Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Assessment Data topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent urges Crown Point schools to better use assessment data to identify and support struggling students
Summary
At a public comment period, Diana Harbison told the board that multiple assessment reports generate overwhelming data and urged the corporation to ensure data drives clear decision points and interventions rather than placing the burden solely on teachers.
During public comment, Diana Harbison, a Crown Point parent, told the board she has repeatedly raised concerns about how the district identifies and supports struggling learners.
"There are at least five student assessments I can count ... That generates an overwhelming amount of data," Harbison said, naming NWEA, i-Ready, classroom grades, Insight and RTI monitoring. She asked who in the corporation reviews that data, how schools are ensured to move students from "struggling to progressing," and who acts on RTI progress monitoring. "This cannot be solely the teacher's responsibility," she said, adding that parent advocacy has not been sufficient for her family.
Harbison said that, even where data exists, parents often see charts without keys, context or explanation, making it difficult to understand progress or required interventions. She praised the district's ability to implement system changes quickly when prioritized, citing the corporation's response to student attendance tracking following state legislation, and asked that measuring learning be treated as an "equally actionable priority."
District officials thanked Harbison for her comments and reminded attendees that public comment is not a dialogue but that board members and administrators are often available after meetings to discuss concerns.
The board did not make any immediate policy changes at the meeting in response to the comment; the administration and board members acknowledged the concern and the need to ensure data is used to set decision points and communicate clearly with parents.
Next steps: Harbison's remarks were recorded on the public comment record and may be referenced by the administration as it continues work on RTI use, parent communication protocols, and district-level data review processes.
