Data Wall Tracking Progress At BES

Bourbon Elementary School Principal Joe Bozic has introduced a data wall, a way of tracking student progress in math, reading and English that “will push students and teachers to the next level.”

Bozic briefed the Crawford County R-1 School Board on the data wall, which is color-coded and represents each student’s progress. The data wall helps visualize trends, monitor benchmarks and allow the staff to set “smart goals.”

Each student in the elementary school took a diagnostic test at the beginning of the year to establish a baseline.

Students will take another assessment in December and one more in the spring before MAP testing.

The goal is to identify students who are testing below grade level and provide them with instruction.

“The data is not good,” Bozic said. 

In third and fourth grade classrooms, 10% of students are testing one to two grade levels below in math. 

In second through fourth grade, many students are testing one to two grade levels below in reading.

To improve, Bozic said it’s going to take a lot of hard work and buy-in from the teachers.

“The staff is ready,” he said.

Bourbon has brought on an instructional coach to help teachers. Students are being pushed to build academic stamina.

“Every teacher or interventionist is doing training to bridge the gaps,” he said. “The students deserve it.”

Bozic also dismissed the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on student outcomes. 

“The time off can’t be an excuse anymore,” he said.