Summary of Questions from Webinar 3:
Data Driven: Making Student and School Data Accessible and Meaningful to Families

Responses written by Jennifer, Salzstein, Program Director, ARIS Parent Link, New York City Department of Education

1. Does the New York City Department of Education's Achievement Reporting and Innovation System (ARIS) have data to demonstrate use by families, teachers, or other groups? If yes, what does these data reveal?

Since the launch of ARIS in May 2009, over 300,000 accounts have been accessed by students' families. We recently launched enhanced web analytics that provide us with better insight into the types of information parents seek most often in ARIS Parent Link and where they are accessing the site.

Not surprisingly, areas of higher poverty have lower adoption rates. We have used that information to target community outreach in areas with lower adoption rates. In addition, this year 128 high-needs schools are receiving technology and training to improve adoption within their school community. We hope that this grant will generate new strategies for outreach and improve adoption across the city.

2. Does the database provide information on teacher performance? If yes, what type of data?

ARIS Parent Link does not provide families with information on teacher performance. It provides family members with the information they need to understand their student's performance, track attendance, and support improved outcomes. It also shares New York City and New York State accountability reports with family members along with the support to understand how to use those measures to improve New York City schools.

3. What kinds of modifications or strategies are used to address the needs of adults who do not speak English as a first language, those physically unable to use a web-based database, or others who have barriers to using a web-based tool?

New York City serves a diverse community of over 850,000 family members. Each year, we continue to seek new strategies to improve support for all families.

ARIS Parent Link is fully translated into nine languages and will also be available French this fall. The tremendous Translation and Interpretation Unit within the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) translates all of this content and provides this amazing service for families. For many families who read a language other than English, it's a unique opportunity to view performance data about their child with the context they need to use that information. In addition to translating the site, this fall we will also be sending out log-in materials that are translated into the family members' preferred language codes.

Many family members do not have an e-mail address and may not feel comfortable going online. Parent Coordinators in every school have materials to help family members set up free email addresses, and to help parents log in to ARIS Parent Link. To reach families who do not feel comfortable going into their child's school, NYC public libraries and community-based organizations have been trained to tell family members about ARIS Parent Link and encouraged to set up computer stations where they can go online.

4. Is there a sample "student" form to preview for those who do not have a student in NYC schools?

We do not have any sample accounts that we can share with the public at this time. However, we will be posting materials that include screenshots at http://schools.nyc.gov/Accountability/resources/aris/default.htm.

Responses written by Barbara Taveras, Director, Community Engagement, New Visions for Public Schools

1. How does New Visions target resources and strategies to increase database use by families of high needs students?

Currently, the data tools we have created for families and students (i.e., Ninth Grade Tracker and the College Readiness Tracker) are only available in paper form. We make these tools available to schools periodically. They in turn share them with students and parents. Recognizing the limitations of this approach, and in an effort to increase family access to data, we are making the following improvements:

We are developing an online data platform (Datacation) that will give families and students ready access to live academic performance data.
When the data platform is up and running, we will train teachers, school staff, and family leaders how to use Pupil Path (the family portal) so that they in turn can train other family members in their schools how to use the data system.
In 15 target schools, we will work closely with families and teachers of at risk ninth and tenth grade students to use the data platform to monitor student progress toward concrete academic improvement goals.

2. What data does New Visions have that demonstrates the impact of using this data system on graduation rates? If data exists, what does that data reveal?

New Visions' data tool creation work is fairly new. The online data platform (Datacation) is under development. Once Datacation is up and running in the fall 2010, we will monitor and evaluate usage by family members and students—particularly the families and teachers of at risk ninth and tenth graders. Evaluation data will be disseminated as it becomes available.

However, it is important to underscore that merely providing family members with access to data does not necessarily result in higher graduation rates. Consequently, New Visions' data system is part of a comprehensive, yearlong parent involvement model designed to involve families in college readiness in meaningful ways.

The New Visions for Public Schools publication Plan.Act.Go.Learn (2008) provides a detailed timeline and a sequence of activities for students and their families to use as they plan for college.

