Data, Data, Data… What Does It All Mean?
By Melissa Smyly - Faculty
Throughout the school year, you may hear us talk about MAP scores, mCLASS results, IXL, ERBs, classroom assessments, diagnostic data, and more. That can sound like a lot of testing, and a lot of numbers! So, what does all of this data actually mean, and how do our teachers use it?
The most important thing to remember is that no single assessment tells the whole story of a child as a learner.
Our teachers are constantly gathering information about their students. Some of it comes from formal assessments, but much of it comes from what happens in the classroom every day…watching a student work through a challenging problem, listening to a class discussion, reviewing a writing assignment, working with a small group, or noticing when a student is ready to move on to something more challenging.
Assessment data gives teachers another lens through which to look at what they are already seeing in the classroom. For example, a score might suggest that a student could use some additional support with a particular reading or math skill. The teacher can then look more closely at the student’s daily work and classroom performance to determine what kind of support might be most helpful. In the same way, data may confirm that a student is ready for greater challenges in a particular area.
We also look for patterns over time rather than placing too much emphasis on one score from one day. When teachers combine assessment results with classroom observations, student work, and daily learning experiences, they develop a much clearer picture of each child’s strengths and areas for continued growth.
In October, students in grades 3, 5, and 7 will take the ERB CTP assessment. ERBs are simply another data point that we collect annually. They give us additional information about student learning and allow us to look at growth and achievement from another perspective. Just like our other assessments, an ERB score does not define a student or stand alone as a measure of success; it is one more piece of the larger picture.
Ultimately, all of this data really comes back to something very simple: knowing our students well.
We want to know: What is this student doing well? Where might a little extra support make a difference? Where is this student ready to be challenged? What instructional strategies are working? And what should we do next?
The numbers can give us helpful information, but it is our teachers, through their relationships with students, their classroom observations, and their professional expertise, who help put those numbers into context. That combination helps us make thoughtful instructional decisions and, most importantly, helps each student continue to learn and grow.
