In education, using data is a powerful tool to determine if schools’ efforts are working and if students are meeting their goals. Without data a group may not know if it is getting the results it wants. Section 6 of Serving on Groups provides eight steps to assist you and other group members in making well-informed data-based decisions to improve the experiences of children. Numerous resources are provided to explore relevant data for your family and community.

* Serving on Groups is a nationally recognized leadership tool that empowers family members to actively and fully participate in decision-making groups, such as their child’s IEP team, school advisory council or other government councils.

Presenter:

Jan Serak is the Director of Serak Consulting Services, LLC, where she contracts with nonprofit organizations to provide Board training, interim nonprofit management, curriculum development, and other services. Prior to her retirement, she was the founder and CEO of WI FACETS. She was also a founder and the Parent Partner of the WI Special Education Mediation System. Jan has served on many Boards, including National PLACE, Autism Society of America, Autism Society of SE WI, and Autism Society of WI; the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE). She also served on the WI State Superintendent’s Council on Exceptional Education, WI Governor’s Read to Lead Task Force, OSEP State Advisory Panel, Quality Education Coalition, and the National Center for Deaf-Blindness Advisory Board. Jan received her M.A. in Educational Psychology and Dispute Resolution from Marquette University. She is the parent of two adult sons, one of whom has autism.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about different types and sources of reliable data and how data is used in decision-making groups.

Learn about the 8 stages of Data Use and how to apply them.

Provide access to a helpful Tool for Using Data effectively with a group.