Resource available at http://www.newvisions.org/sites/default/files/publications/NVCollegeguide-web.pdf

3. What are the indicators that foreshadow students in jeopardy for graduation?

In New York City, high school students need 44 credits to graduate. Students must also earn a certain number of credits in their core subjects each year (i.e., English language arts, math, science, and social studies). Students must also take and pass five state exams, or "Regents," with a score of 65 or more. Students at risk of not graduating on time

Have low credit accumulation, earning fewer than two credits in a trimester
Failed two or more core subjects (final grade of 65% or more in subject area)
Failed to pass any Regents exams in the student's tenth grade year

The New York City Department of Education provides multiple tools that provide information and tools to families on high school graduation including

General Education Students Graduation Requirements provides detailed information and easy-to-read tables that clarify the high school graduation requirements.
Resource available at http://schools.nyc.gov/documents/offices/GT/TL/2009_GenEd_Grad_Card_FINAL.pdf
Parent Guide to Graduation Requirements provides detailed information and defines graduation related terms.
Resource available at http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2ABC8D78-F567-465D-968B-EA45C0C40FF3/48605/ParentsGuidetoGraduationRequirements.pdf
Diploma Requirements Worksheets provides a table to assist families and students in determining if the student is on-track for graduation.
Resource available at http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/2ABC8D78-F567-465D-968B-EA45C0C40FF3/50146/DiplomaRequirementsWorksheet.pdf

4. What strategies are used to ensure that the data are entered accurately and in a timely manner?

The data accuracy depends on the quality of the data entered by the school staff into the NYC Department of Education data system. However, to ensure data accuracy and timeliness, we require that our schools

Confirm the course codes. This ensures that the credits earned by students in their classes correspond to the NCLB graduation program.
Activate Datacation's "extractor tool." This tool automatically updates individual student data on a daily basis.

5. What percentages of staff and families are using this system?

When our Datacation system is up and running in the fall 2010, it will be accessible to teachers, staff, families, and students in 76 public schools in the New Visions network. We will track usage on a school-by-school basis as well as by constituencies (i.e., teachers, parents, students, etc).

The New Visions for Public Schools Web site provides information and resources for educators, families, and community members on how they can support student learning.

New Visions for Public Schools Web site at http://www.newvisions.org
New Visions for Public Schools publications available at http://www.newvisions.org/publications

Responses written by D'Lisa Crain, Grant Administrator, Nevada State PIRC, Education Alliance of Washoe County

1. Is there data that demonstrates the impact of this program on student attendance and student achievement? If yes, what does this data reveal?

With the Washoe County School District's new system, Infinite Campus, we will be able to connect student achievement data more closely with families who have attended workshops. We have connected program data to student achievement data for last year such as grades and credit attainment, but have not yet determined the outcomes for each student. The previous student information system had limitations that will no longer be a barrier with the new system. We will have more data on the impact of student achievement in the future.

The Washoe County School District portal for Infinite Campus also provides links to a variety of helpful resources for parents. Even though access to data is limited to the parents of students attending Washoe County Schools, this Web site still provides resources that may be useful to others in designing similar portals, including the district's plan for sharing assessment information with parents, frequently asked questions, videos, and explanations for key terms and educational procedures.

2. What efforts are made to specifically target families of middle school students?

We are utilizing the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project's model for positive home visits at three of Title I middle schools in Washoe County. Teachers randomly select students for positive home visits and to build relationships with 'hard to reach' families. Each high school also has a plan in place to reach out to students and families of incoming ninth graders the summer before their freshmen year.

Information on the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project available at http://www.pthvp.org/

3. Are the families of preschool children included in this program? If yes, please describe these efforts.

The Nevada State Parent Information & Resource Center (PIRC) at the Education Alliance does have a pre-k parent education component. We utilize resources from Virtual Pre-K, a local program called Family Storyteller, and we provide home visits. However, the Parent Portal is not currently available to pre-k students and families.

4. Is there evidence that this program has a long-term impact on family engagement? If yes, describe what that evidence has revealed?

The program has been in place for two years, so long-term impact is yet to be determined. The evaluation data collected thus far shows a significant increase in a parent's change of knowledge about the educational system.

5. Can you provide examples of high school teachers who reach out to families to engage them in supporting their children's education?

One of Washoe County's high schools and three of the middle schools are involved in the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project. Teachers randomly select students for positive home visits and to build relationships with their families. Evaluation data were collected for these efforts. One family described an increased level of comfort when entering the school after the home visit. "Now I feel that I can communicate better with my child's teacher. I'm more confident when I go to my child's office. Now I know that if I ask for help I will get it from the school. I feel that the school values me a lot since they put some of their busy time aside to come to my house."

