Data: Friend or Foe? Bob Bardwell Monson High School Monson, MA

1. Data: Friend or Foe? Bob Bardwell Monson High School Monson, MA Thanks to Trish Hatch & Sheila Deam for slide sharing

2. Who Is Here? • Secondary school counselors • Guidance directors • Graduate students • Community Based Organizations • Independent counselors • College Admission Counselors • Other

3. Why Are You Here? Professional development Your school made you come Nothing else to do Didn’t like the other sessions during this time slot

4. What Can I Offer? 20 year School Counselor and K-12 Director of School Counseling Leader – local, state, regional & national Advocate for students, school counselors and our profession Not a data geek but I know enough that data is the key to the continuation of school counseling as we know it

5. Why is Data Important • It improves our programs and the services for students and families • Students benefit from it • Achievement & Opportunity Gaps • You probably already have it • Others are using it • We are accountable • Why not?

6. Turn to a neighbor What kinds of data are important to school/independent counselors in 2013? How are you using that data in your school/college counseling program?

7. Challenges of using data Most school counselors • are not comfortable using data • do not have the training or resources to collect and analyze data • Think that working with data is too time consuming considering everything else they have to do; not important enough • Are uncomfortable reporting data to and advocating with policy makers

8. Types of College Admission Data Student-Achievement Data • Standardized Test Data • SAT/ACT, PLAN/PSAT, AP Scores • Grade Point Averages • Weighed/unweighed • Recalculated • Completion of College Preparation Requirements (Graduating college eligible)

9. Types of College Admission Data (continued) Achievement – Related Data • Course enrollment patterns • Number of students taking PSAT/SAT/PLAN/ACT/AP • Discipline referrals • Extracurricular activities

10. Types of College Admission Data (continued) • Standards and Competency-Related Data • Percentage of students who demonstrate: • Belief (attitude) in importance of taking rigorous courses • Skill to set goals • Knowledge of college requirements

11. Collecting data • Commercial programs • Naviance • www.naviance.com • http://workspacek12.naviance.com • Connectedu • www.connectedu.net • PrepHQ • www.myfootpath.com • State portals • MA- www.yourplanforthefuture.org • OR - http://oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home

12. Data From Other Sources • College Board/ACT • SAT/ACT • PSAT/PLAN • AP Potential • AP Exam Scores • State testing results • Colleges & Universities • Regional Higher Education Consortia • WICHE

13. Other Options to Organize College Admission data • Access • Excel • Create your own method of record keeping

14. Access Database fields

15. Analyzing Data • EZ-Analyze • www.ezanalyze.com • Using Access or Excel • State education department • Locally developed program

16. Reporting of Data • Scattergrams • Grade Point Average (x axis) vs. SAT’s (y axis) • Other reports • Access Report • Placement percentages

17. Scattergram Example

18. Placement Report Example

19. Evaluation of your College Admission Counseling Program • Surveys, questionnaires • Online vs. paper • Google Drive - www.google.com • www.suverymonkey.com • www.counselingtechnology.net • Pre & post surveys • Gives immediate feedback about the need or impact of your program/intervention

20. Program Evaluation Data • Three types • Process data • Perception data • Results data

21. Process data • “What you did for whom” • Evidence that event occurred • Example: Counselors taught students how to fill out a college application

22. Students Know Language Requirements

23. Perception Data • Attitudes or Beliefs • 32% believe they will succeed in college • 42 % believe they have enough money to attend college • Competency Achievement (Skills) • Every student in grades 9-12 completed a 4 year plan • Every 10th grade student completed an interest inventory • Knowledge Gained • 89% of students demonstrate knowledge of college entrance requirements

24. What type of question? • “I believe” is an Attitude so use a scale • Application/Demonstration = Skill • Information or answer = Knowledge (clear answer – not scale)

25. What Do Students Believe (Attitude)? I believe that understanding the college preparation requirements will help me be successful in school…

26. What Can Students Demonstrate? (Skills) What is your GPA based on a 4.0 weighted scale?

27. Students Understand Options After High School (Knowledge)

28. Results Data • So WHAT” data • Hard data – application data • Have your activities contributed to students ability to utilize the knowledge, attitudes and skills to effect behavior? • Attendance • Behavior • Academic achievement (graduating college eligible: College going rate improved 14% over three years)

29. # of AP Exams Has Increased!

30. 4 Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rates are UP!

31. Increased College Post Secondary Plans!

32. Results Report How are students different as a RESULT of what you do? • What does the data tell you? • Was the program successful? • What worked? • What did NOT work? • What needs to be changed?

33. Data Over Time • Immediate • Change course offerings • Intermediate • Change course selection pattern • Long range (Impact Over Time) • Improve college placement rates

34. Sharing Your Data • Celebrate what you find • School Profile • Accountability Report Card • MARC of Excellence • http://www.masca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116&Itemid=117SPARC • www.sparconline.net • Press release, faculty meeting or school board presentation, parent programs, etc. • NCLB Report Card • Data bulletin board

35. Cautions About Using Data • Data doesn’t always give you the information you want • College admissions is not an exact science • Data shouldn’t take the place of human connection/intervention

36. Important Questions.. • What is the purpose of the college admission counseling program at your school? • What are the desired outcomes or results? • What is being done to achieve results? • What evidence is there that the objectives have been met? • Is the program making a difference?

37. Resources to assist you with data • Evidence-Based School Counseling: Making a Difference With Data-Driven Practices • Dimmitt, Carey & Hatch • Making Data Work: An ASCA National Model Publication • Kaffenberger & Young • Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap: How to Measure Equity in Our Schools • Johnson • Using Data To Focus Instructional Improvement • James-Ward, Fisher, Frey & Lapp

38. Resources to assist you with data (continued) • Center for Excellence in School Counseling & Leadership • www.cescal.org • Ronald Frederickson Center for School Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation • www.cscor.org

39. Next steps • Create an action plan • Pick one item to do upon your return to school • Educate your colleagues about what you learned • Get other stakeholders on board • Attend further training about using data • Celebrate your accomplishment(s) • Use your results to improve your program!

40. Questions & conversations • What is not clear? • What more do you need? • How can we help each other? • Who wants to share a success with data?

41. Contact info Bob Bardwell School Counselor & Director of School Counseling Monson Innovation High School 55 Margaret Street Monson, MA 01057 413.267.4589x1109 www.bobbardwell.com bardwellr@monsonschools.com