inquiry

Data-Driven Inquiry Improves Teaching and Student Results 

School year: 
SY2009-2010
Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

Preliminary analyses of 2010 MCAS scores and teacher survey data suggest that BPE's approach to data-driven inquiry (last year called AI2) is helping Boston Public Schools teachers and leaders use data to improve student results. The median Student Growth Percentile (SGP) of several participating middle schools rose by more than 20 points for seventh-grade math and by almost 10 points in English language arts (ELA). Two participating high schools grew their median SGPs by 20 and 25.5 points in math, and three high schools grew by 15, 8, and 7 points in ELA. These growth rates far exceed the district's SGP average. For more details, download additional charts.

application/pdf iconBPEsInquiryImprovesResults.pdf

Focus: Accelerating Improvement through Inquiry 

Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

The Focus newsletter provides on-the-ground examples of promising practices at work in Boston's schools. In this issue, teachers and administrators from three schools--Brook Farm Academy, the Rogers Middle School, and the McCormack Middle School--share how they have used student performance data to drive improvements in student outcomes.

application/pdf iconFocusSept2010.pdf

Making Data Public 

Subtitle: 
Boston Public Schools Leadership Conference
Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

This presentation to Boston school leaders introduces effective ways that schools can make data public to further their student performance goals. Includes photo examples from several schools. 

application/vnd.ms-powerpoint iconMakingDataPublicPD.ppt

Evaluation of Students Achieve More (SAM-Boston) 

Subtitle: 
Final Report of Findings
School year: 
SY2008-2009
Source: 
UMass Donahue Institute
Description: 

Final report of a two-year pilot of the SAM-Boston approach to data-driven inquiry and leadership development in a group of Boston public schools. Boston's current approach to inquiry draws on the lessons from SAM-Boston.

application/pdf iconSAMFinalReportDec09.pdf

Getting On Track for Success 

Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

This special report describes the biggest challenge facing Boston's schools: the large percentage of students who are off-track to successfully completing high school. A new approach, data-informed inquiry, is helping schools to track student performance and implement targeted interventions that get more students on track for success.

application/pdf iconGettingOnTrack.pdf

Getting Small to Get Big Results 

Subtitle: 
An Introduction to Data-Driven Inquiry
Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

Provides an overview of the data-driven inquiry cycle and how it can be used to focus existing resources on getting more students to be successful.

application/pdf iconInquiryGuide.pdf

REAL Synthesis Report 

Subtitle: 
Cross-Case Findings from the Project Evaluation
Source: 
UMass Donahue Institute
Description: 

Synthesis report from the REAL (Respecting Everyone's Ability to Learn) initiative implemented in four high schools. Lessons from REAL inform Boston's current data-driven inquiry approach, in particular the approach to using early warning indicators to improve outcomes for struggling students.

application/pdf iconSynthesis Report Final.pdf

The Composite Learning Index 

Subtitle: 
Highlighting Student Needs Before It’s Too Late (2009)
School year: 
SY2008-2009
Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

Overview of Composite Learning Index (CLI), an Excel-based tool for identifying the most at-risk students, which uses common indicators such as age in grade and standardized test performance. This brief describes ways schools can use the CLI to get more students on track for success.

application/pdf iconCLIbrief.pdf

Focus: Making Data Public 

School year: 
SY2010-2011
Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence
Description: 

BPE helps school teams make data public with eye-catching bulletin boards, progress letters to parents, and other communication tools. The ideas grew out of each school’s data-driven inquiry, as teachers and leaders became aware that they could get more dramatic results by engaging the whole school community--including students, parents, and outside partners--with data. This issue of FOCUS shares strong examples of data sharing from four schools, the Marshall and Blackstone elementary schools, New Mission High School, and Gardner Pilot Academy. Download a full set of samples and tips for sharing data.

Additional resources for making data public can be found here.

application/pdf iconFocusMakingDataPublicFINAL.pdf

Graduation Progress Tracker (Sample) 

Source: 
Boston Plan for Excellence and Boston Public Schools
Description: 

This colorful data tool goes beyond the typical report card, helping students understand exactly where they stand relative to high school graduation and college admissions requirements. It was developed by the Boston Public Schools' Graduation Task Force, in partnership with BPE. 

application/pdf iconGradTrackerSample8-10.pdf