Information on the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project available at http://www.pthvp.org/

Responses created by National PIRC Coordination Center

1. What qualities are important in developing data systems? How do individuals ensure that they collect quality data?

The following resources provide information on topics that can help to guide the development of new data systems or assess existing data systems.

SEDL's Southeast Comprehensive Center provides an explanation of indicators drawn from best practice and research for developing large-scale databases that provide information on student and school performance.
Resource available in PDF format at https://sedl.org/secc/resources/search/search_rr.php?action=show_title&request_ID=00088
The U.S. Department of Education has two recent publications that help to frame the way data are used.
- The Use of Education Data at the Local Level From Accountability to Instructional Improvement (2010) provides guidance on creating data systems at the district and school levels and using those systems to make decisions about student learning.
  Document available in PDF format at http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/use-of-education-data/use-of-education-data.pdf
- Created for the National Center for Education Statistics, Data Ethics (2010) provides practical advice and detailed explanations on issues related to the ethical use of data, including integrity in data use, collection, and reporting; best practices in creating and using quality data; and securing data.
  Document available in PDF format at http://www.edpubs.gov/document/ED004951P.PDF
Harvard Family Research Project's (HFRP) Data Collection Instruments for Evaluating Family Involvement provides useful information to practitioners and researchers on collecting and using data for continuous improvement.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.hfrp.org/content/download/3290/96618/file/DataCollectionInstrumentsForEvaluatingFamilyInvolvement.pdf
The Education Trust has developed a series of documents that use data to focus attention on creating equitable educational experiences for all children. Public Information and Reporting outlines the essential qualities for well-designed data systems to help achieve equity.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/publications/files/ESEA%20Comments-Public%20Reporting5-25.pdf

2. How can data be used to support student learning and promote family engagement?

The following resources provide information, suggestions, examples, and tools for fostering data use to support student learning and promote family engagement.

For All Student Populations

The U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences has developed a series of reports that provide information on research-based practices on specific topics. Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making provides a detailed description of the ways data are used to evaluate instructional strategies and monitor student progress. It includes explanations about the ways families can use data provided by educators and the types of data that families can provide teachers to help support their children's education.
Resources available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/
The Data Quality Campaign, Using Data to Improve Student Achievement is a web-based information system that provides information on the types of longitudinal data state education agencies collect, ways each state makes that data available to the public, essential elements of longitudinal data systems, and documents that describe the status of longitudinal data collection across the nation and for each state.
Resources available at http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org/
SEDL Letter: A Culture of Data (2006) provides an in-depth look at factors that impact the creation of a data culture: policy, process for data review, and quality.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.sedl.org/pubs/sedl-letter/v18n02/SEDLLetter_v18n02.pdf
Developed by HFRP, A User's Guide to Advocacy Evaluation Planning provides tools to assist users in matching evaluation focus to the data collection methodology, strategies for promoting effective policy based on evaluation data, suggestions for organizing resources needed when creating an evaluation, and measures and methods for determining effectiveness.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.hfrp.org/content/download/3460/99060/file/UserGuideAdvocacyEvaluationPlanning.pdf
Quality Data—An Improbable Dream? (Vannan, 2001) describes a process for reviewing and improving data quality to ensure reliable and usable results.
Document available in PDF format at http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eqm0110.pdf
Learning Point Associates has developed two resources that help to explain the way data are used in schools.
- Connecting Formative Assessment Research to Practice (2009) provides detailed information on formative assessments, strategies for formative assessments, research on formative assessments, and other topics.
  Document available in PDF format at http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/FormativeAssessment.pdf
- Connecting Research to Practice: Knowing Who Is Proficient Isn't Always Sufficient (2009) describes the strengths and weakness of using averaging, percentiles, and effect sizes in determining student academic success and makes the case for multiple sources of data to determine proficiency.
  Document available in PDF format at http://www.learningpt.org/pdfs/3833%20EEP_Knowing%20Who%20Is%20Proficient_FINAL1a.pdf

For English Language Learners

Created by Learning Point Associates, Policy Issues provides information on a variety of school improvement topics. In the December 2005 issue, Using Data to Understand the Academic Performance of English Language Learners, Gitomer, Andal, and Davison describe relevant terms, actions, and events where educators and non-educators use data to make decisions for English language learners.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.ncrel.org/policy/pubs/pdfs/pivol21.pdf
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families has a list of questions to consider and a planning rubric to assist educators, families, and community groups in ensuring that the families of English language learners are able to access data to track their children's learning progress and use data to support their children's academic needs and to help them in decision making about their children's education.
Resources available in HTML and Word formats at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/region10/resources/region_10_minutes/handout_sys_svc_grid_english_lang_learners_call_05_14_2008.html

