Data-based Decision Making “optimizes the use of data for purposes of informing individual student instruction, identifying strengths and weaknesses in a classroom, and illuminating trends and gaps across a school district”.

An ongoing team process that begins with identified questions with clearly established protocols to evaluate and inform decisions and actions at student, classroom, grade level, school, and system levels.  Basic steps include:

• Gathering accurate and reliable data

• Correctly interpreting and validating data

• Using data to make meaningful instructional changes for students

• Establishing and managing increasingly intensive tiers of support

• Evaluating the process at all tiers to ensure the system is working