Exemplar # 4: Data Project

STANDARDS: 17, 22, 29 & 30.

Introduction
For my fourth exemplar, I have chosen to focus on the Achievement Gap Data Analysis
project completed for CSP769 Achievement Gap & Leadership. The focus of the data analysis
was Westview High School, my fieldwork placement site. For the assignment, we were required
to gather historical and demographic data measuring many student outcomes including:
graduation rates, A-G course completion rates, AP enrollment and offering, college attendance
rates, and test scores such as SAT and ACT. Through analyzing the data I was able to identify
patterns, strengths, and areas of improvement. This was one of my favorite projects we
completed in the program and I took a lot of pride in the results my partner and I uncovered
through the process of the assignment.
Standards Met
Standard 17: Foundations of the School Counseling Profession
One of the first things I learned coming into the school counseling program was the
importance of using data to assess the needs of students, show what school counselors are doing
to make a difference in the lives of students, and be held accountable for the goals and outcomes
of the counseling team. While the data project is more heavily focused on the accountability
component of the ASCA model, I have learned the importance of reviewing data to set the
foundation of a counseling programs focus and student competencies. Taking the time to
disaggregate data from multiple resources provided us with a comprehensive picture of
Westviews achievements and areas of growth. When reviewing and brainstorming program

recommendations, my partner and I strived to align our analysis around state and national
standards. For example, we found that Latino students were less involved in school activities and
also were further behind academically than other student populations on campus. Therefore, our
recommendation to increase school connectedness for Latino/a students, aligned with ASCA
student standard A:C1.2 Seek co-curricular and community experiences to enhance the school
experience.
Standard 22: Leadership
The principle of leadership was shown in my ability to take charge of gathering,
analyzing, and disseminating the information throughout the Data Analysis project. Westview is
a high performing school, without many barriers to academic achievement. However, one area
identified as an area of growth was found in the California Healthy Kids data and School Climate
Survey, where students reported high levels of stress due to academic pressures. While faculty
and staff know that students are stressed, some attribute that stress to normal teenage angst.
However, after compiling the data and presenting to the staff, they were unable to deny the high
numbers reported of stress and the consistent common denominator being academic pressure.
Through this assignment I was able to find my voice of leadership on Westviews campus and
help the counseling staff build a stronger defense in the need to create a program that
incorporates and emphasizes student wellness and having a healthy school life balance.
Standard 29: Prevention Education and Training
Using data in a school counseling program is a key component if counselors want to be
more proactive to students needs rather than continually chasing a reactive stream of problems
on their campus. One area of prevention, education, and training my teammate and I were able to

identify from our data analysis was the need to provide cultural development trainings for staff.
While the data showed that the staff believed they were culturally competent, the data also
showed that students did not believe their teachers were using culturally competent teaching
strategies. The lowest performing students at Westview are cultural minorities, therefore, I
believe it would be important for staff to be informed about their students cultural barriers in
order to promote student learning and high academic achievement. Through the achievement gap
data analysis, I was able to see for myself the importance of removing these barriers and to
advocate on behalf of students, and recommend that a training be put in place for future inservice education programs.
Standard 30: Research, Program Evaluation & Technology
The main focus of this project was to collect data and evaluate students achievement.
The rubric for the assignment required that we use Dataquest information from the California
Department of Education. However, for our project, my partner and I used three separate data
sources to ensure we were considering all aspects of a students life for equitable outcomes. Each
source we used served a unique purpose, Dataquest provided academic and testing data,
California Healthy Kids identified school cultural norms, and the School Climate Survey
highlighted student levels of stress and school connectedness. Through the assignment, I learned
how to access multiple databases of student information and interpret whether or not information
was reliable or consistent with other findings. Additionally, after collecting data, I used multiple
mediums of technology including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel to analyze and present the
student data outcomes.
Professional Application

While it is essential for a school counseling program to have a foundation that clearly
defines the departments beliefs, mission, and goals for student outcomes, I believe it is crucial to
use data to create the focus and goals of the department. I want to effectively impact the lives of
students and I believe using data can be a compass to direct the programs and curriculum to
ensure I reach the needs of students. In my future school site, I plan to use my skills in gathering
and interpreting data to help shape the focus and vision of the school, and use my heart and
passion for students to make that vision come to fruition.
Final Reflections
Prior to joining the school counseling profession, I worked as a sales administrator where
I was responsible for compiling weekly and monthly reports on product, promotions, and sales
outcomes. I never imagined that my endless hours of compiling and organizing data would
become a key asset in the school counseling field. However, there is a part of me that rejoices
that I was given the unique opportunity to learn how to quickly and efficiently gather, interpret,
and present concise data. It makes me happy that I am able to use a skill I have developed over
time, to increase students academic achievement.
I found the Achievement Gap Data Project to be an extremely valuable experience as part
of our program. While it was a lot of work, I greatly enjoyed combing through all of the
disaggregated data and thinking thoroughly about programs and recommendations to improve
overall student outcomes. While there were no large opportunity gaps identified in Westviews
data, we were still able to make recommendations for improvement in multiple areas. I am
confident that in my future position I will be able to do a similar review of my school, and
identify areas of need in order to contribute to improving student achievement.