For Very Young Children

Prepared for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Urban Institute's Using Data to Promote Collaboration in Local School Readiness Systems provides detailed information on a data-driven process to coordinate services to young children and their families and strengthen local readiness systems.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.urban.org/uploadedpdf/412198-collaboration-school-readiness.pdf
The U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences reports on the results of longitudinal studies and other data collection projects. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Program (ECLS) provides multi-year research reports on issues related to early childhood. The project's Instruments and Assessments Web page provides access to the survey instruments used to collect data.
Resources available at http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/birthinstruments.asp
HFRP's Summer 2004 Evaluation Exchange focuses on issues related to the needs of very young children, including the use of evaluation data.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.hfrp.org/var/hfrp/storage/original/application/f2dd8f1de9603d4c6971851bf8c24ce5.pdf

For Secondary Students

SEDL's Texas Comprehensive Center's Early Warning System (EWS) Tool is a customized desktop database application that uses research-based indicators related to high school dropout to automatically calculate on-track status of ninth-grade students. The database is intended to be used by educators to identify students at risk for graduation. However, others will find the information provided in the database useful in determining what data are needed when taking proactive measures to promote high school graduation.
Resource available at https://sedl.org/txcc/resources/ewst/
Chasing the High School Graduation Rate: Getting Data We Need and Using It Right, developed by Education Testing Systems (ETS), describes the current methods of collecting data on high school graduation and provides recommendations for how to improve data collection.
Resource available in PDF format at https://sedl.org/txcc/orc/resources/PICCHASING.pdf
In New Visions for Public Schools: Using Data To Engage Families, Taveras, Douwes, Johnson (2010) describe a case study where educators and families work together to use data to increase graduation rates and promote college readiness.
Resource available in PDF format at http://www.hfrp.org/content/download/3646/102551/file/FINE-NewVisions-050610.pdf

To Share Data Between Regular School and Afterschool Programs

Using a Data Management Tool to Better Serve Middle School Youth Across a Variety of Settings from the Fall 2006 issue of HFRP's The Evaluation Exchange describes the value of data systems in tracking enrollment, participation, and retention in afterschool programs.
Resource available at http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/building-and-evaluating-out-of-school-time-connections/using-a-data-management-tool-to-better-serve-middle-school-youth-across-a-variety-of-settings
In SEDL's A Practitioner's Guide: Building and Managing Quality Afterschool Programs, the authors provide information on program organization, academic practices, supportive relationships, and methods to achieve a quality program. The guide contains suggested practices for collecting data and tools for collecting data.
Document available free in PDF format at http://www.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/family125.html
The U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences has developed a series of reports that provide information on research-based practices on specific topics. Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Achievement provides a detailed description of the ways data are used and includes explanations about the ways families can use data from regular-day and afterschool programs to anticipate and address student learning needs.
Resources available at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides/

3. What types of data can provide information on issues that impact student performance in addition to achievement data?

Although achievement data is the most commonly referenced type of data in school improvement resources, there are other forms of data that also provide useful information including data on social and emotional factors. The following resources provide information and tools on using data related to these factors.

Created by Edutopia, An Introduction to Social and Emotional Learning is a short video that describes 1) the types of strategies that help to address social and emotional learning needs, 2) benefits of addressing these needs, and 3) issues to consider.
Video available at http://www.edutopia.org/social-emotional-learning
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has a variety of resources on issues related to students' social and emotional learning needs including the following:
- In The Positive Impact of Social and Emotional Learning for Kindergarten to Eight-Grade Students, Payton, Weissberg, Durlak, Dymnicki, Taylor, Schellinger, and Pachan (2008) summarize the results of three large-scale research reviews on the impact of social and emotional learning programs on elementary and middle school systems.
  Document available in PDF format at http://www.lpfch.org/sel/casel-fullreport.pdf
- CASEL's SEL Assessment: School Climate Assessment Web page provides information on a collection of tools for evaluating the social and emotional climate in schools. Tools include student, staff, and family surveys.
  Resources are available at http://casel.org/in-schools/assessment/school-climate/

4. Where can individuals find local data that helps to define contextual issues in a specific location?

Each school community has access to local data sources through community organizations, service groups, faith-based organizations, and other local groups. However, there is also a wealth of web-based information on local demographics, employment, and other topics. The following Web sites are portals to national, state, and local data.

