Group Efforts, Part Three: Meet IDC’s SSIP Data Quality Peer Group

A Date with Data

Reach out to us if you want to access Podcast resources, submit questions related to episodes, or share ideas for future topics. We’d love to hear from you!

You can contact us via the Podcast page on the IDC website at https://ideadata.org/.

### Episode Transcript ###

00:00:01.52 >> You're listening to "A Date with Data" with your host, Amy Bitterman.

00:00:07.34 >> Hey. It's Amy, and I'm so excited to be hosting "A Date with Data." I'll be chatting with state and district special education staff who, just like you, are dealing with IDEA data every day.

00:00:19.50 >> "A Date with Data" is brought to you by the IDEA Data Center.

00:00:24.59 >> Hello. Welcome to "A Date with Data." This is a very special episode that is part of a series that we're going to be doing to learn more about IDC's Data Quality Peer Groups. These are groups that are facilitated by IDCTA providers to bring state role groups together to discuss and collaborate around different data quality issues that are important in states. For this episode, I am joined by the facilitators of the SSIP Data Quality Peer Group, Jennifer Schaaf and Beckie Davis. Welcome to both of you. Thank you so much for being on.

00:00:58.19 >> Hey.

00:00:59.43 >> Hi, Amy. Thanks for having us.

00:01:01.17 >> Of course. So for those who may not be familiar with the IDC Peer Groups, what they're like, who can participate, can you start off just by telling us a little bit about the peer group? What are the roles that generally are involved in the SSIP peer group, for example?

00:01:19.06 >> Yeah. Thanks, Amy. Most of our peer group participants are SSIP coordinators, usually working out of the state departments of education. But some of the SSIP coordinators are consultants, and they may work out of another site like the university.

00:01:31.70 >> Okay.

00:01:32.57 >> Some of our participants may have other duties such as being in charge of the State Personnel Development Grant, or SPDG.

00:01:41.58 >> Mm-hmm.

00:01:42.07 >> But anyone who has any involvement in the SSIP work is always welcome.

00:01:47.18 >> Great, so it's not just if you're an SSIP Coordinator but if you're somehow involved in the SSIP. This is open for you, as well.

00:01:53.90 >> Yes.

00:01:54.95 >> Yes.

00:01:55.93 >> Great. So tell us about the structure or kind of the format and some of the topics that you cover in this group.

00:02:04.29 >> So our structure is very informal. The group is designed specifically to meet the needs of the participants. Our calls take place every other month from February to September, and then we start monthly calls in October through January because that's when the SSIP work really picks up. The calls are on the third Thursday of the month from 2 o'clock to 3 o'clock Eastern time.

00:02:32.42 >> The way we select our topics is really based on requests that we receive from the Peer Group members or topics that are timely at that point in the year or in the SSIP cycle. And what we do in each meeting is really focus on group sharing and problem solving, so our meetings usually start off with a brief presentation from us, the facilitators, and in that presentation we'll share information that may be new or pertinent. But then we segue fairly quickly into state discussion so that the bulk of the time is spent in peer sharing. States are often facing similar issues to each other, and they can share solutions and successes on those calls, and we provide just a safe place to talk about all things SSIP and ask questions, share accomplishments or frustrations, share resources and network with each other.

00:03:26.58 >> Now that the cycle has sort of been wrapped up, more or less, I guess, for 2024 with the submission of the SPP/APRs and the clarification period, I'm curious to know what are some of the common themes during the SPP/APR cycle and process and now kind of after that you have been noticing coming in from states during these calls.

00:03:49.96 >> Well, that's a good question. One issue that keeps coming up is how to effectively recruit SSIP participants, particularly for those states that are using cohort models for implementing the SSIP. It can be challenging to encourage districts or schools to buy into the process because educators, while they're dedicated and they want good outcomes for their students, they are also overloaded, and often just the idea of adding one more thing to their plates can seem overwhelming. So our peer group participants share ideas, and they have some helpful recruitment strategies like presenting data from participating schools that shows positive outcomes for students. Seeing data on this and results like that can help motivate the other schools or districts to join because they can really see how that participation can benefit their staff and their students. Another issue is once we get close to reporting season, we usually have a good deal of meeting time that's devoted to talking about the specifics of reporting.

