The University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso College of Education Educational Leadership and Foundations

Graduate Workshop in Educational Administration & Supervision Data-Driven Decision-Making (EDRS 5307)

Summer I Session 2009 Monday & Wednesday 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. EDUC 303

Professor: Teresa Cortez, Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Foundations Telephone: 747-6276 (office) Email: [email protected] Webpage: http://utminers.utep.edu/mtcortez Office hours: Monday 2:00 – 5:00 Friday 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. & Saturday 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. or by appointment Textbook: Bernhardt, V. (2004). Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement. Eye on Education, Inc. Larchmont, NY. ISBN: 1-930556-74-8.

American Psychological Association. (2005). Concise rules of APA style. American Psychological Association. Washington, D.C. ISBN: 1-59147-252-0.

Purpose of the Course

There is a long history on the use of information and data to improve education. In the last decades, under the umbrella of educational reform or accountability, there have been a plethora of efforts to incorporate the use of data in education even more. Several of these efforts have been led by commercial interests. It is undeniable, however, that today educators increasingly need to use information to make sound decisions at every level of the education system. Some of these needs are being created by the increasing demands imposed by state accountability systems and by the No Child Left Behind Act. Educators are being asked to use results of scientific research and to understand and use data to make educational decisions. At the same time, schools are generating their own data to meet the needs of their students and demands from school boards, parents and community members. Under this context, educators need to acquire knowledge and skills, which before were exclusive of researchers or evaluators. Now more than ever, educators need knowledge and skills either to become users of data or to plan and conduct research and evaluation themselves. This course will assist future educational administrators in the examination of crucial issues dealing with the use of data to make sound decision in educational settings. The specific purposes of this course are the following: Objectives This course will provide students with a foundation of knowledge that will enable them to:

. Identify and apply different decision-making models . Analyze personal attributes and relate them to a decision-making style . Distinguish how the ethics of a situation can affect decision making and problem solving . Learn how to identify a problem, as distinguished from its causes or symptoms . Identify and describe basic values and assumptions embedded in decision making . Identify and apply knowledge related to the policy, planning, and evaluation cycle . Acquire knowledge on different accountability models . Identify and apply basic postulates of educational research and evaluation methods . Identify, evaluate, and apply improvement strategies in educational settings to create a continuous improvement cycle . Assess school’s/district’s current ability to collect, analyze, and use data to determine need(s) to focus improvement efforts . Demonstrate knowledge in accessing, analyzing, and using information on student/school performance . Know how best to share and present data for shared analysis and understanding . Learn how to develop and sustain a collaborative culture of data gatherers, analyzers, and users Professional Standards This course is designed to assist students in developing skills and competencies consistent with the expectations for performance as effective educational leaders in the state of Texas. To that end, course content and learning activities are meant to address the standards established by the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification to govern the licensure of Texas school principals. The Learner Centered Principal Standards can be found at http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/stand_framewrk/stand_framewrk.htm.

Course Policies

Class Attendance Attendance to every scheduled class is expected. Each class builds upon the previous class. If you are not able to attend class you are expected to notify the professor prior to the class session. After one absence, the student will be dropped from the class. Late arrivals and early departures are discouraged and will count against absences. You will be dropped after the first absence or two late arrivals or early leaves.

Scholastic Integrity

Please refer to the UTEP’s Policy outlined in the 2008-2009 Graduate Catalog, page 44. http://www.utep.edu/catalogs/2008/2008_2009_GRAD.pdf#aca_reg

Grading

In this course, letter grades signify generally the following about your performance:

A = Excellent or Superior; B = Good; C = Average

These letter grades will be expressed numerically as follows:

A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79

Assignment of an incomplete grade is made only for exceptional circumstances. For more information on this policy, please consult the UTEP’s Graduate Catalog 2008-2009.

Readings

Bernhardt, V. (2004). Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement. Eye on Education, Inc. Larchmont, NY. ISBN: 1-930556-74-8.

