Most schools and educators use student performance data to sort students.  The students take some sort of assessment (it doesn’t matter at what level, classroom to entire state), the school gets the results and teachers start sorting.  You know the groups… Super Stars, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Maybe With Devine Intervention.

Here’s the thing, if performance data is only used to sort students there is only one predictable outcome.  The group of students who don’t meet standard will continue to grow over time.

Exceptional schools don’t use student performance data to sort students (at least it is not the main activity). Instead, exceptional schools use student performance data to drive adult practice.  Once you understand that it is adult practice that drives student performance then you realize that the analysis of student performance data provides educators with four critical pieces of information.

1. Is classroom instruction aligned with the pace of the district’s scope and sequence?

2. Is classroom instruction aligned with the rigor  of the district’s scope and sequence?

3. Which instructional practices seem to work best with the school’s students?

4. Which instructional practices are seemingly less effective with the school’s students?

Use your students performance data to determine the answers to the above questions and then adjust accordingly and your students will begin to outperform the students of the sorters.

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
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