School and District Improvement Planning: Analyzing All Available Data
It’s that time of the year. As districts begin to explore their Kentucky Performance Report (KPR) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) data, revisions to school and district improvement plans have begun. As we begin a series on investigating how to use this data as the basis for an effective planning process that leads to continuous school and district improvement, step one is to understand the multiple sources of data and how they can be used to effectively determine priority student achievement needs.
Analysis of data is a critical piece of continuous school and district improvement. Some schools and districts only use the Kentucky Performance Report (KPR) as the only source for data. However, using more than one source of data is needed to develop and enhance the school and district improvement planning process. Schools and districts also should consider additional sources of data, such as formative and summative classroom assessments, other standardized tests, analysis of implemented school programs and demographic data and student/parent perception surveys.
Beginning this year, the KPR will include Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) data (PLAN in 2007; PLAN and ACT in 2008) information; however, the school report includes more detailed information that should be considered during improvement planning. High-achieving districts engage in analyzing different types of assessment continually, not relying solely on the annual assessment data that the KPR or NCLB reports provide. By using multiple sources of data, school and district improvement plans can be developed with a focus at the individual student level and differentiated instructional strategies to ensure proficiency for all.
Once all the data has been analyzed, the next step is to prioritize the identified student needs to a manageable number. Next week, the ISN Newsletter will look at tools to help you prioritize those needs. If you have questions about school or district improvement planning, please contact David Cook or Erin McGee. The Kentucky Department of Education’s Web page includes more information concerning PLAN and EXPLORE data. The Kentucky Content Literacy Consortium (KCLC) is part of a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve literacy instruction and performance for middle and high school students.
Striving Readers
The Kentucky Content Literacy Consortium (KCLC) is part of a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to improve literacy instruction and performance for middle and high school students. The consortium consists of seven school districts involving 23 middle and high schools and partnerships with the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning and the Kentucky Department of Education.
The grant provides teacher training at both the middle and high school levels to integrate content literacy instruction, implement interventions for struggling students and provide a reading coach for middle and high school staffs. Research gathered from this initiative will inform adolescent literacy instruction nationwide.
While no new schools will be added to the current grant, federal legislation has been introduced to expand the grant program nationwide, which may result in additional funding. For more information, contact the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning .
Highly Skilled Educator Program
Kentucky’s Highly Skilled Educator Program is looking for administrators and classroom teachers who are recognized as leaders and have shown high levels of professional competence in Kentucky’s school systems. The Highly Skilled Educator Web page offers more information including eligibility criteria and a description of the selection process
Rescheduled Annual ISN Meeting
The annual Instructional Support Network Meeting is rescheduled for November 29-30 at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville. The meeting, focused on high-quality instruction, will begin on Thursday, November 29, at 1 p.m. with a session for all professional development coordinators and will continue on Friday, November 30, at 8 a.m., for the entire Instructional Support Network. More information will follow in upcoming newsletters.
Quotable Quotes
“In times of change, the learners will inherit the world, while the knowers remain well-prepared for a world that no longer exists.”
Eric Hoffer, writer