Who at the district level shares a deep commitment to improving the learning of all students and the practice of all adults involved in their education? It is also critical that the superintendent support for the inquiry process and the work of the district data team by modeling data use and visibly responding to the needs of the team. Launching the District Data Team An effective district data team has the same requirements as any other collaborative workgroup. The team will need to establish group norms and a meeting schedule that is appropriate to the level of work required to address gaps that may exist in the performance of the five functions. In addition, specific actions to be taken as the team is formed include the following. Obtain clearly stated and visible support from the superintendent in both written and oral – communications. Meet with district administrators to clarify the purpose of the initiative, how it relates to the district’s mission and goals, the role of the data team, and the team’s decision-making authority. Establish clear relationships and lines of communication among the data team and other teams at the district and building levels (e.g., district leadership team, school improvement teams, departmental teams, grade-level teams, or professional development teams). Organize itself to do the work by: Agreeing to always set an agenda for team meetings Establishing norms and using protocols to structure conversations Expecting members to work between meetings to complete tasks Understanding that there will be a learning curve for the team and that the team shouldn’t address too many issues at the outset Agreeing to delegate tasks and expect timely completion Provide adequate time for the team to understand, develop, and complete its work. Time is the dearest resource in a school or district, and insufficient time will sorely limit the team’s effectiveness. Sufficient time to share information, generate understanding, determine next steps Uninterrupted, protected time for collaboration, in addition to time for capacity building, professional development, and collaboration with the school-level data teams (more time will be necessary during the launching phase than in subsequent phases). The Functioning District Data Team Getting Started The district data team has been established, staffed, and is now ready to get to work. The first order of business for the team should be the review of the first few tools in Getting Ready. If any members of the team have not previously participated, the review will ensure that all members of the team share the same broad understanding of the current culture of data use and vision for the future. They will refine
Who at the district level shares a deep commitment to improving the learning of all students and the practice of all adults involved in their education? It is also critical that the superintendent support for the inquiry process and the work of the district data team by modeling data use and visibly responding to the needs of the team. Launching the District Data Team An effective district data team has the same requirements as any other collaborative workgroup. The team will need to establish group norms and a meeting schedule that is appropriate to the level of work required to address gaps that may exist in the performance of the five functions. In addition, specific actions to be taken as the team is formed include the following. Obtain clearly stated and visible support from the superintendent – in both written and oral communications. Meet with district administrators to clarify the purpose of the initiative, how it relates to the district’s mission and goals, the role of the data team, and the team’s decision-making authority. Establish clear relationships and lines of communication among the data team and other teams at the district and building levels (e.g., district leadership team, school improvement teams, departmental teams, grade-level teams, or professional development teams). Organize itself to do the work by: Agreeing to always set an agenda for team meetings Establishing norms and using protocols to structure conversations Expecting members to work between meetings to complete tasks Understanding that there will be a learning curve for the team and that the team shouldn’t address too many issues at the outset Agreeing to delegate tasks and expect timely completion Provide adequate time for the team to understand, develop, and complete its work. Time is the dearest resource in a school or district, and insufficient time will sorely limit the team’s effectiveness. Sufficient time to share information, generate understanding, determine next steps Uninterrupted, protected time for collaboration, in addition to time for capacity building, professional development, and collaboration with the school-level data teams (more time will be necessary during the launching phase than in subsequent phases). The Functioning District Data Team Getting Started The district data team has been established, staffed, and is now ready to get to work. The first order of business for the team should be the review of the first few tools in Getting Ready. If any members of the team have not previously participated, the review will ensure that all members of the team share the same broad understanding of the current culture of data use and vision for the future. They will refine
1_GettingReady.docx