How Modern Assessment Software is Helping Transform Modesto City Schools’ Data Culture

In the dynamic landscape of K-12 education, technology’s role is growing significantly each day. In our recent 2023 Ed Focus Report, we discovered that school-level educators’ top priority is to incorporate technology effectively, including improving assessments, reporting, and data-driven decision-making. 

But what does that incorporation look like on the ground? 

Like many districts, Modesto City Schools have moved through the successes and challenges inherent to the rapid adoption of new technologies, like managing an abundance of student data critical to understanding and responding to student learning. The district was at a crossroads during the pandemic, needing to adapt swiftly to accommodate the digital learning needs of their 30,000 students—overnight.  

Amidst this whirlwind transition, something extraordinary emerged: an invigorated data culture with expanded personalized learning practices and data-driven instruction. 

Using PowerSchool Performance Matters—a comprehensive student assessment software solution that provides K-12 schools and districts with a holistic view of instructional gaps to identify unfinished learning and accelerate learning gains for all students—educators at Modesto are empowered to analyze student performance data to inform personalized instruction. 

Here’s how this district uses the robust assessment software product to improve its data culture and help every student succeed. 

Changing K-12 Data Culture 

Data can transform educational practices. In education, the value of data goes beyond mere numbers and charts—it’s the lens through which we see our students’ needs and potential. The sheer power of modern data systems provides abundant information about our students beyond what we could garner through one-dimensional, performance-based assessments. 

However, just having access to this wealth of data about students is not enough. Learning to interpret the information helps educators use the data most effectively and responsibly. For K-12 organizations, a positive data culture involves leveraging all kinds of data—from attendance and engagement to summative assessments and climate surveys—to create better outcomes, optimize operations, and help students learn. Ultimately, the success of critical initiatives depends on effective data use.  

Before Performance Matters, the data culture at Modesto focused on the previous year’s data and what teachers “should have done better,” according to Ryan Reynolds, Modesto’s Senior Director of Assessment & Evaluation. When data is used primarily to point out fault, authentic self-reflection can be jeopardized, and there’s a risk that data can be collected or reported incorrectly. The adoption of Performance Matters encouraged a shift in data culture to leveraging data in a predictive manner rather than a postmortem review at Modesto. This new approach promotes genuine reflection rather than blame and builds an environment where data becomes a valuable asset, not just a collection of numbers. 

A Customized One-Stop-Shop for Education Data 

Actively monitoring student progress requires access to data and the ability to make sense of it in real time. With Performance Matters, Modesto educators have their fingers on the pulse of student performance, turning data into actionable insights. 

The platform’s flexibility has allowed teachers to personalize instruction, compare data, visualize student performance, and add custom filters. This hands-on approach means that every student receives the attention they need when needed. And after working with PowerSchool tech support, Reynolds says his team imports “just about every kind of data that we can get our hands on.”  

A Comprehensive Look at K-12 Early Warning Indicators 

Without the right tools, teachers might not see which students need the most help. And they may be unable to tell if that help is needed in or out of the classroom. Teachers and other district stakeholders benefit immensely from quickly and proactively identifying students who need interventions and—more importantly—determining how to tailor instruction to address the areas where they need the most help.    

Performance Matters brings together all of Modesto’s student performance data in a user-friendly online portal, giving teachers, administrators, and staff a holistic view of student growth inside every classroom and school within the district. Before, IT administrators would have to run reports for teachers, taking up valuable time.  

Combined with PowerSchool SIS, Performance Matters brings together all Modesto’s student data into one, easy-to-use tool that educators can use to flag at-risk behavior, contextualize data, and intervene sooner—so they can support struggling students from every angle. With Performance Matters, Modesto teachers can access data they didn’t have before, providing deeper, up-to-date insights to improve student outcomes.   

Reynolds says, “the early warning indicators have also been a help. We can have pre-packaged reports and metrics that we can send out very easily, so then [teachers] can target students for intervention.” One of the early warning indicators Reynolds tracks is the number of times a student has enrolled at different schools within the year. He explains that by keeping an eye on this metric, “you will quickly get a list of students who are pretty transient…they don’t have a solid home situation.”  

It’s easy for Reynolds to share this sensitive student information with the appropriate users. Reynolds says he “can create a report and share it across the district. When [teachers] open it, they won’t see the whole district, they’ll just see their students.” With this information, teachers can proactively support students who may struggle academically while getting a footing in their home situation.   

This level of data also powers the district’s Graduation Rate Intervention Team (GRIT) meetings with site administrators after every grading term. In a recent school year, there was an 8% decrease in Ds and Fs. Reynolds says that early warning indicators within Performance Matters likely contributed to the improved student outcomes because “it’s front of mind.” 

Improving Student Outcomes with Data 

With fewer clicks and more accessible data, all users in Modesto are now better equipped to drive student growth and provide quality instruction. Performance Matters has streamlined operations and ignited a passion for data-driven student-centered learning. 

In a world where every student’s need is unique, Modesto City Schools’ partnership with PowerSchool Performance Matters illustrates that the right tools can truly transform education.