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.
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.
