At the School District of Lancaster, data is more than numbers on a screen. When used with intention, it becomes a powerful tool for understanding students, guiding decisions, and celebrating growth. This week, we are proud to recognize Hannah Williams, 8th grade English Language Development (ELD) teacher at Jackson Middle School, as our Data Champion for the consistent and student-centered way she uses data in her daily practice.
Williams works with students whose first language is not English, a group that represents a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. “They may have just come last week from another country and have never had any exposure to English,” she explained. “Other students might have been here for a number of years and are in year three or four of learning English. Some students already speak three other languages. It’s really a mixed bag.” That range makes data essential for understanding where each student is and how instruction and support can be adjusted to meet their needs.
What sets Williams apart is not just how often she uses data, but how intentionally she applies it. She routinely works with district dashboards, student profiles, attendance records, assessment results, and behavior observations. On the 8th grade team, she plays a central role in compiling and tracking weekly data related to student observations and attendance. “I literally have my observations tab and my attendance tab open all the time,” she shared. “I compile it every week so we can see who might need a teacher connect time and support them early.”
While she downplays her role, saying, “I’m not some amazing person, I’m literally just collecting data,” her approach shows how meaningful that work can be. Williams looks closely at trends and changes over time. “There are some kids that every week, every week their name shows up,” she said. “Then one week, they’re not on there anymore, and I get so excited. I’m like, okay, yes, improvement.” For her, those moments are evidence that strategies are working and that students are making progress.
A defining part of Williams’ data practice is her commitment to sharing data with students themselves. She regularly reviews assessment results with students, helping them track growth over time. “We had the kids plot their STAR scores from August and then plot their most recent scores,” she explained. “Almost all of my class grew, and it was so exciting for them to color it in and actually see their improvement.”
She has seen firsthand how powerful that transparency can be. “A lot of times, if they don’t see the point of doing things, they don’t buy into it,” Williams said. “When they see their own data and how they’re improving, it becomes more real.” She recalled working with a student who had been learning English for several years. “I was able to show him all of his STAR scores over three years. He could actually see how much he’d grown, and that meant a lot to him.”
Williams also encourages colleagues who may feel overwhelmed by data to take a simple, practical approach. “The dashboard can feel like a lot when you first open it,” she acknowledged. “There’s so much there. I always say, pick one thing. Just start with one thing and get comfortable with that.” Her everyday tips are equally grounded. “Keep the tabs you use open,” she said. “They can stay open. Refresh them. That way you’re not clicking 15 times a day.”
Collaboration is another key part of her data journey. Williams frequently reaches out to the district’s data team for support and custom reports. “Don’t be afraid to ask,” she advised. “I’ve reached out and said, ‘Can you do this and this?’ and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, we can do that.’ Chances are, they can help.”
She credits the introduction of the district dashboard as a turning point. “When the dashboard was introduced and I saw how easy and valuable it could be, it just became something I routinely do.”
At its core, Hannah Williams’ work shows what effective data use looks like in practice. It’s organized but human, structured but flexible, and always centered on students. “I just love spreadsheets,” she admitted with a smile. “I like being organized. I like color coding. It makes me happy.” More importantly, it helps her students see their own growth and feel empowered in their learning.
Congratulations to Hannah Williams, our Data Champion, for modeling how data can support meaningful instruction, strengthen collaboration, and help tell a clearer story of student progress across the School District of Lancaster.