improvement plan, schools might
choose to use the table below to analyze the results across the different respondents.

Analysis of Survey Data

Agreements Disagreements
Student Survey Staff Survey Parent Survey
Across Surveys Across Surveys

General Feel of
Survey
(positive, neutral,
negative)

Most Positive Items

Neutral Items

Negative Items

On which items are


there differences in
subgroups?
(i.e., disaggregated
responses)

Comments
(i.e., how and when
to share results)

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Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing Student Learning Data
Use the template below to record your thinking as you review your student learning data. Also use this for moving
individual thoughts to small-group thinking, and then to whole-group thinking.

STUDENT LEARNING DATA

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

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Student Learning Data: MAP Reading

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

Student Learning Data: NeSA Reading

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

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Student Learning Data: MAP Math

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

Student Learning Data: NeSA Math

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

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Student Learning Data: MAP Science

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

Student Learning Data: NeSA Science

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

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Student Learning Data: ______________________________________________

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

Student Learning Data: ______________________________________________

1. What are the schools student learning strengths and challenges?

Strengths Challenges

Comments about historical data:

2. What are some implications for the continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other student learning data would you want to answer the
question How are our students doing?

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Strengths, Challenges, Implications for Analyzing School Processes Data
Use the template below to record your thinking as you review your school processes data. Also use this for moving
individual thoughts to small-group thinking, and then to whole-group thinking.

SCHOOL PROCESSES DATA

2. What are the strengths and challenges of the school processes?

Strengths Challenges

2. What are some implications for continuous school improvement plan?

3. Looking at the data presented, what other school process data would you want to answer the
question What are our programs and processes?

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Measuring a Program or Process
After making a list of programs and processes that are being implemented, or intended to be implemented, use the
template below to record your thinking as you review each program/process.

Program/Process: ________________________________________________________

Purpose Participants Implementation Results

What is the How will you Who is the Who is being What will it How is To what degree What are the
purpose of the know the program/proces served? Who is look like when implementation is the program results?
program or purpose is being s intended to not being the program/ being being
process? met? (What are serve? served? process is fully measured? implemented?
the outcomes?) implemented? (Should it be
measured
differently?)

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How Did We Get to Where We Are?

After reviewing the data, use the Problem-Solving Cycle to understand the contributing causes of
undesirable results

Where Do We Want to Be?

Create or revisit the shared mission and vision

How Are We Going to Get to Where We Want to Be?

Create the continuous school improvement plan to implement the vision.


Determine how teachers will work, in teams, with classroom and student level data, during the
school year.

Is What We Are Doing Making a Difference?

Evaluate Programs and Processes


Evaluate the Continuous School Improvement Plan
Evaluate School Goals and Objectives

References

Bernhardt, V. (2013). Data analysis for continuous school improvement. New York, NY: Routledge

Wellman, B. & Lipton, L. (2004). Data-driven dialogue: a facilitators guide to collaborative inquiry.
Sherman, CT: MiraVia, LLC

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