School administrators are great at collecting data, but too often they end up storing it – literally. The need for accountability and assessment is forcing schools to pull data out of the drawers and into the open. Some schools are going a step further by establishing schools with data rooms where teachers can access student data in a more organized and accessible manner.
At Gilliard Elementary School in Mobile, Alabama, color-coded sticky notes are found on the walls of a space known as “the data room.” The notes inform teachers where their students stand on the math and reading standards as well as their discipline and attendance records.
The goal is to assist teachers in identifying and responding to students’ needs before they become uncontrollable. For instance, if a student hasn’t achieved their reading goal the teacher might offer additional practice in class, or work with the student outside of school. If a student has problems with their behavior or is exhibiting a problem with their behavior, the teacher could refer them for counseling or even consider removing the student from the classroom completely.
Baker’s method is to have teachers praise their students’ progress by putting data in the spotlight. In the spring of last year one of the students who was homeless proudly proclaimed that he had achieved his goal of reading.
Before making the leap to a school’s data room, be sure you can ensure the privacy of students and follow FERPA guidelines. This is particularly true for a classroom data display where sensitive information such as counseling sessions and disciplinary actions can be accidentally shared.