Data Collection and Feedback Narrative

Special Education Law and Processes

12/17/15
Currently I collect data and feedback primarily through teacher input forms, family input
forms, and classroom observations/trackers that I complete. Teacher and family input is collected
both formally through the forms every report period (quarterly), informally through planning
meetings with teachers, and at least biweekly communication with families (recorded in a contact
log). Additionally, during meetings with students I check in using the student input form as an
informal guide. My students complete this feedback form at the end of every report period as
well on their own. All progress monitoring of IEP goals is currently my responsibility alone.
While I receive anecdotal feedback from teachers for behavior goals, in terms of academic IEP
goals all data and monitoring is collected by quarterly probes or benchmark data. Additionally, I
have access to student 4sight and Star math assessments that are taken by students throughout the
school year and sometimes multiple times in a report period.
This process of data and feedback collection ensures consistency and quality in data
collection. Additionally, it allows me to build close relationships with the family of my students
and track my communication with them. However, it does not give a holistic view of each
student. Furthermore, it does not allow me to access as much information and feedback as
possible. The general educators are not currently involved in the tracking of student progress
towards IEP goals nor do I share a contact log with them. While teachers have Student at a
Glance Forms, which summarize SDIs, give current levels, and state goals for each student, they
are not expected to contribute data or feedback beyond benchmark scores. This means that I have
not fully included them as stakeholders in student progress towards IEP goals or as instructors
towards those goals. Additionally, it would be best practice to provide more consistent
information to students families. As stakeholders it is important that they can track their
students success and areas of need more than through biweekly contact with me or through
quarterly reports of progress monitoring.
Moving forward, I will be committed to including all stakeholders in a way that allows
them to give feedback and provide data daily, or as is convenient and necessary. In order to
accomplish this, I will create an IEP Goal Tracker (either excel or google spreadsheets) for my
students. This tracker will be shared with all teachers who interact with the student. Teachers,
paraprofessionals, and other special education teachers will be able to input data or notes as
necessary to provide a more holistic view of student growth and need. Additionally, any teacher
that I co-teach with will complete the daily tracker along with me while we are in the classroom.
In terms of family feedback, I will send home information synthesized from the daily tracker and
class dojo both in hardcopy and electronically. This way, families can track their students
growth, and become more fully aware and incorporated in their students daily life and
performance at school. With regards to progress monitoring probes, going forward I believe it is
necessary to test students more than quarterly. This current practice does not give students
enough opportunities to demonstrate their progress towards or mastery of a goal. Also, only
giving probes quarterly does not provide enough data to truly track student progress effectively.