1	Data Driven Decision Making Larry Hines Director, Assessment and Evaluation Modesto City Schools
2	The Roll of Benchmark Data
3	What is the Data Telling Us? Testing data is a crucial component to success. Data must be collected on a regular basis. Students perform best when they know how well they are performing. Teachers must make teaching decisions based upon solid data. Data is to goals as signposts are to travelers.
4	Our First Sign Post “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” Yogi Berra
5	Navigating the Terminology AYP – Adequate Yearly Progress API – Academic Performance Index AMO – Annual Measurable Objectives CST – California Standards Test TAS – Targeted Assistance School PI- Program Improvement NCLB – No Child Left Behind
6	Adequate Yearly Progress When Congress passed NCLB, it made a number of accountability provisions for meeting AYP: Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) – The minimum percentages of students (and sub-groups) at proficiency or above in each content area. Participation Rate – 95% student participation rate on both the ELA and Math tests for all sub-groups. API Growth – Must meet their targeted API score. (5% x 800-last year’s API score) Graduation Rate (high schools) – Increase of at least .1 percent per year.
7	At or Above Proficiency
8	Percent Proficient (AMOs)
9	Academic Performance Index
10	Decision Making Making Decisions is Easy Implementing the decisions is hard Determining how curriculum leaders make decisions is like viewing M.C. Esher’s art. You seem to end up exactly where you started! But when it works, there’s nothing like it.
11	Past Discussions with Principals What outside forces of influences do you consider when making decisions? Does the “Accountability Movement” have an effect on how you work with your staff when considering classroom curriculum? Is data-driven decision making a very real aspect of your school?
12	The Anecdotical Findings The majority of the principals say that they focus on student achievement data when making curriculum decisions… YET Many do not revisit data to evaluate program results AND Most do not seek out research outcomes to guide curricular decisions THOUGH The majority state that curricular decisions are influenced by data.
13	Climbing Proficiency Peak Goal: Get every student into the Proficient or Advanced category based on their “Scaled Score.”
14	Climbing the Mountain Goal: Move the student up the mountain to a scaled score of at least 350 which would be at the level of Proficient.
15	Plotting the Course Plotting a course to proficiency can be tricky. Every student starts at a different location and moves at their own pace.
16	Where to Start? If a student climbs to the academic peak of the 3th grade – do they automatically start at the same point in 4^th grade? Do students get to go straight across?
17	Using Data in the Classroom Outcome Data Describe how the school is doing at a particular point in time. Communicate the degree to which a student has acquired specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Is measurable. Demographic Data Help staff understand the students and their subgroups. Provide vital information regarding the students and their community. Identify factors that must be considered in instructional decision making. Process Data Include information related to the school’s efforts to promote student academic achievement. Refer to the variables over which the staff has control. Help the staff to make effective curricular decisions.
18	Pointing the Curricular Compass Sites make yearly presentations to the Superintendent's Cabinet. Projects cover: Student STAR scores ELA, Math, other grade specific tests Standards verification process Classroom and curricular monitoring EL Re-designations and identification Goals for the upcoming year
19	Data That Makes a Difference
20	Data and Item Analysis If a student was asked to rewrite 50% as a fraction in lowest terms and the answer “B” was ½ but answer “A” was 50/100, knowing who chose “A” is almost as import-ant as getting the correct answer.
21	Actions to Improve Achievement Focus on classroom instruction at every level. Use of coherent standards, curriculum, assessments and professional development. Periodic Assessments (Benchmarks) and data to inform decision-making at all levels. Continuous Professional Conversations concerning student achievement.
22	Benchmarking Achievement Making data an everyday part of teacher decisions can have a profound impact on student achievement. Essential elements of success: Immediate access to test results Ability to dynamically aggregate and disaggregate – all the way to the student level Ability to work within your own district’s resources.
23	AYP - In the Final Analysis More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hope-lessness, the other to total dispair. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly. Woody Allen