Data Collection
Over the past 12 years, I’ve taken data a million different ways. It’s been an ever-evolving process. I think I’ve finally found something that works!
Last year, some members of our district team of SLPs collaborated on a data form that meets Medicaid requirements and makes things pretty streamlined. Here’s a look at what we came up with and what I now use for all of my students:
When we first started using the form, I transferred my information from another form into this one for Medicaid submission. This is what it looked like:
We were told that they could be submitted in handwritten form, so now I don’t make that timely transfer anymore. (Thank goodness!)
Several people have asked about how we do data collection, so here’s how it works:
We have a data binder for each day. In the binder, there are tabs for each group. Each child’s data sheet is in their group’s section. We try to keep up with our data as frequently as we can. Sometimes, though, the data book needs to be completed outside of the usual day, so having it in a daily binder makes it easier to toss into my take-home bag than a big weekly binder.
We keep up with the data sheets in a plastic file box that has a hanging file for each child. In each hanging file, there are three folders. One is for used data sheets, one is for new data sheets and one is for miscellaneous things like extended school year forms, quarterly progress notes, etc. I like the plastic box because it’s portable for those times when I need to bring the files home to work on progress notes. Otherwise, I would keep them in the working files with their IEPs and other paperwork.
At the end of each month, we can pull the billable kids’ folders and easily fill out the calendar that we use to submit billing notes. At the end of the school year, we’ll clean out the full sheets and file them in the kids’ working files.
It’s not a perfect system, but it does work for Kerrie and me. I’d like to use something paperless, like this app from Super Duper, but I’m not sure how it would work for our billing or how it would work since Kerrie and I both take data on the same kids and sometimes we have 2 different groups at the same time so we can’t share a device. Maybe we’ll give it a try next year & see what happens.
Download the blank form here: blank data sheet
I am a 4th year SLP and am still refining my data collection… Glad to hear I’m not the only one! What do you do about kids who come more than 1 day a week? Do you just have several copies of their pages in the binders? I tried having binders for each day, but when it came time do do quarterly progress notes, I felt like I was drowning in papers. Suggestions?
P.S.
Your blog is great I really enjoy reading it!! Thanks for sharing your life in our crazy speech world!
Hi, Jessica! For the kids who come more than 1 day a week, I have a separate sheet in each binder. Unless they are Medicaid-billable, I copy the pages two-sided, so 4 sessions fit on one piece of paper. If a child comes 2 times a week, I’ll generally end up with 2 pieces of paper per month. It’s not so bad. I’m an all-in-one-place kind of person, so it drove me a little crazy at first. I really like things streamlined into one place, but this system works for me. Everyone has to find that one system that works. You’ll find yours – just keep tweaking until you find it and remember that nothing is permanent. You can always adapt it to meet your ever-changing needs! Thanks for the kind words about the blog! I’m glad you enjoy it.
HI–Just found your website–love it (especially the firefly unit)! I am a self-contained teacher and work closely with my SLP. We were very frustrated with data collections, so we created an online data tool. It’s free–try it out! We would love your feedback. http://www.dothedata.com If you have questions, shoot me an email jenny@dothedata.com