A Date with Data

LEA determinations. 618 and SPP/APR data analysis. Data processes documentation. These are just a few of the potential responsibilities of being an effective data manager. But how do you mix all these ingredients together in a way that makes sense? What’s a recipe for success for this complex dish? In our latest episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman travels to the Hawkeye State to find...

A state known for its majestic mountain ranges, Nevada is certainly no stranger to sky-high achievements. Take, for example, the state’s recent efforts to more thoroughly document its data processes, a journey that also improved communications with LEAs, strengthened cross-office collaboration, and helped build productive relationships between SEA and LEA staff. On this episode of A Date with Data...

These days, it seems like artificial intelligence is everywhere, but how is it actually being used in special education data work? How are experts in the field applying this new technology to enhance, not replace, subject matter expertise? In this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman sits down with Jonathan Shank, Part B data manager at the West Virginia Department of Education, to tal...

From building data literacy to using data more effectively in decision making and beyond, the job of improving local data quality requires many hands. In our newest special episode of A Date with Data Extra , guest host Tammy Williams teams up with Zabrina Cannady of the Council for Administrators of Special Education (CASE) to chat about all the ways IDC and CASE have come together to help specia...

When it comes to collecting and using discipline data, state staff face a number of important tasks. Foremost, perhaps, is making sure those data accurately reflect the lived experiences of students in the classroom in a way that leads to improved outcomes. So what's our disciplined approach? In this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman is joined by Kent McIntosh, co-director of the Ce...

These data aren’t just numbers; they’re students . This powerful message from IDC’s Interactive Institute inspired the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) to focus on the quality of their local data. With assistance from IDC, the state planned a two-day retreat where LEA leaders could focus on building their capacity to use and truly understand their data. On this episode of A Date with...

Massachusetts is a state of firsts. The first public library in the United States. The first university. Even the first public park. It should come as no surprise then that state education staff in the Bay State are hard at work pioneering new solutions to complex LEA Determinations. On this latest episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman sits down with Jamie Camacho, State Director of Spe...

Among stakeholder groups, parents occupy a place of special significance. To increase their communication and collaboration with the parents and families of students with disabilities, the Georgia Department of Education is taking steps to build parent survey participation and representativeness. How are they doing so? And what are the results so far? Join host Amy Bitterman and her special guests...

What does it look like when LEAs turn conversation into action? In Delaware, it starts with time, trust, and a clear plan. In the second installment of this two-part series, host Amy Bitterman continues her conversation with Dale Matusevich, Robert Sabolcik, and Barbara Mazza from the Delaware Department of Education—this time diving into real examples of the impact of the state's data retreats on...

What does it really take to build LEA capacity for high-quality IDEA data use? In Delaware, the answer starts with collaboration, communication, and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for all students. In the first of this two-part series, host Amy Bitterman sits down with Dale Matusevich, Robert Sabolcik, and Barbara Mazza from the Delaware Department of Education to explore how their team...

What’s the secret to submitting a high-quality, timely, accurate SPP/APR? Nebraska may have cracked the code. In this episode of A Date with Data, host Amy Bitterman talks with Amy Rhone and Jamie Chambers from the Nebraska Department of Education about their comprehensive SPP/APR Indicator Tracking Sheet , a collaborative tool that transformed how Nebraska’s SPP/APR team communicates and organize...

Illinois. The prairie state. As is the case around the country, state education staff here are working hard to refine and improve their annual LEA determinations process. How are they doing that here in the Land of Lincoln? On our latest episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman sits down with Illinois Special Education Monitoring Lead Kristina Holloway to learn more about how the state dev...

Okay, time for something special. With late summer upon us (and host Amy Bitterman enjoying some well-earned sunshine), it feels like the perfect time for the very first edition of A Date with Data Extra , special episodes of our one-of-a-kind IDC podcast. In our inaugural voyage, we’re taking a look at MOE/CEIS/CCEIS. What do all those letters mean, and what do they mean for you and your state co...

