ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium Announces Promise of Practice

Submitted By: JoDee Slyter

ABOUT STUDENTS Regional Consortium

Type of Practice: Program Evaluation

Program Area(s): ABE / ASE, ESL / EL Civics / Citizenship, CTE / Workforce Prep / Pre-apprenticeship, Adults with Disabilities, K12 Success

Region: Inland Empire

Consortia Involved: About Students Regional Consortium, Riverside

Program Overview

The ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium addresses challenges of data and accountability through professional development.

The Challenge

The ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium has focused on data acquisition, review and analysis, and reporting accurate regional and student outcome data in a variety of approaches. Through the use of the data and accountability funding resources, members have heightened efforts to improve learner persistence, to improve testing practices, and to increase completers and reportable outcomes. Using professional development as the vehicle for improvement, the ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium members implemented strategies to improve data practices across the region.

The Solution

The ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium implemented an annual region-wide professional development conference for all members, faculty and staff. The annual conference facilitates learning and growing together as members and partners. Teachers and support staff enjoy a day of workshops and professional development hearing from TAP experts and local presenters. Training on data reporting practices and the impact of data on instruction are examples of workshops available at the consortium conference. Teachers and staff members experience conversations that contribute to improved practices and knowledge on data systems and operations. Another professional development opportunity implemented by the ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium members is an annual Leadership Team Retreat. During the Leadership Retreat, representatives from each membership join for two days of data review, planning, networking, and sharing. The ABOUT STUDENTS Leadership Retreat provides members with time for in-depth dialogue.

The Outcome

Professional development has played a key role in the growth and progress of regional data and accountability efforts for the ABOUT STUDENTS Consortium. To continue the region’s momentum toward outcome-focused accountability, the consortium plans to implement a focused workgroup on data practices as outlined in its 3-Year Plan. The workgroup’s objectives are to improve regional data knowledge and practices, and to report consistently accurate data for member analysis and state reporting.

The Data

The attendees of the regional professional development events were provided an opportunity to reflect on the effectiveness of each event. For the Annual Professional Development Conference, with over 160 attendees, 64% of the attendees rated the quality of conference above superior in content. Anecdotal feedback also provided proof that local training and workshops are needed in the region to strengthen data reporting and accountability. The Leadership Retreat feedback yielded similar results. Of the responses, 100% of participants rated the retreat to be a valuable opportunity to share information and network.