Module 4 – Evidence to Practice Guides and Data Collection

In this lesson you will learn about:

• Evidence to Practice Guides
• Choosing a Target Group

Parent Mentors have three main tools at their disposal to help write vital behaviors and find ways to collect the needed data to show that the training you are offering is being put into practice.

There are three Evidence to Practice Guides offering tools for three different “Big Topics” . They are: Graduation,  Post Secondary Outcomes and Partnerships.

Each Guide offers information on the research (Evidence) which offers proof that parent engagement in this area improves student outcomes. The colored bars offer Vital Behaviors and Data Collection formats which will help you (Practice) training families in what you what them to do to become involved parents and, show whether or not the strategies worked.

This is one of the three Evidence to Practice Guides available to help you organize and collect data on the big picture topic you are working on. There are 3 guides: Graduation, Post Secondary and Partnerships.

This is how you will figure out ways to collect data on the vital behaviors or big picture goal (ie: graduation….)

Evidence to Practice Guides are located under the Quarterly Reporting Tab in the Learning Curve. Scroll down and look for the blue tabs to download them.

Other data collection tools that work with the Evidence to Practice Guides are on the (you guessed it) the Learning Curve. They are located on the page Quarterly Reporting Tab, on the right in the Data Collection Tools Tab.

The next step is to choose a target group.  You DO NOT have to collect data on every student who receives special education services.  Though you do have to keep track of your contacts with parents,  (as discussed in the first section Reporting and Responsibilities). You only need to choose a small target group of parents to focus on for your training of Vital Behaviors.

The next thing you will have to think about is choosing a target group to collect the data to determine if the training you are doing is having an impact on student outcomes.

There is a helpful tip sheet on how to choose a target group which you can download off the Data Collection Tips and Tools page on (you guessed it,) the Learning Curve. You do NOT have to choose the target group right away.  As a first year mentor it might take a little time to get to know parents. A good thing to do is to ask a teacher to help you select some families based on the big picture topic you are training on, and the criteria for choosing a target group.

You have your

Big Picture Topic

Vital Behavior you will train on

Target Group

Now you are ready to begin collecting data.  The format and types of information you will need to collect data on are assembled for you on the pre and post surveys and the end of year survey (you saw these in the Reporting and Responsbilities lesson).

Now that you have learned about the Reporting and Responsibilities of a Parent Mentor, you are ready to earn your next badge! Good luck!