With the release of Unbridled Learning accountability results last week, educators in the Knox County Public Schools are being reminded of the importance of analyzing and using data to guide continuous improvement both at the school overall level and for each individual student.
While students enjoy the first day of fall break on Thursday, October 6, our staff will be using the latest data release to ask the hard questions of “why” and develop a plan to address the “hows” in order to ensure that each child succeeds in school. The work that will take place on Thursday is the groundwork of what is still yet to come. Each fall our schools develop a CSIP, or comprehensive school improvement plan, that guides the programs, initiatives, and services they will implement and refine in the upcoming year.
Lynn Camp schools have been diving into their data since the beginning of the school year. Below, assistant principal Nicki Hammons shares with us an update on their data driven culture:
As a new school year begun, we reflected on the past. All teachers and instructional assistants were asked to reflect on where we have been, how we have grown and where we hope to go. Using the process of building school culture was embedded into our first PLC. After watching the video the “Heart of a Teacher”, teachers and instructional assistants shared their vision of what it takes to be a successful school. Each member was given a puzzle piece to write a word or phrase of what they believe it takes to be a successful school. This activity reminds us that “It’s not the subject that matters… It’s all about teaching the child”. This puzzle picture will be displayed in our front hallway to remind us how we all “fit together”!
We ended our PLC, by teachers analyzing individual KPREP scores from 2015-2016 data. All teachers including K-2 classroom teachers, special education teachers and special class teachers used the accountability calculator to see how important it is for novice reduction. We are using this data to drive our instruction this year.