In education, we frequently use the “Percentile Rank” score a student receives on tests to report to parents and understand how that student performs. As educators we really like the percentile rank because it seems easy and intuitive to understand. However, this article will present some cautionary concepts when using the percentile rank scores on … Continue reading Identifying the Problem of Percentile Ranks
As schools are preparing students to learn and utilize 21st century skills, it’s natural that students and their teachers are using more and more resources online. As a result, student information is being placed into information and learning management systems that are online. Not only is there a legal obligation to protect student data through … Continue reading 6 Practical Safeguards to Protect Student Data
The Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is home to a variety of identities and ethnic groups. But most of the time when the media mentions the AAPI community, they truncate it to mean specifically East Asians. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are the most commonly referred to demographics when discussing Asian identity in the … Continue reading Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders (AAPI): The Need for Data Disaggregation
Many educators talk often about wanting to incorporate an assessment system into their instruction, but aren’t quite sure where to start. When it comes to building a student achievement system, the task could seem daunting: How often to conduct data analysis? How to approach developing standards schedules? How to build quality assessments? These are just … Continue reading Developing a Student Achievement System? Here’s How.
The research of John Hattie created great interest in 2009 when he published Visible Learning. In the book, he compares the statistical measure of “effect size” to the impact of a variety of influences on students’ achievement such as class size, holidays, feedback, and learning strategies. Hattie’s study was designed as a “meta-meta-study” that collects, compares, … Continue reading The “Effect Size” in Educational Research: What is it & How to Use it?
If school leaders want to lead the charge in improving student performance, they must be fluent in the use of data as a leadership tool. The assumption is that when school leaders are knowledgeable about data use, they can more effectively review their existing capacities, identify weaknesses, and better chart plans for improvement. In fact, … Continue reading Six Steps for School Leaders to Use Data Effectively
I like to think that using data while teaching is like using a GPS while driving. When you’re using a GPS, you enter the final destination. It’s the place you want to get to. Along the way, the GPS will say things like “Turn left…turn right…exit here,” and based on this new information, you adjust … Continue reading Setting Up a Data-Driven Culture
Located fifty miles from Savannah, Georgia, Statesboro High School (SHS) serves a diverse student body of approximately 1,500 in Bulloch County. Founded in 1901, SHS strives to be a model of excellence in public education, and to ensure that each of its students is uniquely prepared to enter the workforce. Most educators recognize the fundamental … Continue reading How Statesboro High Increased Math Proficiency by 84 Percent
Formative assessments can make a big difference in the classroom. The evidence proves it. Many studies show that the average effect size of the impact of formative assessment on standardized tests is 0.4 to 0.7. The change in “effect size” is considered as going from moderate to strong. That’s a home run in the world … Continue reading 5 Critical Steps to Doing Formative Assessments
Santee Education Complex is a high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), located in South Central Los Angeles. It was built in 2005 with the special distinction of being the first new four-year high school to open in LAUSD in over 35 years. Immediately after its opening, Santee dealt with issues around … Continue reading How a Low-Achieving School Uses Data to Drive Success