Collaborative Teams

Overview

Collaborative teams (grade level, departmental, Tier 2, Tier 3) work interdependently to learn about and communicate the impact of instruction using evidence of student progress to improve outcomes for all students. Collaboration occurs within a framework that increases focus through a standard agenda and problem-solving process, analyzes data, and

Why it’s Essential

A cohesive approach to student achievement requires a collaborative approach where teachers use assessments to inform individual and collective practice. Collaborative teams (grade level, departmental, Tier 2, Tier 3) explore data for patterns and determine the causes for success and performance gaps. These teams put data at the center to guide instruction, adaptations, and interventions, to identify students or groups of students who need additional support, and to monitor student progress. Successful collaboration results in data-informed instruction, data-focused school level and student goals, and data-centered professional development.

Implementation

Core features of collaborative teams are:

• Team members take ownership and accept accountability for the outcomes of all students

• Team members have easy, efficient access to data that is graphically displayed and can be viewed, aggregated and disaggregated for analysis.

• Teams collaboratively develop common purposes and goals for improved student outcomes within a culture that embraces data-based decision making for continuous school improvement.

• Teams effectively utilize team processes (agendas, minutes, dialogue and discussion, norms, logistics, consensus, roles, standard problem-solving process, protocols).

For more detailed information on Collaborative Teams, review the Montana MTSS Essential Components.