The Onhand Schools Data Retreat
- is a proven process to
improve student achievement. As we all know looking at student
data is only the beginning. Unless there is some action based
on the data there will be no achievement gain. The key to
building a successful process is to connect the data findings to
instruction. Action interventions developed by the teacher
focusing on remediation or acceleration areas is the hard but
necessary action needed to improve achievement. To have a long
term sustained improvement plan the action interventions must be
incorporated into the curriculum.
request info
How does the data
retreat work?
With this philosophy the OnHand Schools will guide the district
team to closely look at the district, school, class, and
individual student data. A comprehensive needs assessment will
be produced. Action plans based on the needs assessment will be
prepared then implemented. There will be continuous follow-up
and adjustments to the action plans.
Why has OnHand
Schools been able to get results with this typical improvement
process?
OnHand Schools will coordinate the initiative. Leadership,
collaboration, and accountably are the key. District leadership
must embrace the process and willingly help lead the initiative
to success. Teachers and administrators must collaborate as a
team to solve the problems. Everyone must have time to meet
regularly for real collaboration. Various actions will be tried
and the results shared by the team during the regular
debriefing. Everyone will be accountable. We work together to
resolve the problems. It can be done.
Is
it necessary to work in a group or can each teacher look at the
data and make instructional decisions?
Meeting monthly and working collaboratively in teams to
develop short and long term action plans will get results.
Teamwork is effective. It has been embraced by many other
domains because it works. With OnHand Schools guidance real
educational teams will work together to build a solution.
Teamwork will always in the long run out perform the individual
or unorganized groups.
How does the
curriculum fit into the data process?
Working through the data retreat process it may be apparent
that a concept or concepts are not being taught or taught in the
wrong sequence. This is a curricular issue and it must be
resolved. Over time as you implement action plans you must
capture the changes and share them with all the stakeholders.
The phase reinventing the wheel has never been more appropriate
than in this instance. As action plans are successfully used
they must be documented and shared. The curriculum is where a
district’s domain knowledge is captured and organized. A
district’s curriculum is its foundation and blueprint for the
staff to use when constructing student comprehension and
knowledge.
