Pub. 6 2016-2017 Issue 1

11 upon a systematic process called “data-based decision-making.” Teachers and others often speak about this cyclical process in educational conferences and teacher workrooms, but they rarely demonstrate it in their classrooms. Why? Data-based decision-making in education remains a much- talked-about but little implemented practice because it is not well understood by teachers and it is not effectively taught in schools of education. Its elements are not well defined and therefore, teachers are ill-equipped to implement them. The systematic nature of data-based decision-making is anathema to many teachers who are more committed to the art than to the science of teaching. “…[E]ducators are not generally known for their analytic approach to instruction nor are they regarded as enthusiastic consumers of the fruits of the scientific method. The field of education continues to cry out for more empirical, objective evaluation and research by those working in the front lines of the educational enterprise (Barlow, Hayes, & Nelson, 1984), but many of the field’s practitioners are ill-prepared to take advantage of the information they seek” (West, 1992; p. 113). Too often, teachers and school leaders make critical decisions based upon hunches or intuition rather than upon accurate information. Alternatively, some school leaders emphasize the collection of data without having a clear purpose in mind. Both problems will limit the effectiveness of collaborative groups. The collection and proper use of appropriate information contributes to collaborative teams and communities effectively achieving their goals. An effective school leader will engage staff members “in reviewing data, understanding it, [and] interpreting it (Hord & Sommers, 2007). Teachers, parents and school leaders might ask themselves, “‘What does the data tell us about our students? What do they need? What do we need to change in our work to serve them better? What will we need to learn to do that?’ They might ask, ‘What processes are in place to keep conversations going, increasing trust and positive relationships, and sharing repertoire throughout the school? How will we know we are closing the knowing-doing gap? What data will we collect? How will we use the data collected? How does data become information that informs us? How do we transform informa- tion into knowledge that can help us anticipate outcomes? How will knowledge become wisdom so we know when and when not to use specific practices?’ Each person alone can answer these questions. However, greater thinking and creating a system together are the by-products of doing this in a community. Another result of learning in community is identification of multiple ideas and information sources.” (Hord & Sommers, 2007, pp. 87-88). All members of collaborative communities should recognize and remember that when data informs the process of decision- making, everyone is an expert. It’s not so much who has the answers to the questions, but what questions are we to answer? Those questions are presented in Figure 1 and form the basis of our “discussion with the data.” Figure 1. Data Discussion: The Cycle of Decision Making I have presented seven crucial questions to “ask” the data we have that describe our students, classrooms, schools and neighborhoods. These seven questions are organized according to four broad purposes or functions: (I) data collection and summary, (II) data interpretation and analysis, (III) prioritiza- tion and intervention planning, and (IV) documentation and dissemination. The answers to these seven questions guide our systematic analysis, design, and evaluation of instructional and organizational practices. I. Data Collection and Summary 1. What data do we have to describe our school (students and classrooms), and its performance? a. Academic achievement (criterion and norm-referenced tests) b. Attendance, office disciplinary referrals, etc. c. Critical incidences (reports of unusual, but significant events) d. Comprehensive assessments of school learning environments, including all relevant stakeholder observations of the conditions for learning, conditions for teaching, and conditions for community support e. Demographic analyses (e.g. subgroup comparisons) CONTINUED ON PAGE 12