Data+Work+Sample

Here is an excerpt from my Required Online Module about RTI. I would like you to focus particularly on my answer to question #9 in my analysis of my internship schools' data:

**__ Response to Intervetnion __**


 * __Colorado Definition of RtI__**: Response to Intervention is a framework that promotes a well-integrated system connecting general, compensatory, gifted, and special education in providing high quality, standards-based instruction and intervention that is matched to students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs.

See image at http://www.cde.state.co.us/rti/images/RtITriangle.png

Boulder Valley School District’s Resources for Student Achievement: []

**Video Guide** **Colorado Growth Model – Part 1 “A New Model”**


 * Directions:** Complete this guide-sheet as you watch the video titled ‘[|Introducing Colorado’s Growth Model’]. Bring this completed guide to the 3rd class session.

1) Write the three introductory “new” questions about student evaluation.
 * 1) a. How do we know if students and schools are making enough progress?


 * 1) b. What needs to be done to meet goals and standards within required time frames?


 * 1) c. How do we close achievement gaps between different students?

2) Summarize the analogy used to explain the shift in thinking about how students are evaluated (Maya and Emma) This video explains the way Colorado wishes to measure student achievement data by using an analogy of two high jumpers. This year, Maya was able to clear a 44” high bar, while Emma was only able tp clear a 41” bar. Traditionally, these individuals would be compared by their performance relative to one another. However, Colorado wants to implement the Colorado Growth Model to change the way we measure students. This model uses a comparison of the individual to themselves in order to measure their growth over time, and then looks at data for the student’s previous performance and students who performed similar at that time, and measures how this individual’s growth compares to those other students who were performing the same as this student a year ago. For example, last year Emma cleared 36” and Maya cleared 44”. Considering this data, it is clear that although Emma was not able to just as high as Maya this year, she has made much more individual improvement in her height since last year than Maya. In order to get a better idea of how Emma compares relative to her peers, they would find all of the other jumpers who jumped 36” last year and compare Emma’s growth over a year to theirs over a year. This would give Emma a ranking of relative achievement in high jumping. So even though Emma only jumped 41” and Maya jumped 44”, Emma’s ranks in the 66th percentile for relative achievement growth, whereas Maya ranks in the 22nd percentile. This is the type of evaluation that the Colorado Growth Model wants to make about its students. It wants to measure achievement over time in order to create individualized expectations and plans in order to optimize each student’s acadenmic development.

3) What does the narrator mean when he states that “we are taking a longer view”? By this, the narrator means that we are looking at student achievement over time, not just at one point in time. We want to assess longitudinal growth, not a single data point for student achievement.

4) How is a growth percentile determined? A student’s growth percentile is determined by comparing their growth over time to the growth of students who scored similarly to that student last time achievement was assessed. The percentile rank is given based on the student’s growth relative to peers’ growth that scored the same last time.

5) What implications does this method of evaluating students have for proficient and advanced students? This type of evaluation method implies that even if students score at proficient or advanced achievement levels, this does not necessarily mean that the student is improving over time. Growth over time must be measured in order to really determine how much the student has improved, and what supports may need to change in order to help increase individual improvement growth.

6) What does it mean that the Colorado Legislature has deemed the Colorado Growth Model to be the “Cornerstone of Accountability”? The reason the growth model is considered to be the “Cornerstone of Accountability” is because it dThe ioes not superficially assess student achievement that would simply see a “proficient” score and be satisfied with that. The longitudinal assessment of individual student growth leaves educators more accountable for supporting every student to continue to develop academically, despite what proficiency level they are currently testing in. Growth-based assessments motivate educators to strive for student growth – the growth is the goal, not the single test score. Growth should happen no matter what students’ test scores are.

7) What do you think are the implications of this model for teachers in Colorado? This implies that teachers are now held responsible for individual student growth over time, not simply who can get the most students in their class to score proficient or above. It’s who can get the most students in their class to improve the most since last year, no matter how high the students scored last year. Teachers will be responsible for providing more inclusive and diverse instruction in order to meet the growth needs of every student in their classroom.

8) What does the narrator state are the 3 essential questions about student performance?
 * 1) a. What is?


 * 1) b. What should be?


 * 1) c. What could be?

