Data Without Tears: How to Write Measurable Educational Goals and Collect Meaningful Data

The new and updated edition of this bestselling book presents an easy-to-use model for writing goals and objectives in a way that makes taking data straightforward and easy. Written in an accessible, conversational style, the guidelines and examples help teachers, counsellors, and anyone else faced with the daunting task of collecting meaningful data to meet a variety of legal and administrative requirements.

The book shows how to:

• Write measurable goals and objectives.
• Decide which data collection systems to use for gathering meaningful information.
• Start collecting data immediately using clear and simple collection strategies.
• Be able to analyse the data you collect and communicate your students’ progress accurately.
• Make data-based decisions about the effectiveness of interventions and instructional strategies.
• Communicate student progress to parents and IEP team members with confidence.
• Recognise and avoid unreliable data—C.R.A.P. (Can't Rely on Any Part of It) data.

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". . . this book is an indispensable resource for schools implementing a Response to Intervention system. Data Without Tears presents a unique, user-friendly guide that I believe school psychologists will find invaluable in their consultation with teachers within an RtI or other data-driven school improvement system. If I had had this book when I first started as a school psychologist, it would have saved me countless hours of creating my own data collection templates and attempting to explain to teachers the importance and key components of effective data collection."
- Dan Hyson, School Psychology Minnesota

"The author effectively uses her insights and experiences to create a simple and humorous reference for teachers to compose relevant and measurable IEP goals that align with Response to Intervention strategies. . . . After reading this short book, teachers are likely to feel confident in designing relevant goals and measuring progress on clearly defined objectives for their students and they will have gained the necessary skills to effectively communicate their students’ performance and IEP progress. Data Without Tears is an excellent resource and reference for anyone who struggles with writing relevant, meaningful IEP goals and determining effectiveness of instruction and intervention."
- Kathleen Jensen, Wisconsin School Psychologists Association Newsletter