Data collection and analysis empowers effective program management, says Mary Ellen Sanders, co-coordinator of Naperville, Il District 203's early intervention program, "Project Leap."
SANDERS:
Several years ago we began using a computerized database
and that we have found very helpful.
We feel that that's not a frill at all,
that that's actually key in and us looking at, uh,
how successful we're being at servicing our children,
and then we take the data that we collect
and part of Joan's and my responsibility
is not only to collect the data,
but then to analyze the data and determine what does that mean?
What's working? What do we need to try and further refine?
What are the commonalities
among the children that the program is working for?
What are some commonalities where we see difficulties?
And then, what do we need to do to our model,
not as an, to overhaul it, but this,
just to further refine it a little each year,
to better meet the needs of the children that we service.
So, we find, you know, a database really is key in our program.