Resource Library

Release Date: September 22, 2022

Guests: Brian Coonley, Special Education and Equity Inclusion Specialist, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Jarrod Slone, Exceptional Child Specialist, Kentucky Department of Education

“Improvement begins with data.” These are words to live by and a philosophy held in common by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Brian Coonley and the Kentucky Department of Education’s Jarrod Slone. 
 
In this episode of A Date with Data, host Amy Bitterman gets to the bottom of these two commonwealths' not-so-common strategies to support districts, which include a focus on increased transparency and data stewardship. Jarrod and Brian also discuss how root-cause analyses and long-term strategic planning can lead to meaningful, substantive improvement. 

Release Date: August 25, 2022

Guests: Alisa Fewkes, Part B Data Manager and Debi Smith, Special Populations Coordinator, Idaho Department of Education

When it comes to high-quality data, there are some questions we all ask ourselves. What does it mean to be a data-quality influencer? Am I a data-quality influencer? And, if not, what must I do to become one? To unearth the answers, our latest episode of A Date with Data visits the Gem State, where host Amy Bitterman discusses this multi-faceted issue with the Idaho Department of Education’s Alisa Fewkes and Debi Smith. They talk about polishing up a school’s and district’s ability to read and analyze data through drill-down trainings that the department offers around the state. 

Release Date: August 11, 2022

Guests: Brandon Myers, Data Specialist, Indiana Department of Education

On the newest episode of A Date with Data, we “Wander Indiana” as Host Amy Bitterman sits down with Brandon Myers, Part B Data Manager with the Indiana Department of Education. Listen in as they discuss Brandon’s work as a data-quality influencer: collecting, organizing, monitoring, and communicating information about data. Brandon also shares how he ensures that schools and stakeholders understand how the data they are required to report get used. Join us in the Hoosier state, won’t you?

Release Date: July 28, 2022

Guests: Amy Patterson, IDEA Part B Data Manager with the Kentucky Department of Education and Richelle Davis, Education Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs

In this episode of A Date with Data, we’re on stage at the 2022 IDC Interactive Institute in Music City, USA. Join us as host Amy Bitterman performs a duet with Amy Patterson, IDEA Part B Data Manager with the Kentucky Department of Education, to learn more about her role as a data-quality influencer. Up next, Amy two-steps with Richelle Davis from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs for her perspective on the importance of states and districts understanding the “why” behind collecting high-quality data—including how the data drive policy and decisionmaking.

Release Date: July 7, 2022

Guests: Mary Ann Mieczkowski, former Director of Exceptional Children Resources, and Barbara Mazza, Education Associate for Exceptional Children Resources, with the Delaware Department of Education and Meedra Surratte, Executive Director of the Parent Information Center of Delaware

It's the age-old question: What’s the secret to a long-lasting, meaningful relationship? For Episode 5 of A Date with Data, we travel to the first state to find out. For 20 years, the Delaware Department of Education has partnered with the state’s Parent Information Center to better facilitate family engagement.

Release Date: June 23, 2022

Guests: Seth Bishop, Data Analysis/Grant Evaluation Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Wisconsin is striving to embed IDEA data culture throughout the state’s Department of Public Instruction. Learn how Wisconsin is working to achieve a strong, shared data culture through initiatives such as collaborating with Title I and Every Student Succeeds Act staff to create joint federal notification reports and creating dashboards for districts to drill down into their data.

Release Date: June 9, 2022

Guests: Ginger Elliott-Teague, Director of Data Analysis, Oklahoma State Department of Education

Amy chats with Ginger about building the capacity of districts and other stakeholders in Oklahoma to understand the changes to the SPP/APR and stakeholder engagement requirements. Ginger shares key strategies for engaging stakeholders in target setting.