Group Efforts, Part Two: Meet IDC’s SPP/APR Data Quality Peer Group

A Date with Data

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### Episode Transcript ###
00:00:01.52 >> You're listening to "A Date with Data" with your host, Amy Bitterman.

00:00:07.34 >> Hey. It's Amy, and I'm so excited to be hosting "A Date with Data." I'll be chatting with state and district special education staff who, just like you, are dealing with IDEA data every day.

00:00:19.50 >> "A Date with Data" is brought to you by the IDEA Data Center.

00:00:24.50 >> Hello. Welcome to "A Date with Data." On this episode, which is part of a series that we are doing on IDC Data Quality Peer Groups, we are focusing on the SPP/APR Data Quality Peer Group. This peer group is part of a number of other groups that are facilitated by IDCTA providers to bring state-role groups together to discuss and collaborate around data-quality issues that are of greatest importance in the States. In this episode, I am joined by the group's facilitators, Nancy Johnson and Chris Thacker. Thank you both so much for being here.

00:01:00.93 >> My pleasure.

00:01:01.90 >> Our pleasure.

00:01:03.67 >> Great, so to to get started, for those who might not be familiar with Data Quality Peer Groups, and in particular, the SPP/APR group, can you tell me about this group? Who tends to participate in it? What is the structure or the format like, and what are some of the topics that you tend to cover?

00:01:24.06 >> Well, as the name implies, we are the state performance plan, annual performance report, Data Quality Peer Group, so naturally our topics of conversation are around the SPP/APR and the various indicators that are addressed within that document. There is also discussions around the SSIP or the SiMR that are part of Indicator 17. We talk about many different things. The group consists largely of Part B data managers, the SPP/APR lead, indicator leads, the SSIP lead or SiMR leader, depending on what the particular topic is on a call for that particular month. We meet on a monthly basis every ...

00:02:06.71 >> Second Wednesday of the month.

00:02:07.78 >> ... second Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m. Eastern Time through a Zoom link, and we try to let them know ahead of time what that month's topic of conversation is going to be. And really it's a lot of dialogue between and among the the state participants who attend. As the name implies, we're trying to share that information among one another, talk about things that have been of concern that particular time of year. For example, we just had a conversation around the SPP/APR feedback that's occurring, so depending on the time of year as to what the topics might address.

00:02:43.16 >> And what are some of the common topics that have been bubbling up recently that you're hearing from states on these calls?

00:02:50.80 >> Currently, some of the common themes that we're hearing, questions about stakeholder engagement, and in fact, that is our topic for tomorrow's meeting. And we're really going to focus on including efforts to build the capacity of a diverse group of parents to support implementation activities designed to improve outcomes as part of that stakeholder engagement. We also get a lot of questions about representativeness, non-response bias and sampling plans as they relate to Indicators 8 and 14. And of course, this year we're getting questions and issues around collecting and documenting data for the new Indicator 18, which states have to report on in the next SPP/APR in February of 2025 along with that expanded general supervision section in the introduction that includes eight new elements that states are expected to address and then the continuing concerns questions about methodology that's reasonably designed for Indicators 4A and 4B.

00:03:57.92 >> Mm-hmm.

00:03:58.38 >> Those are the things that come to the top of my mind. Chris may have some other things to add.

00:04:02.97 >> I think you got the major highlights there, the topics that come up. There might be some specific things that will happen that are unique to a state or circumstances that exist there or circumstances that a state may think are unique in what to bring to the group to see if other states are experiencing, and that could just be a wide variety of different topics, and that's largely dependent upon what we're talking about. If we happen to be addressing Indicator 4, then we might have something around discipline and how data around that are collected or things of that nature, but it's kind of topic-driven mostly.

00:04:36.64 >> Yeah. One of the nice things about these groups I have found is that it's a great platform for states to come and just be able to ask other states, "We're experiencing X, Y or Z. Is this something you've also dealt with, and if so, how have you addressed it?" or just to kind of feel like they're not alone in some of the challenges and things that are going on.

00:04:58.20 >> That definitely seems to be the way our groups flow. We try to keep it as informal as possible so that we can encourage those open conversations and dialogues among the states.

00:05:08.05 >> Mm-hmm.

