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a supervisory tool — as a way 4. Who is performing well? Which • I believe the majority of students
for administrators to assess the students are gaining ground in with special needs can achieve
effectiveness of teachers and relation to themselves? proficiency if given enough time
dole out kudos or consequences. 5. Who is performing poorly? and the right supports.
Others see data as an instructional Which students are losing ground • I believe all students are
resource — as a way for teachers in relation to themselves? capable of achieving grade level
to identify and address the needs of standards.
students. All of these reflect a limited 6. Which practices are contributing
understanding of the power and to your outcomes? What choices
purpose of data. are you making about programs, What if you asked these questions
Above all else, data is an instrument practices, policies and personnel and found the majority of teachers,
that are influencing your answers
of truth. It reveals the degree to which to the preceding questions? leaders, CST members, guidance
we are fulfilling our ethical obligation counselors and support staff don’t
to provide children equal access to If you’re like most people, you don’t see themselves as responsible or
a prosperous future. Data discloses know. And you probably won’t know believe proficiency is possible? How
the degree to which we are reaching the answer to these questions either. might these perceptions influence how
and teaching each and every child — • What happens when you assign students are taught, where and with
not just the willing, or the able, or the students to certain teachers or whom they are placed, and whether
English speaking, or the ones with tracks? they are required to learn at high
advocates or affluence. Data exposes • Which courses, interventions or levels? How might the “soft bigotry of
whether we are teaching kids who look programs result in gains? For low expectations” (McIntyre, 2008) be
like that, act like that, live like that, whom? robbing certain students of their right
come from there. to a quality education?
1. What is your truth? Grab a pen • How does the performance of In the absence of honest (data-based)
students with special needs
and see if you can answer these vary by program, placement or answers to these and other important
questions. personnel? questions, we are likely to persist and
2. What are your areas of • How is your schedule (allocation pray — doing what we’ve always done
(regardless of effectiveness) while
strength? What are you, as a of minutes) influencing your hoping results improve. And when
school or teacher, really good outcomes? they don’t, we blame the kids, or the
at getting kids to be really parents, or the principal, or last year’s
good at doing (e.g. identifying • How are your boys doing? Your teacher, or the tests, or society or social
text evidence, reading and girls? media or any other factors that absolve
writing about grade level texts, • Are your “basic skills” students us of responsibility. And the students
collaborating with peers)? improving? suffer. And so does our nation.
3. What are your areas of weak- • Are your English language This is why data is a social justice issue.
ness? Despite your best efforts, in learners progressing? Data reveals the reality in our schools
which areas do students continue and determines what is possible for
to struggle (e.g. solving complex • Are your “best and brightest” students. Data forces us to face our
problems, constructing mathemati- maintaining high scores? truth. It shines a light on our blind spots.
cal arguments, recognizing bias)? • Who is chronically absent? Why It illuminates the kids who are living
don’t they come? and learning in the shadows. Data is

Data is the “BS” detec- • Are gaps between subgroups the “BS” detector that challenges the
widening or narrowing?
claims of the leader. It is the evidence
tor that challenges the While questions like these can be that supports or refutes the mission
claims of the leader. used to assess how organizational and statement. It is the manifestation of
It is the evidence that instructional decisions are affecting our belief in the rights of each child to
achieve his greatest potential.
your students, they may leave your
supports or refutes the most important and impactful data Perhaps this is why we are so data
mission statement. It unearthed and unaddressed. averse. It is simply too risky to draw
is the manifestation Consider these. On a scale of 1 this information out into the light.
It may reveal that graduation rates
of our belief in the (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly can be predicted by where we place
agree), to what degree do you agree
rights of each child to with the following statements? kids in eighth grade math. It may
demonstrate that affluent districts
achieve his greatest • I believe I am responsible for the are high performing because their
potential. success of my students. economically privileged majority

Educational Viewpoints -43- Spring 2018