September

In addition to academics, behavior, and communication, you may be collecting data on other functional IEP goals for your students, such as:

• adapted PE,
• counseling,
• physical therapy,
• occupational therapy,
• or speech therapy.

This month, think about your procedures for handling data collection. Things to consider when refining your system:

• What data collection method makes sense for what you are trying to measure? An antecedent-behavior-consequence (ABC) chart might be needed for trying to address a student’s behavior, while a simple checklist might work for marking who has already been “student of the day.” To take grades for students with complex needs, it may be helpful to use tools like task analysis or rubrics and record the type of cues and prompts needed by the student during an activity. These can be used for both academic and functional tasks.
• Where are data materials stored? Find ways to put data forms near where they will be used by staff, while still maintaining student confidentiality. Setting up organized systems for data will help you find what you need, right when you need it.
• Have all the necessary personnel been trained in how to take the data so that documentation is consistent? Paraprofessionals often assist in collecting classroom data, so include the forms used most frequently in your classroom manual. Make sure paraprofessionals understand how to use the tools. Additionally, collaborate with related service personnel to ensure that everyone is collecting data consistently if working on a co-implemented goal.
• How are you using the data? Some of the information will be used only by yourself, while other data will be discussed with your classroom, campus, and students’ teams. Schedule meetings to review and analyze the information with others to drive your decisions as you monitor student performance and adjust strategies.
• Do you need to know more? If you are not sure about which data collection method to choose or need assistance in reviewing and making sense of the data, reach out to your colleagues or contact your ESC. 

Much of the data collected in a self-contained classroom is integrated into students’ present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP) sections of their IEP documents. The ARD committee uses this baseline information to create rigorous, relevant goals and objectives for the student. The data is also used to track student performance for progress monitoring on those goals and objectives. If available, compare data from before the summer break to data from after the break to see if there was any regression in student skills, then note the amount of time it took for the student to recoup those skills so this information can be used to consider a need for extended school year (ESY) services. For specific student data, consider creating student portfolios, which are helpful not only with preparing for ARD committee meetings, but for prepping for conferences and student transitions to new teachers as well.

This rubric uses task analysis for the steps of handwashing, while assigning a point value based on the type of prompt the student required for each step.

With this form, the score is determined by the number of steps in the skill completed correctly.

In this form, student performance is marked with a simple check for correct answers and an “x” for incorrect ones.