00:05:08.36 >> And we get a really good participation, it seems, each time we have a call. Generally, we're talking about anywhere from 20 to two dozen or so, maybe as many as 30, 35 sometimes, participants on board to have these conversations. We try to start it out with providing a little information or a little content, if you will, about whatever the topic of that month's call is going to be. And of course, they know ahead of time, generally speaking, what the conversation or the topic is going to be as well.

00:05:35.96 >> Mm-hmm.

00:05:36.28 >> So that has them bringing in their thoughts and ideas to the meeting so they're not caught by surprise, and it turns out pretty well.

00:05:44.27 >> Well, I was just going to say, I agree that one of the best things about these meetings is states' opportunities to talk with each other and get ideas about issues that they're having related to the topic or just questions that they have and talking back and forth. It always sparks something that states can take back and use.

00:06:04.19 >> And one of the conversations that I've found or topics that have come up a lot is, "What did OSEP say to you about this particular situation, and have you gotten feedback from OSEP on doing it this way or doing it that way?" So those types of conversations really seem to be of the most interest to the group.

00:06:21.49 >> Yeah. You mean states will say, "I had a conversation with OSEP and discussed this particular topic, and this is what they said."

00:06:27.62 >> Yes.

00:06:27.74 >> Yeah, I think definitely that's a lot of states ...

00:06:30.08 >> Yes.

00:06:30.17 >> And I think about that Indicator 4 and some issues that were going around with how you're supposed to collect data and interpret the data for Indicator 4 was a a good conversation that wanted to know what OSEP's perspective was on a lot of those circumstances.

00:06:45.12 >> That's definitely one of the benefits of those calls for states. What are some tips or recommendations that you can share related to the SPP/APR that states maybe that aren't always part of these calls might benefit from from knowing about?

00:07:00.89 >> Well, one of the things that comes to mind, and Chris is certainly the expert in this area, but are getting states to use the IDC's protocols for documenting data processes for the 618 data collections in the SPP/APR indicators and contacting their state liaison to get assistance with that from TA providers facilitating that process. Chris certainly does a lot more of that than I do, but it really does turn out well when states document their processes.

00:07:33.42 >> I think that's a good point, Nancy, in bringing up the the documentation of state protocols. That is one of the big key PA things that IDC does with states. We do a lot of different types of PA, but that one seems to be a hit just about everywhere we go because it brings different people from within the state together at the same table to talk about conversations, about specific topics, whether we're looking at an indicator or specific types of data, whether we're talking child count or discipline or exiting or what have you. Having those people at the table really opens up those dialogues and those conversations and helps people within the SEA to understand what other staff are doing so they have a better sense of the overall picture and not just maybe their particular corner of the world, if you will.

00:08:19.95 >> Just about the data processes, one thing is, I know a lot of states are are interested in them, especially as DMS is is coming up because part of what happens during those DMS visits is really kind of sharing a lot of detail, right, with OSEP around processes. And if you have it all ready to go and documented ahead of time, then you know you have a lot of that already there at your fingertips. And also, given what Chris was saying, it's great to get down on on paper, electronically, all of those detailed steps. But a big benefit of doing the documentation, to Chris' point, is that it brings together a number of folks who maybe don't often come together and have these discussions. So it has sort of that other added benefit of really having that dedicated time to sit down and hear what everybody is doing and really be able to understand at a higher level, from start to finish, everyone that's involved from the collection, analysis, reporting, every step along the way.

00:09:25.70 >> And I'm glad that you brought up the DMS 2.0 and the impact that that might have with regards to documenting processes. You may not be documenting your processes for the purposes of doing DMS 2.0. Ideally you're doing it to enhance the quality of the data that you're capturing or to have consistency in how you might fill out your SPP/APR on particular indicators or to break in new employees to give them some information.

00:09:51.13 >> Mm-hmm.

00:09:51.70 >> But if you've got processes documented, it's going to be a very big help when you go through the DMS 2.0 interviews and conversations that you would have. But those that you have a place to reference to, somewhere to go back to so you don't get lost in those types of conversations, if you're familiar with your protocols, it's going to become more second-nature to you in answering those questions. So I think it's very, very helpful for that as a side benefit. But to me, the primary reason for doing it is to enhance your own activities and your own processes to have that consistency.

00:10:27.42 >> Mm-hmm.

00:10:28.10 >> One other benefit with the data processes, it's a way for more than just one staff member to understand what those processes are because it is documented on paper, and so staff have a better understanding of the processes that go forward rather than one person just having all that information in their head or to themselves so that it really becomes a team effort, as we've discussed earlier.

