School Improvement Connection
Nebraska City Public Schools
Data, School Improvement & Assessment
Submitted by Teresa Frields –
Determination of School Improvement Goal:
Following the work by the Nebraska City Public Schools Assessment Team each school year, a Data Retreat is facilitated by ESU 4. The Data
Retreat Team meets for two days,
analyzes all district data, trends and information. The broad goal of
reading, specifically
comprehension was determined to be the area where weaknesses continue
to be shown and is supported by the analysis of the data.
However, as a district, we continue to identify vocabulary as a
priority and specific area of emphasis. Increasing vocabulary
through various strategies including research based and best practices
should directly affect overall comprehension skills. Based on
this determination, the school improvement academic goal continues to
be as
follows, reflecting the emphasis on vocabulary:
All students will increase reading and vocabulary skills across content areas.
Following continued analysis of the data over time, the goal will be
reviewed to determine whether increasing vocabulary skills emphasis
does the following:
1. Impact the scores
2. Needs continued focus
3. Requires revisiting the broader definition of comprehension
Data collected and graphed included:
* Terra Nova - Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills - Complete Battery
Grades 4, 8 and 11
* Criterion Test Results (CRT’s ) for Grades 3, 5, 8 and 10
* Classroom- Based Assessments for all District Curriculum Objectives ( Learner Will Statements) and the State Standards Grades K-12 for Language Arts and Math
* ACT results
* Years of Comparison Data
* Demographic Data
* STARS Assessment Results
* Current STARS DATA
* Current AYP data
* State Writing Results
* DIBELS
* Continuous School Improvement Data
* PLC's - Whole Faculty Study Group Model
Using broad indicators, analysis of data patterns is done to determine
areas of strength and weakness. The Nebraska City District
Assessment Team has collected and analyzed data for a number of years,
thus allowing for a comprehensive analysis to occur during the data
retreat. Assessment Notebooks provide information
to administration, faculty, school board members and the public.
Teacher teams meet with the Director of Assessment, to discuss the notebook contents. Teacher teams then review the data, make determinations about teaching strategies and use research based strategies to improve student learning. Constant reviews of data help to promote instructional change. Student learning is always the key and when integrated with School Improvement Goals, appropriate instruction ensures ALL students can reach their potential.
District Assessment Team:
Teresa Frields - Assessment Department Chair, Pam Hillman, Teresa
Albers, Allysyn Molzahn-Paap, Rhonda Nielson, Heidi Rosane,
Tiffany Easley, Lauri Dettman, Martha Schaffer, Gary Wockenfuss, Julie Dutton and Lou
Varley.
Department Chairs:
Teresa Frields, Carrie Crum, Allysyn Molzahn-Paap, Dan Holmberg and Ron Schaulis
along with Lou Arkfeld, Diane Schnitzer, Joel Sunderman, and Jim Callen
also serve as valuable resources to the District and the
Assessment Team’s work.
Data Retreat Team:
Teresa Frields - Diagnostician / Director of Assessment and Curriculum Support
Carrie Crum - High School English/ Language Arts Department Chair
Tiffany Easley - Primary Teacher
Heidi Rosane - Middle School Language Arts
Martha Schaffer - Elementary Reading / Title 1
Kris Lechner - Intermediate Elementary
Lauri Dettman - Middle School Language Arts
Lou Varley - Tech Support / High School Math
Pam Hillman - Special Education/ School Improvement Team
Nick Maher- Special Education
Aaron Christensen- High School Math
Haeven Pedersen- Elementary Principal
Jenny Powell- Middle School Principal
Data Retreat Process:
¸ Review examples of how we use student data to improve student learning in our district
¸ Discuss the purpose and importance of data
¸ Display data through charts and graphs
NRT Data:
¸ NRT data (national percentile scores) grades 4, 8, and 11
Reading, Language Arts, and Math.
¸ NRT data comparisons
Example: Compared scores for the same group of students as 4th graders
and then as 8th graders. Compared scores for the same group of
students as 8th graders and then as 11th graders
¸ Graphed NRT quartile distribution data
¸
Analyzed NRT data by looking at patterns in this year’s results,
noticing similar patterns in past years results.
¸ T chart sfor observations of strengths and challenges
¸ Charted standards results in quartiles for 4, 8, and 11 for Language Arts and Math.
¸ Identified individual students who are falling consistently in
the advanced categories on given assessments and noted their NRT % if they were 75%
or above.
¸ Analyzed CRT charts and data by identifying patterns in this year’s
data, made observations about
strengths and weaknesses.
¸ Identified individual students at risk by comparing CRT, NRT results
¸ Dissagregated data by ELL, SPED, free and reduced lunch, male, and
female and then charted and graphed results by
quartiles.
Example: How many of our 4th grade math students who have not mastered
the standards are free and reduced lunch?
¸ Analyzed student data and made observations about strengths and challenges.
Perceptual Data
¸ Reviewed climate survey results
¸ Determined continued need for information
Outcomes of Data Retreat:
¸ Understanding the role of data in improving student learning
¸ Discovering the connection between data and school improvement.
¸ Uncovering patterns in data: student achievement data, program
data, demographic
data, and perceptual data.
¸ Learning the process and tools for the collaborative analysis of data.
¸ Reflecting on individual student learning
¸ Designing individual student plans
¸ Developing charts and graphs to present analyzed data
¸ Verifying the district’s school improvement goal
Assessment notebooks are provided to teachers and staff. These notebooks provide summary data information that can be
used to guide goals and objectives for each school year.
The information serves as a resource for Continuous School Improvement.
A Data Driven system is a process that allows all students an equal
opportunity to show what they have been taught and what they are able
to do. Nebraska City Public Schools is dedicated in their commitment to
use data as a continuous and informative process for improvement of
student learning.
Nebraska City
Public Schools
and
Educational Service Unit #4, Auburn, Nebraska
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