A hot summer calls for hot topics, and perhaps nothing fits that description better than LEA determinations. With the advent of DMS 2.0 and OSEP’s 2023 General Supervision Q&A, LEA determinations remain a high priority for states and their districts. On this episode of A Date with Data , our own Amy Bitterman sits down with Victoria Glick and Karen Morgan-Donaldson of the Office of the State S...

When it comes to OSEP’s differentiated monitoring and support 2.0 (DMS), there’s no such thing as being too prepared. In the finale of this two-part A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman continues her conversation with the Mississippi Department of Special Education’s Jennifer Boykin and the Bureau of Data and Compliance’s Sharon Coon about this all-important process. What can you expect during yo...

Here are some words to live by: It pays to be prepared. As states get ready to take part in OSEP’s differentiated monitoring and support 2.0 (DMS), they might be asking what can we do to prepare for the process ? What is DMS 2.0 like ? And, crucially, how will our efforts help improve our state’s IDEA data ? In part one of this special two-part A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman heads south to...

High-quality preschool programs set the foundation for students’ long-term success, and the same can be said for high-quality preschool data. On this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman digs deeper into the importance of preschool data with state data experts Jody Fields from Arkansas and Heather Dunphy from Arizona. With real-world examples and specific tips for how to better communi...

Encouraging local data literacy is one of the most effective ways to heighten your state’s data quality, as Sheilah Paitsel, Tonya Rutkowski, and Jonathan Shank from the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) recently discovered. Last September, they helped host the state’s first-ever Special Education Data Summit. Listen in as the WVDE team relives the quick four months of planning, during...

If the mission of A Date with Data is to bring unique state stories to our listeners, few cases fit the bill as perfectly as Puerto Rico. The island boasts more than 100 schools in a unitary system, a higher-than-average number of whose students receive special education services. On this episode, host Amy Bitterman crosses the ocean to join Dr. César M. Gracia García and Irving Feliciano Pulliza,...

With the new year comes new promise and an urge toward new and better ways of doing things. And what better time to apply these resolutions than the current SPP/APR season? On our latest episode of A Date with Data , Amy Bitterman is joined by special guests Jeff Phenicie, Executive Director of Data Monitoring and General Supervision with the Virginia Department of Education, and IDC’s own Rachel...

Seeing is believing. The proof is in the pudding. Actions speak louder than words. In Missouri, these are more than just stock locutions; they’re practically a matter of state pride. The same goes for IDEA data quality, where a picture is worth well more than a thousand words. On this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman sits down with Tori Chance, Data Research Analyst with the Missou...

Stakeholder engagement is a requirement of the SPP/APR, but generating authentic partnerships to drive meaningful change takes a bit of ingenuity. Luckily, state staff in Arizona have plenty of that. On this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman chats with returning guest Heather Dunphy, lead education program specialist from the Arizona Department of Education, to learn all about the C...

Wanted: IDEA Data Center seeks new Part B data managers for long-term, meaningful connections. Are you a newcomer to the world of Part B data? Feeling overwhelmed and looking to learn, grow, and problem solve with your peers? If so, do we have the opportunity for you. On this week’s episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman catches up with our own Kelley Blas and Kristen DeSalvatore to get...

If the IDEA Data Center is about anything, it’s about tapping into the collective wisdom of the hive mind. Take, for example, our Data Quality Peer Groups, which bring together state staff to share, connect, elaborate, and resolve by sharing what they know and what they’ve learned. On this episode of A Date with Data , host Amy Bitterman connects with IDC’s own Tony Ruggiero and Christina MacDonal...

Picture a number between, oh, let’s say 1 and 10. For the previous 5 episodes of our 1-of-a-kind podcast A Date with Data , we’ve zeroed in on IDC’s Data Quality Peer Groups. Now it’s time for part 6, which is about the Indicator 4, 9, and 10 Peer Group. This 7th Heaven of an episode, featuring 3 of IDC’s finest--host Amy Bitterman and 2 of our number enthusiasts, Miki Imura and Rachel Wilkinson—i...