There’s a lot to be said for dreaming big, especially when it comes to education. Imagining new and innovative ways to increase equity, open doors, and improve student outcomes is the key to being a strong leader in education administration.
With that being said, you can’t create goals that are idealistic but ultimately impossible to achieve, or you’re setting up your institution, staff, and students to fail. You need to set SMART goals. What is the SMART process all about? How can gathering and analyzing relevant data for schools help with SMART goal setting? Just read on to learn more.
What Is SMART?
SMART is an acronym in goal setting that stands for:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
In other words, this philosophy centers on specifically defining what you hope to accomplish, creating outcomes that can be quantifiably measured, making sure outcomes can be achieved with available time and resources, focusing on realistic rather than simply ideological goals, and setting a time frame to accomplish said goals.
How Can Data Contribute to the SMART Process?
Generally speaking, goals aren’t determined in a bubble. You don’t just decide to dedicate more resources to math, science, or the arts. You do so because you see a need. This comes from data sets regarding performance, satisfaction, and other metrics.
Data is integral to the goal-setting process, and it’s particularly important when setting SMART goals. If math scores are low, for example, you need to be specific about your goals for improving them, and data drives such decisions.
When families are concerned about a lack of inclusion, you must understand the scope of the need to determine the level of resources to devote to improving satisfaction in schools and the community.
The right student data management software, like the Inno™ app, provides a centralized dashboard and tools that collate relevant data from diverse sources, support collaboration with staff, and even offer strategic recommendations to help you reach desired outcomes.
Overcoming Challenges Like Siloed Data for Schools
One challenge many administrators face is trying to gather and organize data from multiple sources and systems that don’t communicate.
When you centralize siloed data in one place, design custom analytics to help you categorize it in meaningful ways, and take advantage of strategic planning resources, you have the best opportunity to create SMART, data-driven goals that maximize gains for students.
Inno™ is the app designed to eliminate data pain points and improve planning and outcomes. Join us in June for the National Charter Schools Conference to learn more about the key steps needed to successfully wrap up the 2022 school year!
