The data school administrators collect is valuable, but they often end up storing them–literally. Accountability and assessment movements are forcing schools to bring data out of drawers and onto the table. Some schools are taking it a step further and have created schools with data rooms where teachers can look over student data in an organized and easy way.
Walls of color-coded sticky notes cover the walls at Gilliard Elementary School in Mobile, Alabama. The notes provide teachers with information on what their students are learning in math and reading standards, as well as their attendance and discipline records.
The goal is to help teachers understand and address the needs of students before they get out of hand. If a student isn’t reaching his or their reading goals the teacher may offer extra practice or help them outside of school. If a child has an issue with their behavior, the teacher can refer them to counseling or even consider removing that student from class.
Baker’s method is to have teachers acknowledge their students’ accomplishments by putting data in the spotlight. In the spring of last year, a homeless student was proud to announce that he had achieved his reading goal.
Be sure to adhere to FERPA guidelines and protect your student’s privacy prior to making the transition to a data room. This is particularly true for data displays in the classroom, where sensitive information like counseling sessions or disciplinary actions may be uncovered accidentally.