9) Return to the SchoolView page of the [|Colorado Growth Model] website and explore the information about your partner school. Make notes below and include the information in your school-level data. According to the school view for Aspen Creek k-8 (Middle), in math, Aspen Creek Middle Level is achieving at a relatively high level (in the 66th percentile), but they demonstrate a growth percentile of 45%. This shows that although they achieve at higher levels than other schools in the district, they are not growing as much as similar schools in Boulder Valley School District. In reading, they are in the 88th achievement percentile, but only in the 50th growth percentile. Finally, in writing, they are in the 67th percentile, but only in the 42nd percentile. This shows that overall, although Aspen Creek is achieving at high levels, they are not growing as much as similar schools in the district. Good thing our school is focusing a lot on differentiation and inclusion this year…

**__ Guiding Questions for Data-Team Meeting Video – __** **__ Doing What Works __**

Directions: Download and review the Visual Diagram “[|Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making]”. Next, watch the [|Data Team Meeting Video] (5 min 39 sec) located within the RTI in Elem-Middle Math. Use the following questions to help focus your attention.

1) Who is participating in the meeting? Teachers (professional development team)

2) What types of data are they considering? Achievement levels in math for 5th graders

3) Name some of the recommendations they suggest for student growth
 * Morning work
 * o Open ended questions
 * o Measurement questions (appropriate unit choice)
 * o Journal entries
 * o Explicit vocabulary instruction
 * Manipulatives
 * Graphic organizers
 * $1,000 pyramid games
 * Vocabulary wall

4) Name some of the formative assessments they consider to monitor understanding
 * 1) a. Thumbs up/thumbs down
 * 2) b. Agree/disagree cards
 * 3) c. Whiteboards

5) How are some of the specialists in the school involved in supporting the students that the team is discussing? 6) Use the grid below to make a bulleted list of conclusions in each area that you could draw about this school and these faculty members related to the big areas of the “Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making” chart. Then list examples that you have observed at your partner school.
 * 1) a. Pull students out for math intervention
 * 2) b. Giving evaluations/assessments
 * 3) c. One on one support

**Examples from the Video** || -Used student achievement data to assess how to best support students. -One on one instruction - Math intervention groups - Reading specialist. || - Want to start seeing growth by mid-year. - want students to be up to grade level, district math standards by the end of the year. || 1.Differentiated instruction 2. Formative assessments 3. Instructional modification 4. Additional educational supports 3. Assessments 4. Begin back at 1. || They did not really talk about student use of data || They mentioned how they would like to get their 5th graders up to the district wide standards in math by the end of the school year. || **Examples from your partner school**  || - RTI specialist - Reading specialists - Math specialists - Staff meetings to assess student achievement - Staff team meetings to discuss strategies for differentiation - Specialist meetings || - To increase student achievement levels in reading and writing -To increase support and achievement levels for students in special education - Improve inclusion and differentiated instruction || 1.Differentiated instruction 2. Formative assessments 3. Instructional modification 4. Additional educational supports 3. Assessments 4. Begin back at 1. || I’m not sure whether or not students get to use their data, or if they discuss it with students at school. || Staff meetings are held before the school year starts to look at school data and compare it to district-wide data. Discussions are held about what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs to be done. ||
 * || **Supports for Data Driven Culture**  ||  **Vision for Data Use**  ||  **Cycle of Instructional Improvement**  ||  **Student Use of Data**  ||  **District-wide Data System**  ||

Also, here are my responses to questions about the Data Team Video we watched in class. This shows my understanding of what a Data Team is in education:

**__ Guiding Questions for Data-Team Meeting Video – __** **__ Doing What Works __**

Directions: Download and review the Visual Diagram “[|Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making]”. Next, watch the [|Data Team Meeting Video] (5 min 39 sec) located within the RTI in Elem-Middle Math. Use the following questions to help focus your attention.

1) Who is participating in the meeting? Teachers (professional development team)

2) What types of data are they considering? Achievement levels in math for 5th graders

3) Name some of the recommendations they suggest for student growth
 * Morning work
 * o Open ended questions
 * o Measurement questions (appropriate unit choice)
 * o Journal entries
 * o Explicit vocabulary instruction
 * Manipulatives
 * Graphic organizers
 * $1,000 pyramid games
 * Vocabulary wall

4) Name some of the formative assessments they consider to monitor understanding
 * 1) a. Thumbs up/thumbs down
 * 2) b. Agree/disagree cards
 * 3) c. Whiteboards

5) How are some of the specialists in the school involved in supporting the students that the team is discussing?
 * 1) a. Pull students out for math intervention
 * 2) b. Giving evaluations/assessments
 * 3) c. One on one support

6) Use the grid below to make a bulleted list of conclusions in each area that you could draw about this school and these faculty members related to the big areas of the “Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making” chart. Then list examples that you have observed at your partner school.

