Considering KEYS Survey Data
An initial analysis of KEYS survey data should focus on issues that would confront reaching consensus on goals and collaborative problem solving. The goal at this stage is not, for example, to initiate programmatic efforts to address the development of shared values or capabilities and commitments related to collaborative problem solving. Rather, the purpose of using the KEYS data at this point in the school improvement process is to increase awareness of potential difficulties in reaching consensus on priority goals and undertaking data analysis.
The preliminary analysis of the KEYS survey data can facilitate reaching consensus on school goals and modes of student assessments in two important purposes. First, it alerts everyone to issues that may arise in setting goals for student learning and development. For example, perceptions about the absence of collaboration may affect the ability to work together and should caution leaders about the readiness of the school community to genuinely agree on priorities. While the process of improvement that begins with assessing any gaps between student performance and goals for student learning cannot wait on the development of a collaborative school culture, recognizing that the collaborative skills and dispositions in the school are not what they could be is a caution that goal setting may require more effort than previously thought and that apparent consensus might be illusory.
Second, preliminary analysis will identify issues that need to be worked on as the school improvement process proceeds if priority goals are to be met. For example, a team of teachers might begin to develop a plan for enhancing collaborative dispositions, skills and opportunities. Even if the KEYS survey suggests that the school is relatively strong with respect to collaboration, it may be useful to have a group work on how collaboration can be further facilitated because collaboration is essential to every part of the improvement process. For example, the team working on improving collaboration might look at whether more time be found for the school staff to engage in collaborative problem solving on a continuing basis,
Some KEYS Survey Data with Particular Relevance to Goal Setting
School conditions that can be identified by the KEYS survey that would be particularly useful in anticipating challenges in the setting of high goals for student achievement include those related to:
• confidence that significant improvement in student learning is possible (e.g., 1.4 and 4.3). For additional information, CLICK HERE. [link3b]
• a sense that progress toward priority goals is taken seriously and will be rewarded (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 3.1. and 3.3). For additional information, CLICK HERE.[link3c]
• beliefs that the views and judgments of all members of the school community are considered and valued (e.g., 2.6 and 2.8).
• capacity for collaborative decision making (e.g., 2.1, 2.3, and 2.9). For additional information, CLICK HERE. [link 3d]
• a perception of shared responsibility for student learning (e.g., 1.2, 2.5 and 2.6). For additional information, CLICK HERE. [link 3e]
• support for state or district performance standards (e.g., 4.4).
Some KEYS Survey Data with Particular Relevance to Agreeing on Assessment Strategies
Accurately assessing student learning is invariably difficult. When assessments serve multiple purposes and are of interest to multiple stakeholders, the danger is that single and simpler measures of student achievement will dominate decision making in the allocation of resources and the definitions of school effectiveness. Thus, schools are challenged to maintain a repertoire of assessment strategies that serve different purposes but that fundamentally inform instructional practice for both individuals and for the school community.
Indicators and responses to specific questions in the KEYS survey that may help is gaining agreement on ways to assess whether students are achieving priority goals, in addition to those noted above related to collaboration, include:
3.2 Academic Assess: Academic Programs Are Assessed Regularly
Two of the three questions that comprise this Indicator document the extent to which the effectiveness of educational programs is evaluated. Question 13F deals with the clarity of the standards against which programs are evaluated. One could imagine that standards could be clear but programs not consistently evaluated and vice versa. One would expect the clarity of goals in Key 1 to be reflected in the clarity of program standards.
3.3 Consequence Assess: Assessment Results Have Consequences for Students and Staff
Three of the items that make up this Indicator document the consequences for teachers, school administrators and students resulting from the interpretation of student performance data. Question 14A deals with whether teachers have the resources they need to interpret assessment results, a very different issue than consequences. Studies of data-based decision making often find that teachers—and administrators—need help in working with data. The issue here is not only what the data mean but what evidence can be brought to bear on the development of ways to improve student learning.
3.4 Variety Assess: A Variety of Assessment Techniques Are Used
This indicator measures the extent to which multiple ways are used to assess student performance. It may be useful to look at the individual questions that make up this Indicator. It would be surprising if most respondents did not identify teacher-made test and standardized tests as being used often in their schools. But student demonstrations and exhibitions of their work, and student self assessments may be less common in some schools. Teachers may feel that they want to use these types of assessments but that external pressures to show student progress on standardized tests make this difficult. If so, learning how other schools have kept a rich array of assessment strategies may be useful.