Data analysis is used by high quality programs to drive decision making. As the use of tools that track progress in specific child and teacher skills are becoming prevalent, organizations may need support in deciphering the meaning of their collected data, and translating it into actionable items that improve outcomes.
The Children’s Learning Institute strongly recommends the use of assessment data to help teachers understand student skill levels. Assessment tools identify the skills and abilities of students, denoting learning areas that are proficient and not proficient, when compared to benchmarks or other standards. The collected data, compiled into reports, can be instrumental in determining where additional instructional support is needed. The assessment results thus drive instructional planning and student learning. Formative assessment is also beneficial for teacher professional development by tracking the use of quality teaching behaviors and setting goals for improvement based on results. The Children’s Learning Institute has developed a number of child, student, and teacher tools for data-driven decision making. These tools are recommended to inform priorities for caregiving, classroom instruction, and professional development.
The CLI Solutions Group combines our research-based background with data-driven decision-making tools to thoroughly analyze customer data. In our findings, we identify areas of need and potential issues that we clearly communicate to the customer, to build knowledge and increase understanding. With proven expertise in developing outcome-based solutions, we fashion innovative yet practical approaches to obtaining educational improvements. We work closely with our partners to ascertain their priorities and organizational objectives. We then incorporate their unique needs and requests in our proposed supportive improvement plans. Examples of supportive services include teacher trainings, lesson plan development, grouping students for small-group interventions, and selecting classroom activities that reinforce learning in essential areas.
Contact us to learn more about our data analysis and support services.
Leadership support is available for principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches, facilitators, and other campus leaders. Our team of experts includes experienced educators, with rich classroom experience, and a deep understanding of what works, based on scientific research. Well rooted in pedagogy, our staff assists school leaders in exploring their educational goals, and designing solutions to meet those goals.
School leaders set the organization’s direction, facilitate change, and guide instructional practices, all with the intent of increasing student achievement. To support them in their role, we meet with campus administrators and other leaders to engage in rigorous thinking and problem solving. Through face to face consultation, we create an environment rich in collaboration and idea sharing. We delve into specific problem areas identified by leadership, conduct objective observations gathering data, and then formulate custom innovative solutions for making improvements and enhancing educational outcomes. Each organization has unique challenges and opportunities that we pinpoint and act upon.
Our leadership support services include but are not limited to consulting, meeting facilitation, planning, and problem solving. We offer assistance with change management to help launch new initiatives and satisfy unmet needs. Additionally, we may aid in the identification and implementation of improvement strategies. Our expert practitioners can provide ongoing support to guide the professional development planning process, as well as follow‐up support for classroom application of skills presented in training settings.
To learn how you can support your campus leaders, contact us for more information.
The CLI Solutions Group provides support for instructional coaches working at all grade levels. Through our face-to-face mentoring, we build the capacity of instructional support staff to enhance coaching skills, create change, and provide a greater and lasting impact for the programs they sustain.
We provide customized guidance to help inform coaching efforts. Our wide array of supportive services includes planning and problem solving assistance, meeting participation or facilitation, lesson‐planning support, providing demonstration lessons, and co‐coaching. In addition, we support training implementation fidelity through observing coaching activities and providing recommendations.
Our focus on quality coaching behaviors allows us to provide concentrated support to coaches in five core competency areas:
- Adjusting Coaching Intensity: Adjusting the level of support provided to match teacher needs in a given instructional situation.
- Focusing on Content: Identifying gaps in teacher’s content knowledge and providing accurate guidance regarding skill development and core concepts.
- Providing Actionable Feedback: Combining content-related input with specific guidance regarding appropriate pedagogy and teaching behavior.
- Using Reflective Guidance: Helping teachers recognize connections between teacher behavior, child signals, and content aims across contexts.
- Maintaining a Supportive Presence: Transmitting information and providing support in a non-threatening and collaborative manner.
In early childhood settings, we also introduce and instruct coaches on the use of two instrumental quality improvement tools developed by the Children’s Learning Institute:
- CIRCLE Classroom Observation Tool: Used to check for efficacy, and measure teaching quality across thirteen fundamental areas. This tool allows teachers and coaches to work together to set and work towards specific short-term goals, and track their progress.
- CIRCLE Classroom Environment Checklist: Used to determine the presence and quality level of instructional planning tools in the classroom.
The Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) is a tool for schools to use to screen children’s school readiness upon their entry into kindergarten. TX-KEA was developed in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), using a research award from the US Department of Education. The project goal was to develop a comprehensive assessment that could reliably be administered by kindergarten teachers and would serve as a valid predictor of academic success. The resulting criterion-referenced assessment is used to determine if students have met specified developmental benchmarks, as described in the Texas PreK Guidelines and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). This point-in-time snapshot of each student’s competencies is used to inform instruction and identify whether additional diagnostic assessment is needed.
TX-KEA is…
- administered once between early September and the end of October
- a web-based system developed for use on several platforms, including laptops and tablets
- comprehensive, covering oral language, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, mathematics, science/engineering, approaches to learning, motor coordination, executive functioning, and social-emotional competencies
- a time-efficient assessment that allows assessment of all areas within 45 minutes
- available in English and Spanish and allows adaptation for children with special needs
- a combination of teacher-administered direct assessments, child-paced direct assessments, and teacher completed checklists
- a system that provides reports to parents, teachers, and school district personnel
The TX-KEA assessments, reports, and online training launched on the CLI Engage platform in August 2017. These materials are available at no cost to all Texas public schools.
Other organizations who are interested in using TX-KEA can contract with the CLI Solutions Group for access. Also available for contract is a face-to-face training introducing and exploring the TX-KEA tool.
Click here to contact us regarding training or other information.
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The CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System is a web-based, prekindergarten assessment system housed on the CLI Engage platform. The system is used by preK teachers to determine their student’s knowledge in key developmental areas. This reliable and easy to use data collection tool prompts teachers to focus on lessons that target their students’ least developed skills. Conducted up to three times per year, the assessments are sensitive to growth in children’s skills over time.
Direct Assessments (conducted one-on-one by the teacher with a student):
- Book & Print Awareness
- Letter-Sound Correspondence
- Mathematics
- Phonological Awareness
- Rapid Letter Naming
- Rapid Vocabulary
- Science
- Social Studies
- Story Retell & Comprehension
Observation-Based Assessments (completed by the teacher based on student observation):
- Approaches to Learning
- Early Writing
- Motivation to Read
- Physical Health & Development
- Social & Emotional Development
- Speech Production & Sentence Skills
The reliability and validity of the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring System is supported by data collected from numerous Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) research studies conducted over a five-year span. CLI strongly recommends the use of data to help early childhood educators drive decision making and individualize instruction. Student data reports produced by the system are easily accessible, customizable, and quickly digestible. Clear visual indicators flag students who score below established benchmarks, and struggling students are automatically organized into small groups. The system also provides links to suggested classroom activities that reinforce skill development through targeted instruction.
Contact us to gain access to the system or to inquire about training for your staff.
The CLI Solutions Group offers a range of professional development opportunities for teachers prekindergarten through grade 12. Our in-person trainings are engaging and emphasize personal growth by increasing knowledge of effective instructional strategies. Each face-to-face training is designed around practices proven to be effective through research and focus on practical instructional improvements teachers can implement immediately in the classroom. We offer ready to deliver sessions, covering a wide variety of instructional topics. Refer to our list of available trainings sorted alphabetically or by age/grade level.