**Examples from the Video** || -Used student achievement data to assess how to best support students. -One on one instruction - Math intervention groups - Reading specialist. || - Want to start seeing growth by mid-year. - want students to be up to grade level, district math standards by the end of the year. || 1.Differentiated instruction 2. Formative assessments 3. Instructional modification 4. Additional educational supports 3. Assessments 4. Begin back at 1. || They did not really talk about student use of data || They mentioned how they would like to get their 5th graders up to the district wide standards in math by the end of the school year. || **Examples from your partner school**  || - RTI specialist - Reading specialists - Math specialists - Staff meetings to assess student achievement - Staff team meetings to discuss strategies for differentiation - Specialist meetings || - To increase student achievement levels in reading and writing -To increase support and achievement levels for students in special education - Improve inclusion and differentiated instruction || 1.Differentiated instruction 2. Formative assessments 3. Instructional modification 4. Additional educational supports 3. Assessments 4. Begin back at 1. || I’m not sure whether or not students get to use their data, or if they discuss it with students at school. || Staff meetings are held before the school year starts to look at school data and compare it to district-wide data. Discussions are held about what works, what doesn’t work, and what needs to be done. ||
 * || **Supports for Data Driven Culture**  ||  **Vision for Data Use**  ||  **Cycle of Instructional Improvement**  ||  **Student Use of Data**  ||  **District-wide Data System**  ||

And here is a graphic organizer I made for schoolwide data use:

Data-based decisions should be made: A data team can support the development of a clear vision for data use by: Task of a data team: The data system that is developed should: Data-team members should have experience with: How does the team support the rest of the school? Data goals should be: Data plan should: Phasing data use into the entire school can help
 * Establishing a Clear Vision for School wide Data Use**
 * Frequently
 * Consistently
 * Appropriately
 * Providing consistent leadership
 * Leading development of a schoolwide plan
 * Creating a common language for data use
 * Clarify school’s vision
 * Model the use of data
 * Encourage and support other school staff to do the same
 * Meet everyone’s needs
 * Provides opportunities for collaboration
 * Increase likelihood of adopting practice
 * Data analysis and interpretation
 * Data driven instructional decision making
 * Leadership and motivation skills
 * Guidance
 * o Guide school staff on how to use the system
 * o Build staff capacity to use data in decision making
 * Education
 * o Provide resources and support for data analysis and interpretation
 * Encouragement
 * o Regularly interact with school staff
 * Modeling
 * o Clarify the school’s vision for data use
 * o Model how data is used
 * Does not:
 * o hold staff accountable
 * o Supervise data activities
 * o Provide expert advice
 * Attainable
 * Measurable
 * Relevant
 * Define actions
 * Identify staff
 * Set timeline
 * Show links between data use and goals
 * Prevent staff burnout
 * Deepen staff data literacy
 * Encourage support and implementation

This cycle includes: Teacher must collect data from multiple resources Interpreting data Strategies to modify instruction: Guidelines for testing hypothesis: How to deal with challenges: Why have multiple sources?
 * Making Data Part of a Cycle of Instructional Improvement**
 * Collecting and preparing relevant data about student learning
 * Interpreting data and developing hypotheses about what may be needed to help students improve
 * Testing those hypotheses by implementing changes in instructional practice and assessing their impact on student learning
 * Unit tests
 * Projects
 * Classwork
 * Homework
 * IEP
 * Through collaboration, teachers can
 * o Share effective practices
 * o Adopt common expectations
 * o Adopt common expectations for student performance
 * o Develop a collective understanding of the needs of individual students
 * First objective
 * o Identify the overall areas of relative strength and weakness in each class so that instructional time and resources can be allocated to serve the most pressing instructional needs
 * Second objective
 * o Identify the strengths and weakness of individual students so that assignments, instructional methods, and feedback can be adjusted accordingly.
 * Allocating more time for instruction in essential skills
 * Reteaching or preteaching skills that seem to be challenging for students to grasp
 * Providing additional help with particular skills to individual students
 * Implementing different teaching techniques for challenging subjects
 * Aligning performance expectations backcross classrooms or grade
 * Improving curriculum alignment
 * A complex instructional change requires more time allocated in order to carry it out
 * Once data on the effectiveness of the instructional change has been analyzed, teachers need to decide whether to continue with the change “as is,” modify it, or try a totally new approach.
 * Ask specific questions
 * o Concretely identifying which data can be narrowed to something more manageable.
 * Find many ways to identify data
 * o Develop your own assessments that are linked to schoolwide achievement goals
 * Just like a conclusion in a science project is more accurate when it has collected more data, so too will be your assessment of the students and how best to identify and serve their needs if you have more sources from which to base these decisions on.