To support attainment of broad goals that include academic achievement and school culture, which action best helps measure progress?

• A. Identifying qualitative and quantitative data that can be collected to measure progress toward achieving each goal.
• B. Focusing solely on test scores.
• C. Relying on impressions from a single administrator.
• D. Ignoring data and hoping for improvement.

Answer: (A)

Measuring progress toward broad goals requires a structured plan that combines qualitative and quantitative data for each goal. By identifying the types of data to collect—such as academic indicators (test scores, grades, attendance, graduation rates) and indicators of school culture (student engagement surveys, climate observations, participation in activities)—you build a comprehensive picture of how well the goals are being met. This approach gives you concrete baselines, tracks change over time, and links actions to outcomes, making it possible to adjust strategies as needed.

Relying only on test scores misses important dimensions of achievement and culture, and basing judgments on a single administrator’s impressions introduces bias. Ignoring data altogether leaves you without evidence to guide improvements. Collecting a mix of qualitative and quantitative data tied to each goal provides the most reliable, actionable way to measure progress and drive targeted improvements.