Data.gov is a federally funded Web site that serves as a portal to multiple state, regional, and local databases.
Web address http://www.data.gov
FedStats and MapStats are federally funded web-based databases that provide access to various databases that house information at the national, state, county, and city levels. Information includes demographics, economic facts, and geographic traits.
Web address http://fedstats.sites.usa.gov/
The National Center for Education Statistics is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Reports/Databases include the following:
- For state and county estimates of low literacy,
  http://nces.ed.gov/naal/estimates/
- For reports on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),
  http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
- For reports on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS),
  http://nces.ed.gov/ecls
- For reports on the National Household Education Survey (NHES),
  http://nces.ed.gov/nhes
The U.S. Census Bureau provides numerous detailed and short-form reports on national, state, county, and city demographic issues.
Web site address http://www.census.gov/

5. How can families contribute data that will help educators to address student needs?

Families and community members have valuable data that educators can use in making sure the needs of students are met. The following resources describe a variety of situations when data can be shared and information on the types of data that may be useful to educators.

The Arizona State PIRC's 25 Tips to Get Involved in Your Child's Education provides numerous suggestions for families including information teachers need about students.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.azpirc.com/Downloads/Parents/25Tips2GetInvolvedInChildsEducation.pdf
HFRP's Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets for Principals, Teachers, and Parents provides detailed descriptions of actions to take to prepare for parent teacher conferences including information families can provide teachers to help teachers better understand the learning needs of the child.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.hfrp.org/content/download/3295/96777/file/FI-ConferenceTipSheets.pdf
SEDL's National Center for Family and Community Connections with Schools research brief, Developing a Collaborative Team Approach to Support Family and Community Connections with Schools: What Can School Leaders Do? (pages 2-4), provides detailed directions for a process to collect data on contextual factors.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.sedl.org/connections/research-briefs.html

6. Are there resources available that can help individuals recognize bullying, violence, and other safe school issues?

The following resources provide tools, explanations of best practices, and suggestions to address bullying, violence, and other safe school issues:

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools has multiple programs that address bullying, violence, and other related issues. The program Web site provides numerous resources and helpful tools.
Resources available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osdfs/index.html
The National Center for Bullying Prevention, located at the PACER Center, provides tools and suggestions to address bullying through creative, relevant, and interactive resources.
Resources available at http://www.pacer.org/bullying/index.asp
Developed by U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Guide for Preventing and Responding to School Violence, 2nd Edition provides strategies and approaches to schools, families, and community members to help create safer learning environments.
Document available in PDF at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/pdf/IACP_School_Violence.pdf
The Michigan Department of Education helps schools, families, and communities anticipate and address unsafe school conditions by providing a Checklist for Preventing and Responding to School Violence on the department Web site.
Document available in PDF format at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Checklist_Final_4-2-03_61305_7.pdf
The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence has a variety of resources on its Web site that provide information on strategies for preventing violence.
Resources available at http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/
The National PTA provides information and guidance for the families of children who have been or are being bullied.
Information available at http://www.pta.org/bullying.asp

7. How can families learn about and engage in efforts related to the common core standards?

The development of the common core standards is a state-level effort to ensure that every child is provided a quality education by making sure that the content taught in schools across the nation shares common curriculum standards. The following resources provide more information on this process.

Through its Common Core State Standards Initiative, the National PTA provides a variety of tools and help documents to assist the public in understanding this initiative.
Resources available at http://www.pta.org/3944.htm
The Chief State School Officers provides detailed information on their Common Core State Standards Initiative, Preparing America's Students for College and Career Web page.
Resources available at http://www.corestandards.org/

8. What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable U.S. Department of Education program. The Web sites listed below provide more information on FERPA:

For a basic explanation, http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
For the legislative text, http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/reg/ferpa/index.html

Questions on this page

Responses by
NYC Department of Education

Does ARIS have data to demonstrate use by families, teachers, or other groups?
Does the database provide information on teacher performance?
What modifications address the needs of adults who have barriers to using a web-based tool?
Is there a sample "student" form for student not in a NYC school?

Responses by
New Visions for Public Schools

Click to view a list of the 5 questions.

Responses by
Nevada State PIRC/Education Alliance of Washoe County