Steps for Collecting and Recording Data for IDEC
- At the beginning of the year, University Trainers notify IDEC of an updated roster of Teacher Training Sites and affiliated Teacher Leaders. In addition, the teacher leader must submit a list of new teachers for IDEC to assign teacher numbers and related school and district codes. This registration process ensures that data entry is enabled for Teachers across the country. The modest annual fee consists of a base charge and a per-teacher fee. When the fee is paid, teachers may begin entering data.
- In consultation with classroom teachers, the intervention teachers identify individual children having the most difficulty with literacy learning, and administer the six assessment tasks of the Observation Survey. In consultation with the classroom teacher, the school team, and initially the teacher leader, the Reading Recovery teachers select the lowest-achieving first graders to begin lessons first. This same process occurs again when a teaching slot becomes available.
- Student data entry is ongoing throughout the school year. Using the IDEC website, teachers fill out demographic data; fall, entry, exit, and end-of-year Observation Survey scores; intervention status; reading group placement; information on retention or referral to other programs, etc. Information on implementation factors also is collected.
- Two random sample children are selected per school. Random sample data provide a useful national comparison group. Random sample children are assessed at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, and their scores are entered via the website.
- At the end of the year, all children who have had intervention during the year and the random sample children are assessed, and their scores entered via IDEC.
- The IDEC website uses a validation process to verify the data for accuracy and completeness before it is sent to the center. Upon completion of data entry, each form is made available for review via the website. The teacher leader ensures that forms for all intervention students, the random sample children, teachers, and schools are accurate and complete before submission.
- The Site Coordinator and Teacher Leader share the collection data with key administrators and other stakeholders at the school and district levels. The data for each child served are analyzed, aggregated, and reported by IDEC to teacher leaders in ARPs for the site, and a slightly abbreviated packet for districts in multiple-district sites. The teacher leader and site coordinator prepare site reports (see Appendix Q). A site report to the UTC is required, but sites may want to use other report formats for local reporting. In multiple-district sites, they may also prepare district reports for larger districts with the collaboration of the district coordinators.
- Trainers also receive data and produce UTC or state reports or both, depending on need. Trainers are available to help Site Coordinators and Teacher Leaders continue to analyze their data in order to strengthen the operation of the intervention. The annual national report is available on the IDEC website. It provides useful comparative data for a site or district.
