The Data Retreat® Process:Empowering Teams for School Improvement

OVERVIEWJudy K. Sargent, Ph.D.CESA 7Green Bay, WI

DATA RETREAT is a registered service mark of Cooperative Educational Service Agency 7, Green Bay, Wisconsin

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?

Focusing the Journey

Data Provides Illumination for our Pathway to School Improvement

Data Retreat® Workshops …

• Empower Teams• Model Best practice • Lead to Improvement Plans• Provides Clear Focus

Mar.

Apr.

May.

June

July/Aug.

Periodic, systematic use of data to shape our direction.

RegularlySept.

Oct. Nov.

Dec.

Jan. Feb.

When do we need illumination?

Annual Data

Retreat®

Workshop

What Usually Happens?

• Data Collected is …– Not regular/periodic– Irrelevant – not useful– Not used– Cumbersome– Not clear

or• Data is not collected at all.

Barriers to Using Data Meaningfully

Lack of … Authentic Training Meaningful Data Perceived Lack of Time Understanding the Value Accountability Systems that Narrow the

Focus

The Good News – The Data Retreat® Process

Provide Authentic Training Build Capacity Result in Improvement

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]

The Data Retreat® 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

A Must: a trained Data

Retreat® Facilitator from outside of the

team

Team spirit through matching t-shirts that

say “Show me the data!”

District Configuration

High School Team

Middle School Team

Elementary School Team

Attend together to investigate K-12 patternsElementary

School Team

Elementary School Team

The Process -- 8 Steps

1. Team Readiness2. Collect & Organize Data3. Observe and Analyze Patterns4. Pose Hypotheses5. Prioritize & Set Improvement Goals6. Design Study & Strategies7. Define Evaluation Criteria8. Make the Commitment &

Plan the Roll Out

Before the retreat

During the retreat

After the retreat

Prep Packet

STEP 1: Team Readiness (How can we prepare our leadership team?)

• 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

Prep Packet

STEP 2: Collect & Organize Data (What information do we need?)

Student Data

Professional Practices

Data

Programs & Structures

Data

Family & Community

Data

4 Lenses of Data 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

Prep Packet

STEP 3: Analyze Patterns (Where are we now?)

TEAMS …1. Analyze –Sort the data to

examine patterns 2. Study patterns together3. Discuss and note observations4. Move through the data lens by

lens (student data, then programs, then professional practices, then family/community)

Stoplight Highlighting

One technique to make the data “pop.”

Blue = WOW! Exceeds expectations

Green = RIGHT ON! Meets expectations

Yellow = CAUTION! Below, but almost Yellow = CAUTION! Below, but almost meets expectationsmeets expectations

Red/Pink = URGENT! Significantly below expectations – needs immediate attention

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

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 hypothesesin group discussion

– Display all hypotheses

– Accept or reject hypotheses (as supported by data)

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)

Action Plan—what strategies will implement to achieve our goals?

• Specific, research-based strategies • Timelines• Assignments

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?

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

• 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

STEP 8: Make the Commitment (How will we sustain the effort?)

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.

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

Contact Information•Dr. Judy K. Sargent (author/developer) CESA 7, 595 Baeten Road, Green Bay, WI jsargent@cesa7.k12.wi.us 920-617-5631

•Nancy Schlies (Program Assistant). Nschleis@cesa7.k12.wi.us 920-617-5613

CESA 7 Data Retreat® Workshops2005

March 11-12 Green Bay (SPECIAL ED)

June 13-15 Egg Harbor (COMPREHENSIVE)

June 14-16 Green Bay (COMPREHENSIVE)

June 21-22 Mishicot (SPECIAL ED)

June 28-29 Sheboygan Falls (SPECIAL ED)

August 1-2 Sturgeon Bay (SPECIAL ED)

August 9-11 Sheboygan Falls (COMPREHENSIVE)

Register Online at www.cesa7.k12.wi.us