ESSENTIAL FUNCTION 1 IN PRACTICE
What Does Exemplary Implementation of Essential Function 1 – Gather Look Like?
Essential Function: Educators collaborate to decide what data to collect.
- Establish a data team with members sharing a common interest (content, grade level, etc.).
- Meet at regularly scheduled, predetermined times to collaborate on student data.
- Define and use roles to improve meeting effectiveness and efficiency.
- Use agendas that clearly outline team meeting goals with an emphasis on using data to inform instruction.
- Use a system for sharing and storing team documents (i.e. agenda, minutes, etc.).
- Hold team accountable for individual and team review of data.
- Data collection process elements include
- Collect student data in relation to learning targets.
- Collect data describing instructional processes.
- Organize data in preparation for review and analysis.
Download the Data-Based Decision Making Practice Profile (https://www.moedu-sail.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DBDM-Practice-Profile-2019-Final-1-7-19.docx).
What step can you take to start or improve collecting and charting the data you need right now?
Working Through Roadblocks
Review the common roadblocks below and/or add your own. Select one roadblock and outline specific steps your team could implement to ensure the roadblock does not derail your team.
- Lack of a regularly scheduled meeting times.
- Team roles are not assigned.
- Too much or not enough data.
- Lack of time or motivation to dig into the data.
Next Steps
Assess your team’s/building’s current knowledge and fluency with Essential Function 1 – Gathering Data, then determine possible next steps including
- Decide what format your team/building will utilize (electronic or hard copy).
- Plan for training so all teachers know how to chart their student data.
- Establish team roles and consider any professional learning needs.
- Establish dates for submitting and for sharing collated data.
- Identify specific ways your team will want/need data disaggregated.