Data Collection

There are two rules when it comes to Extended School Year data collection. It has to be fast and easy. ESY (extended school year) is a time to have some fun, work on some goals, and take some data. I, personally, would rather have fun with my students than take data, but it’s a necessary part of the job. Here’s how I’m streamlining my ESY data collection.

Behavior Rubrics

When it comes to measuring behavior, we want to be as objective as possible. Behavior Rubrics make this possible! These are completely editable and give you (and your staff) a way to objectively measure data in a way that is consistent. The rubric takes all of the guessing out of what score to give and keeps data neat and tidy. Especially in ESY when you may not be given time to train your staff, providing a way to measure behavior in a self-explanatory way is a huge time saver!

These rubrics are completely editable, so I take them and modify them to meet the exact needs of my students. We then have a clipboard for each student with rubrics on, pre-dated. Whoever is assigned that student will fill out the data sheet for the day. At the end of ESY I gather all of the data points and graph the data for parents and our school records.

Independent Functioning Goal Data

Many of my students are working on independent functioning skills. Toileting goals are continued into ESY and we work hard to maintain the progress made throughout the school year. Data collection for things like potty training is tough – you want enough data to show progress in each section of the task analysis, but because working on potty training requires all hands on deck, data collection needs to be quick. I’ve found these data sheets from the 20 Special Education Data Forms Set 2 to be the perfect solution. They are detailed, but quick and easy to fill out. As a bonus, these are also editable!

Not sure where to start on toilet training? We have an entire highlight on potty training on our Instagram Highlights!

Pick a System, Stick to it!

During the school year, I keep a data binder for each student on my caseload. I have a tab for each area I collect data in. On Friday, my staff and I gather data sheets, enter the data into a google sheet, and fill out a summary that is shared with parents. Those data sheets are then put into my data binder. I considered changing this system for ESY, but because I have staff that know the system, I’m going to stick with it. While you certainly don’t need a binder for ESY data, do consider a place to organize your data. Pick a system, and sick to it! I have a one touch rule when it comes to paper. I touch it and I deal with it ASAP. This is much easier to do when you have a system in place. Don’t be afraid to have your paras help create a system!

Make it Simple

A little bit of time up front will help you set up an easy to use data collection system. Don’t over think it! Remember, data collection should be fast and easy to use! Streamline what you can and have fun with your students. And don’t forget to make time to play!