First of all, I want to send a big thank you to everyone who attended IO Education EXPO EAST 2019 in New York City last week! I’ve personally attended IO Education EXPO for years–both as a lead customer success manager and senior instructional developer. It’s an invaluable opportunity to connect with our customers, and I … Continue reading Thoughts from IO Education EXPO EAST 2019: “Past, Present & Future”
This article was co-written with David Stevens, Berkeley Unified School District Imagine you went to see your doctor about a cold and she recommended a particular treatment. You, in turn, ask the doctor why she thinks it is the right option. In one scenario she replies: “I’ve heard it works, and it is also what … Continue reading Lessons from John Hattie: Unlocking the Power of Classroom Discussion
Located in northern Oakland County, about 40 miles northwest of Detroit, Oxford Community Schools (OCS) serves a suburban community that extends across five townships and two villages. The district is consistently recognized for its excellence. Many of its schools have been designated as Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary Schools, and the district has received numerous MASB … Continue reading How Oxford Community Schools Uses Data to Support 3rd Grade Reading Proficiency
This month, we offer another example of how the BI Tool can transform the data culture in your school district from a top-down, “use what we have” approach to a collaborative, “what do we need” approach. Our previous post focused on the work of Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, the largest charter school network in Los … Continue reading BI Tool: What Can You Automate?
Now that the previous blog helped us gain a stronger understanding of the three dimensions of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), let’s shift our attention to the key innovation for NGSS: sense-making. What is Sense-Making in NGSS? Science is fundamentally about making sense of the natural world. Sense-making is the conceptual process in which a … Continue reading Sense-Making is the Core of NGSS
Almost every district, charter, or educational organization has a strategic plan. Sometimes, we refer to these as improvement plans or action plans. Strategic plans are partially an accountability piece, but they are also more than that: they help us articulate our goals for supporting students—and the specific, measurable actions we’ll take to achieve those goals. … Continue reading Data Visualization & Action Plans: Filling Gaps in Seeing the “Big Picture”
It is 2019, and the stakes for educator and student success have never been higher. Administrators and teachers are looking at many ways to improve student outcomes and increase achievement. One methodology that gets a lot of lip-service is student engagement. And it is this educator’s opinion that student engagement is not just a method, … Continue reading 7 Needs for Student Engagement
Contributions were provided by Sam Banks, Tristen Scheitle & Bianca Jones As educators, we know the importance of engaging parents, guardians, and families in student learning. Research studies, such as those listed here and here, show that parent engagement impacts achievement, social skills, behavioral issues, and more. Parent engagement encompasses many aspects, but communication is … Continue reading Tackling New Challenges in Parent Communication
Early Warning Systems (EWSs) are historically designed to identify students at risk of dropping out. When identifying at-risk students, the literature recommends monitoring Attendance, Behavior, and Course Performance data. Monitoring these indicators has resulted in preventative, responsive action for students in many districts. Many Uses for Early Warning Educational Software However, it’s worth considering that … Continue reading Early Warning for Student Needs: 7 Ways to Use an EWS (Beyond At-Risk Identification)
When I reflect on my work with hundreds of school districts & LEAs across the United States, I realize that the true power of Illuminate’s BI Tool is not just in creating powerful reports / data visualizations—the true power lies in its ability to transform the data culture in school districts. Without Illuminate’s BI Tool … Continue reading BI Tool: Multiple Rounds of Feedback