DATA: WHAT WE USE AND HOW WE USE IT

John Overton High School

Nashville, TN

March 10, 2015

Dr. Shuler Pelham, Executive Principal

Support Documents and Materials

• In your folder you should find the following• Hard Copy of this

presentation • Sample Data Chat forms• Departmental kickstart

flowchart• List of key terms and in-

depth explanations • Academy meeting form• Data Analysis Documents

Data: The Big Picture

• Data is a tool that we use to increase our performance, both individual and group

• We use data to:• Measure where we currently

are• Set goals on where we

want/need to be• Establish benchmarks for

progress towards goals• Evaluate effectiveness of

instruction and programs

Two Main Types of Data

ACHIEVEMENT

• This is the most typical type of data and what we are most used to

• Measures performance against a fixed standard, criteria, or can be normed

• Often a percentile or real number

• Examples: Average ACT, End of Course Exam, Chapter Test

GROWTH

• Becoming more popular, but used less often

• Can be measured by pre- and post- test, or against an average amount of growth

• More difficult to measure, tends to be relative

• Not related to achievement

Some Key Terms and Concepts• TVAAS: The Tennessee Value Added Assessment

System. This is a measure of a student’s progress measured by a student performance on a standardized test against a predictor score of where the student ought to score based on previous test history

• Predictor Score: An estimate of where a student should score on a test if they receive the typical education of a student, and experience a year’s worth of growth. This is a secret and proprietary formula.

• Data Warehouse: This is a clearinghouse for multiple data systems that is owned and maintained by our district. This syncs with Powerschool (Chancery, SMS) every night.

Our Journey…Building the Data Wall

• Biggest holdup was printing the pictures

• Used magnet strips on backs of cards

• Took about a week of solid work

• TVAAS predictor data is the color of the card

• Easy to see who is under/over achieving

• Made our goal of moving 25% in each category seem more attainable

Prepping the Teachers—Unexpected Challenge

Some teachers were uncomfortable with process, a little push back as result

Many didn’t know this as well as we thought/hoped

Still confusion on achievement vs. growth and how this plays into TEAM, TVAAS, AYP and learning

Prepping Teachers—They Needed Scaffolding

We left nothing to chance…

Re-explained interpreting data

Walked them through various scenarios*

Provided outline of script, goal sheets, individual student data sheets

Modeled a conference for them

Teachers much more confident after training

Support Documents

Handouts in packet

• Student DEA Conversation Template

• Sample TVAAS Student Projection

• Sample Student Goal Sheet• Proficiency Cut Off scores• DEA Student PDF Sample

Quality Control and Coaching

This was still new for our teachers, so we knew that they would need coaching and feedback, especially on the first try.

I scheduled observations of data chats and provided “30 second feedback” to teachers on the fly.

Teacher confidence continued to grow as they conducted more conferences.

Our Journey…Growing our Capacity• We began this process with hard copies and Eng. II and

Algebra I teachers (highest stakes tests)• As these teachers became more comfortable, backbriefed

on what we could do to improve process• This corps of teachers in turn helped train the next wave

of Numeracy and Literacy teachers• We have gradually grown this out to Biology as well• Our Data Warehouse now can create virtual data wall• We still use a (slightly different version) of our hard copy

data wall—using more aggregated data

More Than Test Scores--Data Warehouse

• ACT, PLAN, EXPLORE

• DEA Benchmark

• Attendance• Tardy• Discipline• Language

Proficiency• Grades• Predictor

Scores

Using this data…• Data Chats with Students

• Goal Setting, Action Plans

• Weekly Academy Meetings• Students with “red flags” in Data warehouse• Tracking attributes of an MNPS graduate (ex: Certification tests,

ACT score, experiential learning)• Planning interventions

• Weekly, Bi-Weekly Departmental Meetings• DEA• School-based benchmark• RTII (transitioning to this)

• Weekly Admin Meetings• Quarterly Support and Intervention Meetings

Important Lessons• Don’t assume your teachers fluent

in use of data• Developing plans based on data

is the easy part—holding accountable for execution is a challenge

• We had great achievement but low growth—we had students who were “flatlining” for us. This is negating the average growth of an entire class

• Question—what are we going to do about these flatliners?

• We grew overly reliant on external benchmark assessments (DEA)

• The power of a culture shift

The Biggest Impact…Culture Shift

We have teachers asking questions never asked

Teachers are excited about change in student focus, want to do this more

Students have been surprised at their own data (especially the high achieving/low growth)

Share the story of the quarterback…

Thank You—Questions?

For digital copies from this presentation, please send an email request to:

andrew.pelham@mnps.org

Dr. Shuler PelhamExecutive Principal John Overton High School