各州如何提供高质量的特殊教育项目数据?

挑战

States need high-quality data to better understand the characteristics of students with disabilities, 关注他们的表现, and determine whether implemented programs are having the desired effects. 在地方一级, sound data are important for designing instruction in the classroom and for planning the appropriate path for students from preschool through young adulthood. 在联邦层面, ED’s Office of 特殊教育 Programs (OSEP) and others need accurate state and local special education data to inform policy and allocate resources. 整个系统建立在数据的基础上, 这些数据必须准确，这一点至关重要, 及时的, 和完整的.

解决方案

这就是IDEA数据中心(IDC)的用武之地. Building on 趣赢平台’s deep 知识 of special education data and decades-long support of OSEP’s efforts to improve results for students with disabilities, 我们提供精确的技术援助(TA), 非常高效。, and dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of high-quality data. 以确保我们有效地满足各州的需求, IDC提供了一个连续的数据传输密集型服务, 有针对性的, 和普遍.

We provide intensive TA through sustained partnerships with states to support them as they address both in-depth and long-term data challenges, 随着时间的推移，产生有意义和持久的变化. 例如, 作为我们密集助教课程的一部分, we deliver individualized professional development opportunities and trainings to advance Part B 数据管理员’ skills, 知识, and 理解 for managing IDEA data and support them in resolving data quality issues.  To avoid data collection start-overs in the event of staff turnovers, we support states in documenting their special education data 流程 to ensure data continuity when onboarding new staff. 

IDC primarily directs 有针对性的 TA to states and locals that have common TA needs. 我们举办网络研讨会、点对点交流和全国性会议. 我们的年度 互动研究所 offer state teams a space to share data quality challenges and explore solutions with colleagues and content experts alike. 我们的第一个 显著歧化峰会 created a platform for state and district staff to discuss strategies, 流程, and infrastructures related to racial or ethnic disproportionality in special education. Hands on Learning Academies bring together small groups of states to assist them in learning about a new resource and provide collaborative opportunities for them to apply those resources to their own data.   

IDC的通用TA包括我们的季度通讯——IDC Bee, 创新和及时工具的开发, 以及这些工具在我们动态网站上的传播. 我们的 成功差距工具包 leads districts and school leaders through the process of identifying the root causes of success gaps in their education systems and strategizing how to reduce or eliminate them. 我们的 SEA和LEA事实 编辑检查和数据显示工具 allow states to pinpoint data-quality errors and mistakes for correction. IDC每月两次的播客， 有数据的日期, 重点介绍与我们合作的州的故事, 并介绍了州特殊教育主任, 数据管理员, 学前教育协调员, 以及其他负责数据的州和地方工作人员.

An independent team conducts IDC’s formative and summative evaluations and 分析s and summarizes the data. This work is essential to ensuring IDC is making progress towards our short- and long-term outcomes and is successfully meeting OSEP’s goals and objectives for high-quality special education data.

结果

自2013年以来, IDC’s overarching goal has been to improve state and local capacity to collect, 分析, 报告, and use IDEA data accurately and effectively to ultimately improve outcomes for students with disabilities. IDC has provided high-quality TA services to state and local agencies to identify strengths and areas for improvement, 解决IDEA数据质量需求和挑战, 增加数据的使用. IDC TA的接受者报告他们的知识发生了积极的变化, 理解, 以及与IDEA数据相关的技能.  IDC also has developed and disseminated products and resources to support TA efforts and successfully build state and local capacity to address data quality issues and concerns.  IDC has also collaborated and coordinated with others in the field to strategically inform work from the gathered data.