ROGERS — "Data, data everywhere. Too much to let us think!"

This line is from a recent article by W. James Popham (2009), and is a spin-off of the line that is frequently quoted from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!" Popham's point is that just like the ancient mariners who were adrift in the massive ocean but could find no water that was drinkable, school systems are awash in such a sea of data that it has become increasingly difficult to sort through the massive amount of available information to determine what is essential to improving student learning.

When faced with data overload and a limited amount of time to improve student achievement, school leaders might be tempted toanalyze general data trends based on standardized testing and then issue instructional directives to teachers.

This might have some effect on reaching the goal of overall improved student achievement; however, research and experience tell us that initiatives that are begun based on collaborative data analysis by teacher teams have the most impact on improving overall student achievement.

Although the preponderance of information can be overwhelming, it is absolutely essential that educators continue to hone in on the most crucial information that can be used to guide and improve instruction. It is no longer acceptable to take time out of the school day on activities that are very loosely related to an educational objective because they are "cute." It is risky for educators to make instructional decisions for our students that aren't guided by hard evidence of strengths and weaknesses in student performance. It might result in improvement, but then again, it might not. This could be compared to stock brokers recommending stocks or companies to their clients without researching their past financial or business practices. The client might make money, or then again, he might lose money. Most people aren't willing togamble with their money this way and we should never accept gambling on our students' achievement in this manner either.

When teacher teams are given time to comb through their own students' data and reflect collaboratively on improvement strategies, they are far more likely to take ownership in the success of the strategies rather than any instructional directive that is handed down from an administrator.

Obviously, when you have more people looking at the data, you have infinitely more expertise brought to the table for problem solving. This increases the likelihood of more creative and effective strategies being put into motion. The more effective the intervention, the more rapidly students overcome learning deficits.

This collaboration does not occur naturally. Conditions for true collaboration have to be fostered. The responsibility for this rests squarely in the building administrator's lap. The foundation must be laid in order for high levels of collaboration to occur. Helping teachers form grade-level teams, creating an environment where sharing victories and struggles is safe, gathering and providing data, and finding ways to give teachers time to work and plan together are but a few of the most essential conditions for creating collaborative inquiry and problem solving.

Finally, it is important to note that while we can agree that it is imperative to rely on the data that comes to us from standardized tests and classroom assessments to help us define and articulateinstructional goals, we cannot allow a standardized test score to define an individual.

Our students are so much more. Many have gifts that cannot be measured through traditional forms of pen and paper testing. No test can capture the essence of a child. As educators, it is our job to keep this in balance.

While we must depend on the test scores to guide us instructionally, we must also look at each individual and understand their intrinsic contribution to the educational process. This includes their level of motivation, engagement and their interpersonal skills. Traditional assessments need to be the beginning of our instructional planning but they do not need to be the absolute end.

Sharla Osbourn is the principal at Lowell Elementary School.

Scholars, Pages 10 on 09/30/2009

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