Making Data Understandable and Relatable.
The Data Services team has a thorough grasp of the complex methodology that undergirds Michigan’s accountability metrics, They also understand that educator ability to use data falls upon a broad continuum. As a result, they’ve developed a professional development program that can be tailored to your school or district’s needs, whether your staff is data savvy or just beginning to use data. Staff will learn:
- The fundamentals of data and data use.
- State educational accountability metrics (Top-to-Bottom Rankings, Gap metrics, Z Scores, etc.).
- Summative assessment results that are embedded in the accountability metrics (MEAP, MI-Access, ACT, etc.).
- The use of formative assessments in instructional practice (Scantron, NWEA, etc.).
- The use of Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) or other measures of curriculum implementation to align content coverage and standards.
- The use of systems and perception data to identify and address structural and contextual factors that influence instruction and learning (ERS Resource and School Check, Culture and Climate Surveys, etc.).
Accessing and Using Online Data Resources.
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) make a rich array of resources and data-based reports available to schools and districts to support school improvement work. The K-12 Outreach Data Services team is experienced in navigating these websites and has in-depth knowledge of the data reports housed there. The team provides tailored workshops to help schools and districts access and utilized the data for the continuous improvement of instructional quality and student learning outcomes. Typical offerings include the understanding and use of:
- Microsoft EXCEL to develop grade level reports from student achievement data available from MDE or CEPI.
- MI School Scorecard information for instructional improvement.
- MDE’s Top-to-Bottom tool for school improvement.
- MDE’s tools for Focus and Priority Schools
- MDE’s Student Growth Percentiles
- MISchoolData.org website to access district and school level reports and other educational data available.
The Data Services team works extensively with MDE’s Division of Accountability Services (DAS) and has access to data updates and background on new and pending policies affecting the collection and use of school data. Its connections to the Michigan Educational Research Association (MERA) provide professional relationships with data colleagues across the state, ensuring that Data Services staff understand the data needs and promising practices of schools and districts throughout Michigan.