Data Summit™ in Steps
Conducting evidence-based community conversations about student learning and professional practices
Reflect & Plan
Imagine investing more than 200 hours of your time and energy every 6 weeks in something you care deeply about. Wouldn’t you be motivated to find out how well your efforts are paying off?
We at Performance Fact contend that educators deserve sacred time every 6 to 12 weeks to reflect deeply on accomplishments and challenges, and to renew themselves. In that spirit, we developed the Data Summit™, a collaborative exercise that encourages us not to prove ourselves but, rather, to improve ourselves.
We have designed the Data Summit™ to stimulate evidence-based, collegial conversations among practitioners regarding the results for students (effects) and the professional practices that produced those outcomes (causes). By tending consistently to this cause and effect, we drive continuous improvement of professional practices and student learning.
The Data Summit™ represents an important phase in Performance Fact’s Reflect-Plan-Implement Cycle of Inquiry. Whether your cycle-end findings are encouraging or concerning, our design gives you another chance to choose again – another opportunity to consciously decide on your priorities for student learning and professional practices for the next 6 to 12 weeks. Such disciplined implementation significantly enhances your chances of accomplishing your student learning goals for the school year.
▶ Recommended interval for the REFLECT & PLAN Data Summit process: Every 6-12 weeks
STEP BY STEP
STEP
1
Analyze student data.
4-Lens Analysis of student data (effect)
- Identify the student learning focus areas and data sources
- Use the 4-Lens guiding questions to analyze the student data
- Summarize highest-priority areas of strength and concern
STEP
2
Examine professional practices.
Reflect on effectiveness of adult actions (cause)
- Review practices and strategies chosen for the implementation cycle
- Rate effectiveness of practice and strategy implementation
- Summarize highest-priority areas of strength and concern
STEP
3
Draw conclusions.
Draw conclusions
- Summarize key findings for the cycle regarding student learning and professional practices
- Outline priorities for the next implementation cycle
- Develop instructional plan and milestones for the next 6- to 12-week implementation cycle