SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Barbara Hackett Blakey, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
6 Wierk Avenue, Liberty, NY 12754
(845) 295-4029  Fax (845) 295-3416
CHECKLIST FOR INQUIRY TEAM ASSESSMENT
Please review current building practices and evaluate your building’s capacity in each area. Please check the column that best describes
your building’s current level of functioning.
1. Make data part of an ongoing cycle of instructional improvement.
DELIVERABLE
Collect and prepare
a variety of data
about student
learning.
EVIDENCE
Demographic data
Informal pre-and post instruction data
Standardized achievement test data
Common district assessments
Attendance records
Disciplinary action records
Guidance records (career plans, postsecondary outcomes) / Transcripts
Perceptual data (i.e. surveys)
Taught curriculum data (skills, content,
assessments and standards)
STRONG
CAPACITY
DEVELOPING
CAPACITY
INITIAL
CAPACITY
- Routine practice
- Used system-wide
- Included in most/all
district plans
- Professional development in this
area provided to all faculty
-Sporadic Practice
- Used by some in district
- Included in some district plans
- Professional development in this
area provided to some faculty
- Not yet addressed
- Very limited eamples
of use
- Professional
development in this area
not yet provided
2
DELIVERABLE
EVIDENCE
Interpret data and
develop hypotheses
about how to
improve student
learning.
Identification of areas of student
growth, decline and stagnation for
specific classes/teachers, grade levels,
departments, groups of students and
school-wide population
Data-driven identification of target
population in need of support
Data-driven selection of a specific
learning target (long-term goal) for
identified group of students
Development of short-term goals with
benchmark formative assessments that
will provide evidence of growth for
learning target
Knowledge of resources for identifying
research-based best practices
Compilation of research-based best
practices
Development of protocols for
standardized implementation of best
practices
Survey teachers’ capacity to implement
best practices
Development and implementation of
differentiated professional development
plans to build teachers’ capacity in
delivering best practices
Modify instruction
to test hypotheses
and increase student
learning.
STRONG
CAPACITY
DEVELOPING
CAPACITY
INITIAL
CAPACITY
5-16-2011Checklist for Inquiry Team Assessment
Adapted from: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (p.9) What Works Clearinghouse 2009
3
2. Teach students to eamine their own data and set learning goals.
DELIVERABLE
EVIDENCE
Eplain epectations
and assessment
criteria.
Development and sharing of strong and
weak eamples of assessments/products
Provide feedback
to students that is
timely, specific,
well formatted, and
constructive.
Provide tools that
help student learn
from feedback.
Development and use of standards-based
rubrics and observational checklists
Use students’ data
analyses to guide
instructional
changes.
STRONG
CAPACITY
DEVELOPING
CAPACITY
INITIAL
CAPACITY
Development and use of forms and
templates to record/monitor student
progress
Development and use of goal-setting
templates for student use
Development and implementation of
differentiated lessons based on students’
varying readiness levels
Fleible grouping of learners
5-16-2011Checklist for Inquiry Team Assessment
Adapted from: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (p.9) What Works Clearinghouse 2009
4
3. Establish a clear vision for schoolwide data use.
DELIVERABLE
EVIDENCE
Establish a
schoolwide data
team that sets the
tone for ongoing
data use.
Define critical
teaching and
learning concepts.
Team established
Develop a written
plan that
articulates
activities, roles
and
responsibilities.
Provide ongoing
data leadership.
Building plan aligns with District Plan
STRONG
CAPACITY
DEVELOPING
CAPACITY
INITIAL
CAPACITY
Articulated Curriculum (i.e. consensus
curriculum map)
Participation in regional conferences
Participation in webinars and book
studies
Plan professional learning to support
teaching and learning
5-16-2011Checklist for Inquiry Team Assessment
Adapted from: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (p.9) What Works Clearinghouse 2009
5
4. Provide supports that foster a data driven culture within the school.
DELIVERABLE
Designate a school
based facilitator
who meets with
teacher teams to
discuss data.
Dedicate
structured time for
staff collaboration.
Provide targeted
professional
development
regularly.
Establish
structures for
remote ongoing
progress
monitoring and
collaboration
EVIDENCE
STRONG
CAPACITY
DEVELOPING
CAPACITY
INITIAL
CAPACITY
Building leader has specific role
Interface with district data administrator
and BOCES Data Analyst
Delayed openings
Conference Days
Professional Learning Team Meetings
Set Grade Level/Department Meetings
Book Studies
Moodle
Customized, job-embedded programs
Differentiated professional development
based on faculty’s needs
Shared data-drives
Online forums (i.e. Google docs,
Wikispaces, Moodle, blogs, etc.)
5-16-2011Checklist for Inquiry Team Assessment
Adapted from: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (p.9) What Works Clearinghouse 2009