Using data to set goals for student growth
![](http://www.houstonisd.org/cms/lib2/TX01001591/Centricity/Domain/4//120613enews/TT_PL1a_300.jpg)
Shearn ES teacher Edgar Jiminez gathers data from his students.
The first step in arriving at any given destination is determining where you are now and how far you have to go to get there.
HISD teachers face a variation of this same dilemma every year, as they assess a new crop of students to see where they are academically, and start making plans for how to get them where they need to be by the end of the year.
Student data plays an integral part of this planning process, but how do teachers use data to drive their instruction strategically?
In this video from Professional Support and Development, you’ll learn about the many tools HISD already has in place to help you assess your students, and get tips on how to identify starting points so that you can set ambitious—yet feasible and attainable—goals for their growth.
For veteran educator Angela Miller, who serves as HISD’s secondary curriculum manager, taking stock involves getting a writing sample from every student—no matter what subject is being studied.
“It’s really important for students to get invested in monitoring their own progress,” she said.
To learn more about the planning video series, please see this related article from the Nov. 22 edition of eNews. To see all planning videos, visit the PSD website. A downloadable flyer (.pdf) containing step-by-step instructions on this topic is also available.