Tracking+progress+to+close+the+gap+among+your+subgroups

Tracking the progress of your subgroups is critical for success. Many schools have software/web-based programs to help. Whether you do or do not, here are some ideas of how to proceed:

1. Use spreadsheets. Putting your data into a spreadsheet can make it easy to track student progress over time among your various subgroups.

2. Hold high expectations and set goals. Keep the bar high and set goals for your subgroups of students. Do not be afraid to allow students to be involved with personal goal setting - it creates ownership. With staff, at the data meetings, carefully examine student progress. Be honest with one another and discuss why/how students either did or did not attain the goals. Then reset your goals for the next meeting.

3. Graph your data. It may seem simple, but a line graph can really help to illustrate progress (or the lack of progress) with students, parents, or staff.

4. Be open to new ideas. When it does come time to discuss solutions to close the gap. Create a framework for the brainstorming of solutions. It is far too easy to be critical of suggestions during a brainstorming session. Do not allow the word "but" to be spoken during these sessions (for example, that sounds ok, but...). Creativity is necessary in order to close the gap and help students achieve.