ENGLEWOOD, CO -- (Marketwire) -- 08/27/10 -- Over 350 educators convened in Vail, Colo., for a powerful, interactive two-day education Summit led by renowned education experts that provided educators a rare opportunity to hear cutting-edge research and learn how data-driven decision making and the collaborative Data Teams practice drives student results. The Summit that was held at the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa in Colorado included keynotes from Dr. Douglas Reeves and Dr. John Hattie in addition to 16 international education experts.
The basis for the Data Teams Summit stems from the evidence that schools do not need more research, but simply that they need to implement the changes made evident based on data they already have. Data teams and proper implementation are the crux of real and sustainable change.
"The most significant insight I gained at the Summit is that I am a change agent with a purpose. The purpose of data teams can be seen in the impact it has on student success if it is implemented properly," remarked Felicia James, assistant principal, Fort Bend ISD, Texas.
Dr. Jadi Miller, principal, Elliott Elementary School, Lincoln Public Schools, agreed, "The protocols for data teams were very helpful along with the rubrics to help teams identify where they are in the process. I felt like I was able to learn new content while also spending time planning how to implement the information once I returned home."
"We are proud to announce that our first Data Teams Summit was a complete success. The most important missing link in data analysis in schools is the monitoring of adults. Schools were able to analyze data on student performance with a blizzard of formative and summative assessments," stated Dr. Douglas Reeves, founder of The Leadership and Learning Center. "What we are learning in our work in accountability system design and Data Team coaching is that the most effective data analysis includes not only student scores, but specific monitoring of teaching and leadership actions. Teachers who score work collaboratively provide more consistent feedback to students and also show improved results. Teachers who are personally involved in the creation and scoring of formative assessments are more likely to use the data from those assessments to modify their instruction than teachers who see only score reports from formative assessments."
Reeves continued, "When it comes to implementation, we have learned that workshops are never enough. We study follow up and implementation by school systems using a four-point data teams rubric. We've learned that almost every teacher in the nation has suffered through lectures about data. What matters is not the theoretical knowledge, but the actual implementation. We have seen multi-million dollar data warehouses and other technological capabilities remain unused when teachers had only received lectures about the possibilities and promise of data. That's why we have learned to practice the '7 to 1 rule' -- for every one hour of workshops or seminars, give teachers and administrators seven hours of in-school implementation support."
The next Data Teams Summit will be held Feb. 9 and 10, 2010, in Clearwater Beach, Fla. Educators that are interested in attending can register online at www.leadandlearn.com.
About The Leadership and Learning Center
The Leadership and Learning Center provides world-class professional development services, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions for educators and school leaders who serve students from pre-kindergarten through college. The Center has worked in all fifty states and every Canadian province, as well as Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. The Center works with public school systems, as well as religious and secular independent schools, charter schools, community colleges, technical schools, universities, state departments of education, national ministries of education, and international education associations. Center Professional Development Associates are experienced superintendents, principals, administrators, and educators who provide comprehensive practices for clients in the area of standards and assessment, instructional strategies, leadership and accountability, data analysis and collaboration.
Public Relations and Social Media Agency, Zion & Zion, Phoenix.
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