Activity Guide

A Discussion for Your Data Team

Initiating conversations about leading successful changes that affect school improvement requires the effective use of local school data. Chapter 3 in Making the Mathematics Curriculum Count will introduce or provide a common review for your data team (school team responsible for data collection and summary) or leadership team members. This chapter summarizes the four types of data and how each is used intentionally for constructing school and individual profiles, informing instruction, and making learning decisions.

Materials

To Get Started:

  • Give all participants a copy of chapter 3. (NASSP grants permission for you to make 100 copies of each article for educational purposes.)
  • Ask individuals to suspend their assumptions and use specific textual references to support their comments.
  • Add discussion questions to continue the conversation in a way that’s most relevant to your school.
  • Conclude the discussion with open-ended questions designed to further inquiry, such as: How do these actions align with our existing school improvement initiatives? What would it look like here? and What new actions are you considering after having read the chapter?

An implementation template is included at the end of the discussion prompts to help you organize the new actions being considered for implementation.

Reading: “Analyzing Data for Schoolwide and Individual Student Improvement,” Making the Mathematics Curriculum Count, chapter 3, pp. 35–55.

  1. Discuss the four types of data and the uses of each. As a team, discuss the Analysis and Team Discussion questions that appear in the rectangles of the chapter tables and graphs.
  2. As a team, review and discuss the Focus framework, Key Questions, and the Outcomes on pp. 53–55.
  3. The text, tables, and graphs in chapter 3 will lead your data team through the resources necessary to support decisions and direct school improvement changes. It also will provide team members with the knowledge necessary to use data to describe your school, your students, and your culture. All stakeholders can use these data results to inform school changes focused on improving teacher preparation and student achievement. Use your data, the process circle (Module I), and the planning tools for your initiatives.
  4. Your team should be available to provide data and support to the creation of the School Profile and Individual Learning Plans.