00:04:57.00 >> Mm-hmm.

00:04:57.67 >> These include topics like exactly what information belongs with each prompt, when and how to report changes in the SSIP and also how to create responses that are complete enough to let the reader know the full story but also brief enough to fit within the character limit. Sometimes the phrase Word Ninja is thrown about.

00:05:20.52 >> It is a balancing act.

00:05:22.93 >> And, Amy, some of the additional issues center around data collection. One of the things that we frequently talk about with data collection is interim data collection. Most of the states are using outcome data such as their statewide assessment data or their graduation rate for their state-identified measurable result, or SIMR.

00:05:48.02 >> Mm-hmm.

00:05:48.56 >> And because these data are only collected once a year, it provides for a challenge in how to judge progress toward the SIMR.

00:06:00.63 >> Mm-hmm.

00:06:01.04 >> And just like measuring progress toward an annual goal in the IEP, you can't wait until that annual review date to collect data to figure out if you're making progress toward your annual goal.

00:06:14.03 >> Yeah.

00:06:14.31 >> So very similarly, you can't wait until you get your statewide assessment data or your graduation data to figure out if your strategies and activities are working. Of course, by then, it's too late to make any changes.

00:06:28.45 >> Mm-hmm.

00:06:28.87 >> So states talk about how they're tracking progress along the way, or again, that interim data.

00:06:35.97 >> Hmm.

00:06:36.44 >> Another topic that we often discuss is how to scale up or scale out the work. And it's a challenge that states face in how to do this, how to expand the work. So how do you achieve the second S in SSIP, which is "Systemic," Statewide Systemic Improvement Plan, and we talk about building capacity at both the state and local levels so that the work can not only be expanded but also sustained. That's a critical issue, is that sustaining of the work.

00:07:13.63 >> Mm-hmm. Yeah, a lot of great discussion and topics, it sounds like, that you have going on. What are any tips or recommendations that are related to the SSIP that you have that you can share with states that would be beneficial for them to know about as they're working on the SSIP, having some of these same types of questions and considerations?

00:07:39.63 >> So we've got a couple of relatively new tools that are just coming online, and one of them is the Indicator 17 Data Process Protocol. And just like the other Data Process Protocols, this one is designed to help states document the process for collection, validation, analysis, submission and communication of data and results that are related to the SSIP work.

00:08:08.68 >> Another new tool we've also created is a Template Reporting Guide, and that gives tips on how to respond to each prompt in the template. The template can be a bit confusing as to which information goes with which prompt, so this guy will help the SSIP writer know where to put their information.

00:08:27.12 >> And of course, the best resource of all is our SSIP Data Quality Peer Group.

00:08:33.21 >> Mm-hmm. Yeah.

00:08:35.44 >> So we hope you'll consider joining us if you are working on the SSIP. It's a big task, and it does help to get that input from your peers.

00:08:43.78 >> Yes. It helps to know that you're not alone, and there's others out there who are experiencing the same thing, and we have our IDCT providers there to help guide the conversation and talk about resources and tips and tricks. So thank you both so much for all this great information, and if you are interested in learning more about the Peer Groups, please reach out to IDC at [e-mail]. Thank you, Beckie and Jenny, so much for your time and joining me on the podcast. You shared so much wonderful information and so much exciting activity going on. Thank you, again, for being on.

00:09:23.55 >> Thanks so much for having us, Amy.

00:09:25.88 >> We really appreciate the opportunity to talk about the good work that this group does.

00:09:32.59 >> To access podcast resources, submit questions related to today's episode, or if you have ideas for future topics, we'd love to hear from you. The links are in the Episode Content. Or connect with us via the podcast page on the IDC website at IDEAdata.org.