Data Report or Treasure Chest?

Using What You Have to Support Students

Get to Know NCHE

• The U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information center

• NCHE has:– A comprehensive website: www.serve.org/nche– A toll-free helpline: Call 800-308-2145 or e-mail homeless@serve.org

– A listserv: visit www.serve.org/nche/listserv.php for subscription instructions

– Free resources: Visitwww.serve.org/nche/products.php

Temperature Check

• Who’s in the room?

• How comfortable are you with data?

Big Picture

“I am a deep believer in the power of data to drive our decisions. Data gives us the road map to reform. It tells us where we are, where we need to go, and who is most at risk.”

Arni Duncan

Big Picture

• McKinney-Vento data– Districts submit to SEAs– SEAs submit to US ED via EDFacts or CSPR– NCHE reviews data, creates national summary

http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/aw_statistics.php

• ESEA calls for collection, analysis, and use of student achievement data to improve school outcomes– Includes requirement for state report cards

Evolution

• Find kids, get them in school

• Find kids, get them in school, count them

• Find kids, get them in school, count them, find out how they’re doing

• Find kids, get them in school, count them, find out how they’re doing, actively help them grow

Self-evaluation

• Where are you in the data evolution?

• What access do you have to data?

• Do you know who your players are?

• What do you want to know?

First Steps

• Develop a plan

– Identify your questions

– Can change over time, but establish a direction

– Do your research

– Make your ask concrete

Basic Questions

• Count of students, by grade & housing

• Diversity of HCY population

• Where the students are

• State testing performance

• Special populations overview

Trend Data

2007 2008 20090

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000 72277961

9777

Homeless Students

Trend Data

Gifted & Talented Special Education LEP0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

187

1623

598

274

1838

692

403

2124

849

2007

2008

2009

Actual Numbers vs. Percentage

Cass MorganVanderburgh Allen Lake Marion0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

368 428 503 528 628

3687

Counties with Largest HCY Student Popu-lation

Actual Number vs. Percentage

Grant

Batho

lom

ew

Mar

ion

Perry

Mon

tgom

ery

Mor

gan

Cass

Jenn

ings

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

2.4%3.2% 3.5% 3.6% 3.7%

4.0% 4.5%

6.5%

Percent HCY by County

Comparisons: The Next Level

Must compare the outcomes for homeless students to other student populations for true depth of growth and challenges

– Gives new meaning to data– You can mix and match based on

your needs assessment and priorities

Comparisons: The Next Level

• Graduation rates

• Special Education rates

• Gifted and Talented

• Suspensions

Comparisons: The Next Level

2007 2008 200954.0%

56.0%

58.0%

60.0%

62.0%

64.0%

66.0%

58.5%

60.9%

65.8%

The Homeless Children and Youth Gradu-ation Rate

Comparisons: The Next Level

Graduation Rate by Subpopulation

2007 2008 2009

57% 60%66%59% 59%

62%

59% 61%

66%

58%61%

68%

76%78%

82%

Black

LEP

HCY

F/R Lunch

State Avg

Comparisons: The Next Level

Percent Students in Gifted & Talented

2007 2008 2009

2.6%3.4%

4.1%

10.3%11.5%

13.8%HCY Pop.

Comparisons: Top Level

Percent Students IDEA

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%21.7%

17.5%

HCY Pop.State Avg.

Suspensions

Percent of Students that Received a Suspension

2007 2008 20090.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0% 26.5% 27.5%26.0%

14.5% 14.3% 14.1%

HCY

State Avg.

Suspensions

7%

21%

23%15%

11%

24%

Reason Stated for Expulsion over Past 3 Years

Weapons PossessionAlcohol, Drugs or TobaccoAggressionDefianceAttendanceOther

In-School vs. Out of School

43%

57%

Type of Suspensions Received HCY

In-School

54%46%

Type of Suspensions Received State Avg

Out of School

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

• Qualitative does have its place

– Can be harder to collect, analyze

– Can tell you the story behind the numbers

– What opportunities do you have to gather it

– How can you make it reasonably standardized

Data Quality

• Consider requiring liaison verification

• Consider tracking large changes

• Consider comparison groups like free lunch, employment rates, census data

• Consider n size: small group sizes skew

Tips

• Golden Rule: ALWAYS be nice to the data people

• Find reasons or ways to do things for them– Review guidance, help train, field questions

• Be mindful of their timelines

• Find ways to help assure quality

Tips

• When deciding what to look at, consider format for final report

• Explain your findings

Final Thoughts

Data…"can basically take us out of the dark ages of just kinda teaching and hoping, which is what a lot of folks have done for a very long time. A lot of teachers have taught their hearts out and don't have a good way of telling who's learning

what and what's working and what's not.“

Katie Haycock, Education Trust

Thank you!

Christina Endrescendres@serve.org336-315-7438

Beth Hartnessbhartnes@serve.org 336-315-7452

Data Collection Informationhttp://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/sc_data.php