Key points:
How can district leaders and educators support student growth and effectively use data in real time to inform authentic instruction and ensure high achievement?
Tracking student growth is especially important as the country is inches away from COVID-19 but still tied to the effects of the pandemic due to learning loss and equity gaps.
School District 81 in the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park continues to be one of the highest-performing districts. In fact, the region's student growth strategies were analyzed in depth in NWEA's paper. Districts use NWEA's MAP Growth, part of NWEA's Growth Activating Solutions, to measure achievement and growth in K-12 math, reading, language arts, and science. Teachers use MAP data and accurate, actionable evidence to inform instructional strategies no matter how high or low their students' grade level is.
Former teacher and principal, now 12 years old.Day Schiller Park School Superintendent Dr. After serving as Superintendent, Kim Boryszewski has developed a keen awareness of where the district needs to focus with regard to student achievement, instruction, and developing and leading educational leaders.
“Early on, we looked at the MAP growth tool in detail and knew how to use that data to deliver guidance,” she said. Rather than providing a fall evaluation and using the data to inform instruction and testing again in the spring to see if these interventions are effective, Dr. Boryszewski recommends a third, mid-term review to ensure that instructional changes and interventions based on the data actually work. We decided to consolidate our assessments. Try making something different for your students.
Critical to the success of third assessment is the educator's ability to access, interpret, and act on the data received.
“Many of us are given assessment tools, but we don’t teach teachers and principals what to do with that information. It takes an enormous amount of time to administer these assessments and then nothing is done with the data,” she said. “MAP is clearly a unique assessment. Not only does it adapt as students answer questions, giving you a good idea of the level of instruction, but it also provides valuable information about what students need. I think that’s where a lot of districts fail by not explaining what they can do with that information and how they can use it to guide their instruction.”
Like all districts, educators at Schiller Park are struggling to address significant achievement gaps in the wake of the pandemic. The MAP Growth Tool has helped district leaders identify where gaps exist and where students need help. But it also helps identify students who are performing above grade level and who could benefit from differentiation to help them reach their potential.
“Not all children are reading at grade level. So, to meet kids where they are, there needs to be a tremendous amount of differentiation across content areas and throughout the school day. Children who are performing above grade level often miss out on opportunities to grow as much as possible because they need something very unique to achieve their growth goals,” said Dr. Boryszewski.
The use of data remains central to the district's mission to help all students reach their academic potential and succeed in classrooms, schools, and the district as a whole.
What is unique about the district's use of data is how students are engaged in discussions about their data, academic growth, and MAP learning goals.
“You are what you say you are. We talk a lot with our students about MAP data. After each test, we meet with building principals to look at school and district data and talk about areas for improvement and success,” Dr. Boryszewski said.
These discussions flow throughout the district as principals talk about the same data points and goals with staff and teachers discuss them with students.
“Students feel a sense of ownership in achieving their grade goals. We are big advocates of student autonomy. I look forward to collaboration and innovation,” she said. “They are working across the year group through flex groups. We are constantly pivoting and making changes in real time to ensure our students get what they need. We all did our best [during the pandemic]But honestly, we all have work to do.”
Teachers at Schiller Park receive MAP Growth coaching and see modeling regularly. It also provides strategies and tools to make it as easy as possible to use MAP growth data to inform instruction for all students.
“We have to be really thoughtful and use our resources in a meaningful way. It really seems like we do that every day here. Our teachers work hard. There is a lot of thinking, planning, and differentiation. We have excellent instructional coaches.
“I think the most important job that our teachers are doing is doing a great job under the circumstances and really being student-centered educators. We ask a lot of them. They are working hard here and we are very proud,” said Dr. Boryszewski.
“What is the secret to your success?” This is a question Dr. Boryszewski often hears.
“People ask what we are doing,” she said. The answer is simple. We are using data.”
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