Characteristics of Successful Schools Chpt 3

CHAPTER THREE
How Do We Bring It All Together?

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Before any changes are made in school improvement, it is critical to determine the school's successes and needs. In other words, create a clear picture of the school before making any interventions. This will help determine assessments of progress and help with adjustments along the way. Again, it is important to remember that school improvement is not a linear process.

The purpose for school improvement is to analyze data patterns to bring about improved achievement for students. In establishing the answer to the first question, Where are we now? begin with data and your vision.

Information from the first and second sections of this guide as well as a variety of local data related to evidence of success will help form the picture of a school’s current status. Local data to consider are:

Student achievement data such as:

Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (grades 4, 8, and 10)
Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test (3rd grade)
Performance assessments and results
Portfolio summaries

Demographic data such as:

attendance reports
truancy reports
migration rates
suspension and expulsion rates

Educational program data such as:

course sequences and enrollments
graduation rates
student/teacher ratios
parent/community volunteerism

Perceptions data such as:

parent surveys
student surveys
community surveys
school safety data
school climate data

For questions about this information, contact the Title I and School Support Team at (608) 267-3721 or by email at dpititle1@dpi.wi.gov.

Last updated on 6/9/2011 1:53:23 PM