Assignments

In order to achieve the purposes of the course, you will be required to do the following activities:

Attendance (10 pts): It is important that you attend all classes. Each class builds upon the previous class. Late arrival or early leave will count against absences. You will be dropped after the first absence or two late arrivals or early leaves.

Review of Campus Improvement Plan (10 pts): Each group will review and critique a plan and prepare a report following the guidelines provided in class. The report should be brief and typed in no more than two pages using APA format. Additional information will be provided in class. Description of Campus using Demographic Data (10 pts): Each group will write a summary of a campus using descriptive data. The report should be brief and typed in no more than two pages using APA format. Additional information will be provided in class.

AEIS Exam (10 pts): Each student will take an exam based on the AEIS report. The exam will be reflective of the TExES format.

AYP Brace Map (10 pts): Each group will prepare a 3-year overview of AYP data by feeder pattern for each subject tested. Additional information will be provided in class.

TAKS Brace Maps (10 pts): Each group will prepare a 3-year overview of TAKS data by feeder pattern for each subject tested. Additional information will be provided in class.

Method of Analysis (10 pts): Each group will prepare a summary of TAKS data by grade level and objective. Additional information will be provided in class.

Discussion Paper (10 pts): Each student will prepare a discussion paper summarizing the school that has been reviewed. The paper will be reflective of all the reports that have been reviewed this semester and will discuss the campus’ areas of strength and areas of concern. The report should be brief and typed in no more than two pages using APA format. Additional information will be provided in class.

Final Presentation (20 pts): The final presentation will culminate in a Data Day for the Riverside FeederStudents will prepare documents to be used for a gallery walk. Students will be given the opportunity to elaborate on their knowledge of their analysis of the campus data.

Tentative Course Schedule

Date Topic Class Assignment & Due Dates 6/8 Welcome; Overview of Syllabus; Reading: AYP http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/2007/guide.pdf; Introductions read pages 1 – 36

Federal Accountability: Download your AYP reports for your campus from the TEA NCLB website and bring to class this week. AYP http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ayp/ State Accountability AEIS Download your AEIS reports for your campus from the TEA Required Improvement website and bring to class this week. PEG Schools http://www.tea.state.tx.us/aeis/

TAKS Accountability Reports

TAKS Brace Maps

6/10 District and Campus Planning Activity AEIS Exam (10 pts) Campus Action/Improvement Assignment: Work on AYP Brace Maps Plans Reading: Reading on Campus Action Plans – to be given in TAKS class or downloaded from website. Learning to Read TAKS Summary Sheets Bernhardt, V. (2004). Chapters 1 – 4 & 8 TAKS Objective Review Introduction Excel Templates Getting Started with Data Analysis What Data are Important TAKS Views Demographics By grade, group, teacher, Interactions and Analysis objective

6/15 Continuous Improvement Process Assignment due: Early Childhood 2-page description of assigned campus using demographic TPRI data (10 pts) Tejas Lee Pre-School Screening Reading: Bernhardt, V. (2004). Chapter 5 High Schools Perceptions SAT ACT Graduation Rates

Other Information Attendance Rates Failure Rates Discipline

Looking at Student Groups Hispanic/LEP/SPED/At-Risk/GT

Looking at Programs

Reading/Writing/Mathematics/Soci al Studies/Science

6/17 TAKS Analysis Assignment due: 2-page review of Campus Improvement Feeder Pattern Analysis Plan (10 pts) By Objective Analysis Method of Analysis Assignment: Work on TAKS Brace Maps and Method of Analysis Worksheets

Reading: Bernhardt, V. (2004). Chapters 6-7 Student Learning School Processes

6/22 Teachers Professional Development Assignment Due: TAKS Brace Maps (10 pts) Method of New Teachers Analysis Worksheets (10 pts) New Programs Implementation/Maintenance Reading: Bernhardt, V. (2004). Chapter 9 Communicating the Results

6/24 Ethical Issues in Collecting Data in an Educational Setting

6/29 Communicating findings to Assignment Due: Summary Discussion Papers (10 pts) different audiences Planning a data day 7/1 Final Presentations Assignment Due: Final presentations (20 pts)