00:10:58.05 >> Another benefit that hits me, and it's not something that's discussed a great deal, at least in my mind, state directors come and go from states on just out of normal transitioning. And if they come into this role and can see all the processes that are going on within the office, it can give them a better appreciation and understanding of what roles and responsibilities are of individual staff as well as the office at large. It also can help to develop an appreciation for data managers. Therefore, the state director have an appreciation for that data manager and to know what it is that they're providing and kind of gives them a go-to person, if you will, for different topics.

00:11:39.86 >> Those are all very true. Any other tips or recommendations?

00:11:45.49 >> Something else that comes to mind for me is developing an annual plan for when you're sharing your data, when you collect and share your data for use with specific indicators for the SPP/APR so that you should, in my opinion, be scheduling regular meetings between your SPP/APR coordinator, your data manager, your indicator leads and any data analysis tied to certain indicators as appropriate so that throughout the year, working on the development of your SPP/APR rather than waiting until the last couple of months of the year soon before it's due. Because some of this data that feeds some of the indicators you have early in the year, and then some of it you get later in the year during the summer. So it gives you a time, if you develop that annual plan, to figure out how you're going to plan out your work and then meet regularly to make sure everybody is on the same page about what the data is saying, what you're going to be using related to the SPP/APR. So I just think that annual plan helps you with organizing all of that information.

00:12:58.25 >> I would also like to add that being part of the community through the Data Quality Peer Groups gives you the ability to network with your peers, and oftentimes the peers that are doing the same type of work you're doing in a different state. So that can broaden your knowledge base of places to go. Obviously being that Nancy and I both work with the IDC, the Data Center, we are state liaisons for particular states. You can come to us, your state liaison, ask questions or concerns. It might not be that particular liaison has the answer to your question, but we can work with our colleagues at IDC to find that answer, and sometimes we might even reach out to other TA centers funded by OSEP to be able to get answers for you. So don't be bashful about asking your state liaison for assistance around any of this. Don't be bashful when you're attending your Data Quality Peer Groups to ask questions. Yep. That's how we learn, is sharing the information and experiences that we each have because they're all going to be different, but they might be close enough to give you an idea that you might not have thought of on your own, and seeing how another state is doing something could give you an idea to go back and and do something new and different back home.

00:14:08.51 >> On all these groups, we encourage any and all questions because it might be something, like Chris said, you haven't thought of before that kind of jogs an idea in your head, and we try to make these very ...

00:14:20.34 >> And I would add there, too, we do not record these.

00:14:24.55 >> Mm-hmm.

00:14:24.95 >> We do not have people from our staff from OSEP attending. So it's kind of an anonymous group, if you will, anonymous in that there's no one there who is a monitor over your programs that you can come in, and from the information you shared, be able to do something that ... in a monitoring capacity because that's not our role as a TA center. Our key role as TA center staff is to provide you that technical assistance that you need to be able to be in compliance and operate your programs appropriately and to improve results for children with disabilities. It's not a gotcha place. It's a safe environment, and it is your colleagues for the most part that you're talking with. We just kind of provide the space, the opportunity, for it to get you all together and have those conversations.

00:15:10.66 >> I'd like to put in a plug for one other IDC tool that I found helpful when I was an SPP/APR coordinator in a state, and that's IDC's Data Meeting Toolkit. You have, as an SPP/APR coordinator, the data manager. You have a lot of meetings around your data and around developing your SPP and in terms of analyzing your data for that, those kinds of thing, particularly when you have meetings with more external groups, stakeholder groups. That meeting toolkit was very helpful to me, and I hope it's helpful to states in helping plan for those meetings. The tools within the toolkit were just very beneficial, so I wanted to put in a quick plug about that because this is ... It's about the SPP/APR, but it's all about the data that you use and how you analyze your data to make decisions for the SPP/APR.

00:16:13.90 >> Thank you both so much for sharing all this information and letting us know what this group is like, what are you discussing on these groups, and your tips and recommendations.

00:16:24.13 >> Thank you for having us.

00:16:26.77 >> To access podcast resources, submit questions related to today's episode, or if you have ideas for future topics, we'd love to hear from you. The links are in the episode content, or connect with us via the podcast page on the IDC website at ideadata.org.