MTSS: School-Wide Academic Data Based Decision Making

Question #1: How effective is our core (what we do for ALL students)?

Graphs prepared in advance/shown:
Academic Outcomes = Screening data for each grade (reading , math)
Problem Identification / Reading: Percent At or Above Benchmark Benchmark = ______/ Math: Percent At or Above Benchmark
Benchmark = ______
How effective is our core?
Are ~80% of students meeting benchmark?
How does this compare with comparison data points?
(e.g. Screening-last screening period, last yr same period) / Grade / Fall / Winter / Spring / Grade / Fall / Winter / Spring
How effective is our core for sub-groups (e.g. ELL, IEP, low SES)?
Customize it to your population/needs / Grade / Fall / Winter / Spring / Grade / Fall / Winter / Spring
IEP / ELL / IEP / ELL / IEP / ELL / IEP / ELL / IEP / ELL / IEP / ELL
Are there trends or patterns of need?
(Observe “I see…” “I notice…”) (No “because…”)
What area(s), based upon this data, are we prioritizing for deeper analysis?

Question #2: Drill down into the data to establish precise statement of need for improvement plan in prioritized area.

Follow up on inferences/questions from initial data dialogue as to why issue is occurring
Problem Analysis / What is the problem of concern? Define as clearly as possible (where it IS a problem & where it is not)
Low rates of a positive behavior/skill (e.g. attendance or reading) or high rates of a problem behavior or skill deficit (e.g. Tardy or math skill deficit)?
For the problem of concern, use the Ishikawa fishbone (attached template) to analyze current Instruction, Curriculum, Environment, and Learner (ICEL) variables / Capture notes from the fishbone graphic organizer:
Guiding Questions / Notes
Instruction / What instruction occurred around this? How much instructional time is dedicated to this? Are teachers using evidence based strategies?Is this across content areas? What are common instructional strategies? Are there opportunities to practice across content areas? How is data used to inform instruction?
Curriculum/
Assessment / What curriculum was utilized in the instruction (teaching tools, not standards)? Is it evidence based? Was it consistently delivered (fidelity)? How do we assess if students are learning?
Environment / Where is this occurring? When is this occurring?
What school climate indicators do we have w these students (absences, suspensions/behavior, course failures)?
Learner / How often is this happening?
For Whom? Who is involved/affected (large groups, small groups, individuals)?
What do the students say is causing this problem?
Do these groups have any similarities? Do these student have needs unique from the rest?
Using the ICEL drill down, consider if you have enough information to hypothesize why this problem is happening / Possible Cause / Evidence (Quantitative Qualitative)*
Is this a Can’t Do (skill deficit)? / What evidence is there that students don’t have the skills?
Is this a Trouble Doing? / What evidence is there that students have the skills, but struggle to be efficient, accurate, apply in novel ways?
Is this a Won’t Do (performance deficit)? / What evidence is there that students are not motivated or engaged to do the task(s)?
Conclusion

*If long cycle/high stakes, must validate hypothesis. Always strive to use existing data sources and include student feedback

**If this is a short cycle/low stakes analysis, not all steps may be needed**

(Summarize from above) Precise Statement of the concern(copy into TIPS Problem Solving Action Plan “Pattern of Need/Precision Statement”):
At the ______(when-time frame), ______% of ______(who-student groups) were ______(what-data indicating need) because ______
(why-conclusions after data drill down).
Create SMART Goal(copy into TIPS Problem Solving Action Plan under “Goal, Timeline, Decision Rule and Updates”):
By ______(when-next review date), ______% of ______(who-student groups) will attain ______(benchmark) as indicated by ______(Data tool).

Question #3: How will the needs identified in the core be addressed? (in short term? long term?)

Brainstorm (refer to Evidence Based Instruction Improvement Checklist)
Ranking / Strategies
Rate Intensification Strategies:
1 = Will try this now
2 = Will consider this in the future
3 = Have already tried and this was unsuccessful
4 = Already doing this, will keep doing

Question #4: How will effectiveness be monitored over time? Have changes to the core been effective?

Who? / By When?
Fidelity / How will we measure and support fidelity (if we did what we said we would)?
Plan Evaluation / Document the following:
What data will we look at to evaluate effectiveness (see SMART goal above)?
How often will data be gathered?
Where will the data be shared?
Who will see the data (staff, students, parents, district, community, school committee)?

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