No more random acts of teaching: high levels of achievement are the result of systematic, targeted and purposeful instruction. Without data, instruction becomes a series of well-intentioned but essentially random acts of teaching

Leadership, Nov-Dec, 2001 by Dennis Fox

1. By distribution of scores, which answers the question of "how many?" For example, how many students met or did not meet the standard? How many boys or girls met the standard? How many students were close to or far from the standard? How many English language learners met the standard?

2. By distribution of students, which answers the question of "who." For example, who met the standard and who did not? Who was close to meeting the standard and who was not? Who scored the highest? Who scored the lowest?

3. By patterns in student work, which answers the question of "what?" What knowledge and/or skills did the students master and not master? What specific knowledge and/or skills should be the focus of teacher intervention? What knowledge and/or skills should be the focus of enrichment activities?

The principal also learns that there is no "right" way to organize data. Each teacher must be encouraged to organize data in a format that is most informative for him/her.

Analyzing data

Over the course of the institute, the principal learns to use three different strategies for analyzing data. Depending on the teacher, the principal might use a simple two-question process, a four-question sequence or a highly structured set of questions.

In the two-question process, the teacher is asked: (1) What did you learn from analyzing these data? (2) How might you use these data for instructional decision-making?

In the four-question sequence, the teacher is asked: (1) What do you know as a result of examining these data? (2) What do you think (what are your "hunches?") as a result of examining these data? (3) What do you want to know as a result of examining these data? (4) How can you use these data for instructional decision-making?

The highly structured questions are divided into three categories: "descriptive data," "thoughts about data" and "stepping back from data."

"Descriptive data" questions are limited to what the data tell the teacher. For example, how many and which students exceeded, met or failed to meet the standard? How many and which students were close to or far from the standard? How did the performance of subgroups compare with one another? How were students distributed among the performance levels?

"Thoughts about data" questions require the teacher to make inferences from the data. For example, what did you learn from the range and distribution of scores? What patterns did you find in these data? How do these data compare with other data you have? What questions do these data raise for you?

"Stepping back from data" questions address technical issues regarding the task. For example, how well is this task aligned with specified standards? To what degree do these data provide an accurate picture of student performance? Why did you use this particular scoring system for this task? How helpful are these data to students and parents?

Grouping students

The principal also learns to use data to group students in the most effective manner. Specifically, how to distinguish among three levels of need and support: re-do, review and re-teach.