The Statewide Mentorship Conference sponsored by the New Mexico Public Education Department (Special Education), held last June, was one of the biggest conferences I've attended here in New Mexico. It marked the culmination of a statewide, year-long program on mentoring and data-driven instruction for teachers across New Mexico, which was organized by the Region 9 Educational Cooperative. Teachers sign up either as mentees or mentors. This year, I signed up as a mentee for their new Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) Training. The DDI program was facilitated by the amazing coaches Jennifer Bossow, Maricela Rincon, and Tammie Hansen.
In addition to monthly professional development sessions on data-driven instruction, participants were provided with various templates to track student progress and gather meaningful data. Rather than prescribing a single approach, the program encouraged teachers to identify what data mattered most within their own classrooms.
I have seen many colleagues focus on data from formative and summative assessments, examine their alignment to standards, and develop instructional strategies that provide support for struggling students while extending enrichment for advanced students. Throughout the year, resource speakers shared current trends in classroom management, student engagement, and effective progress monitoring. Usually, the sessions included breakout discussions where teachers exchanged best practices and practical solutions to problems encountered in their classrooms. Every PD was not simply about transferring scores to Excel sheets. It was about understanding what those numbers reveal about intentional teaching and student learning.
The program’s virtual sessions culminated in group presentations via Zoom that showcased each participant's journey from gathering data and receiving classroom visits from coaches to reflecting on observations and making sense of data collected across the year. The presentations highlighted how teachers gathered data connected to their goals and, more importantly, the success stories that emerged from careful and honest analysis.
As I listened to the presentations, one particular group stood out to me.
The teachers from Laguna- Acoma Junior/Senior High School of Grants Cibola County Schools, under the leadership of Principal Amy Ray, created a presentation centered on the metaphor of flight. The team consisted of: Jerre Mae Tamanal (ELA), Juvy Lou Tamanal-Bhattrai (Broadcasting and Mass Media), Judith Guyod (Science), and Juan Carto Antonio (ELA). They imagined themselves as aircraft crew members preparing for takeoff, using Gadsden proficiency scales as their flight goals and benchmarks. The teachers served as guides, ensuring a safe flight.
They had dressed like flight attendants, the leader as a pilot. The backdrop was a cool and trendy airport, the slides referred back to the concept, and the team was very much prepared to show data and discuss students’ success. What I loved most about the metaphor was that it did not end with takeoff. A successful flight eventually lands. Students reach goals, celebrate milestones, and prepare for their next journey.
The finale conference was held at the Clyde Hotel in Albuquerque and brought together mentors, mentees, and DDI participants from across the state. The DDI featured speaker was Dr. Jason Harlacher, co-author of the book “Untangling Data-Based Decision Making”.
What impressed me most about Dr. Harlacher was his approach. He began with stories, wove them throughout the twoday intensive training, and brought everything full circle with one final story. Despite his expertise, he was never intimidating. Instead, he made complex ideas accessible and engaging. We participated in pair work, group discussions, handson activities, and opportunities to process what we were learning.
Perhaps more importantly, we were given time to reflect on our own practices. We were asked to consider what was working, what was not working, and what we might need to change. Surrounded by so much data, we were challenged to ask questions. What is important? What patterns should I examine more closely? What should I do next? I have kept thinking about these questions even as I write this article.
I have always avoided reducing my students to numbers. As a teacher, I have tried to see the whole child rather than a score on a spreadsheet. However, this program helped me understand that data-driven instruction is not about reducing students to numbers at all.
Data tells a story, but stories do not tell themselves. They require careful readers.
When I pick up a book, I read with a curious and open mind. Should we approach data in the same way? The challenge for teachers is not simply looking at scores. The challenge is making sure that, amid all the numbers, teachers read their students’ stories with empathy.