Hope Myles Scott

What has been your experience in using data to make decisions about curriculum and instruction?  I had to focus on data while preparing my 6th grade students for the reading TAKS test.  I would work with the other 6th grade reading teacher to try to find stories and strategies to help our students be successful.  We also looked at ways to include technology and were instrumental in getting Read180 implemented on our campus. Our principal insisted that we looked at disaggregated data from  elementary records to help identify student strengths and weaknesses.  The data helped us know how to use the written curriculum so that the taught curriculum would help students prepare for the TAKS reading test.  
How effectively does your school use data to determine goals and objectives in the Campus Improvement Plan? Explain.  The school uses data to determine goals and objectives for the Campus Improvement Plan.  Department leaders get together at the beginning of each school year to look at data from the previous school.  They use this data to help outline improvements for student success.  The past year's CIP stated that our campus will move from  "unacceptable" to "exemplary."  Even though we did not move to exemplary, we did move from "unacceptable" to "acceptable."  This was due in part to the strength of the 11th grade scores.  This year's CIP also state that 90 percent of the students taking TAKS will pass by 2011.  That is indeed a lofty goal in light of our current AEIS data.  According to the CIP in the Student Achievement Strengths section for this school year, "The percentage of students passing the reading portion of the TAKS has increased. Gaps between the various student groups have also narrowed. The percentage of students passing reading in the Hispanic, Economically Disadvantaged have also increased. (MHS Campus Improvement Plan, 2010 - 2011)"  I think that the school does use disaggregated data to focus on student achievement.  We have a lot of work to do in math and science.  The CIP Student Achievement Needs sections states, "After careful review of Memorial High School AEIS report and the campus needs assessment, an emphasis was placed on math and science during the past school year. One area of focus was problem solving and critical thinking. Student achievement increased in both subject areas. (MHS Campus Improvement Plan. 2010 - 2011)"  


MHS Campus Improvement Plan. (October, 2010).