Using Data to Support Learning—Without Losing the Whole Child

Using Data to Support Learning—Without Losing the Whole Child

As a school, we use assessments to inform instruction and measure growth—not to dominate the school day. We use mastery-based grading, portfolio-based assessments, and norm-referenced tests. Our approach prioritizes understanding, feedback, and progress.

That balance matters to me personally.

Before helping start Provo Mountain Academy, I served as Vice President of Analytics for the BYU Marketing Lab during my MBA program. My role focused on analyzing data to understand performance, identify gaps, and guide decision-making.

That experience shaped how I think about student achievement.

You Can’t Improve What You Don’t Measure

Data matters.

In any field—education included—you can’t improve outcomes if you don’t understand where you currently stand. Ignoring data doesn’t make problems go away. It simply makes them harder to identify and address.

Assessment data helps answer important questions:

• Where are students thriving?

• Where are they struggling?

• What concepts need reinforcement?

• What instructional strategies are working?

When used correctly, data is not a judgment—it’s information.

Test Scores Matter, But They Don’t Define a Child

During and after COVID, there was a noticeable shift away from norm-referenced testing. Many colleges made standardized tests optional, and some schools moved away from looking at test data altogether.

Interestingly, many of those same colleges are now moving back toward requiring test scores.

That shift reinforces something I believe strongly: test scores matter, even though they don’t tell the whole story.

A student’s success cannot be reduced to a single number. At the same time, completely ignoring test data is a major oversight. These assessments provide valuable insight into how students compare nationally and where additional support or challenge may be needed.

Both things can be true at once.

Teaching for Understanding, Not Just Scores

It’s also important to say what we don’t do. We don’t design instruction simply to raise test scores. Some schools promise a certain rate of growth on standardized tests, but that often means heavy drilling on test-style questions or relying on computer programs designed to mimic the format and wording of the test itself.

That approach can raise scores—and it’s effective at doing exactly that—but it doesn’t always deepen understanding or help students reach their full potential as thinkers. We’re more interested in students truly understanding the content, applying it in different ways, and building skills that last beyond a single testing window.

When instruction is strong and learning is meaningful, test scores tend to improve as a result—not because students practiced the test, but because they actually learned.

Why We Also Use Performance-Based Assessment

Not every student shows their best self on a norm-referenced test—and that’s okay.

Some students demonstrate understanding better through projects, presentations, writing, or real-world applications. That’s why we place such a strong emphasis on performance-based and portfolio-based assessments.

These assessments allow students to:

• Show what they know in multiple ways

• Apply learning meaningfully

• Reflect on their growth over time

They give a fuller picture of who a student is as a learner.

What Performance-Based Assessment Looks Like in Practice

Performance-based assessment gives students multiple ways to demonstrate understanding beyond a traditional test.

This might include students creating a presentation, newspaper, podcast, website, or multimedia project to explain a concept they’ve studied. It could look like designing a model or 3D representation, creating an art piece tied to a concept, or conducting a scientific investigation and documenting the results in a research portfolio.

In social studies and language arts, students might write and perform a monologue from the perspective of a historical figure, participate in Socratic seminars, or take part in debates or mock trials. In math, performance-based assessment often includes students explaining their thinking step by step as they solve a problem, showing not just the answer but the reasoning behind it.

We also use longer-term projects such as business pitches, collaborative research projects, and integrated units where students apply skills across subjects.

These assessments give teachers deeper insight into student understanding and allow students to show their strengths in different ways. Most importantly, they reflect the kind of thinking, communication, and problem-solving students will use beyond the classroom.

At times, older students may work alongside younger students to help guide them through projects or presentations. This gives younger students extra support while allowing older students to develop leadership, communication, and mentoring skills in a meaningful way.

Mastery-Based Grading Builds Strong Foundations

We also use mastery-based grading because it ensures students truly understand core concepts before moving on.

The goal isn’t just to pass a test—it’s to build a foundation strong enough to excel later. Mastery-based grading helps teachers identify gaps early and address them before they compound.

This approach supports both struggling students who need reinforcement and high-achieving students who are ready to move ahead.

Data Should Drive Instruction—Not Dominate It

At Provo Mountain Academy, data informs what instruction looks like day to day. It helps teachers adjust lessons, provide targeted support, and challenge students appropriately.

But education is more than answering multiple-choice or true/false questions correctly.

Students are thinkers, creators, collaborators, and problem-solvers. Our assessment approach reflects that reality.

A Balanced Approach to Student Growth

We believe in using data responsibly and thoughtfully—without losing sight of the whole child.

By combining norm-referenced tests, performance-based assessments, portfolios, and mastery-based grading, we ensure students are:

• Academically prepared

• Well-rounded

• Confident in their abilities

• Ready for what comes next

Data matters. Growth matters. And so does recognizing that learning is more complex than a single score.

Written by Tressa Long, MBA, Co-Founder of Provo Mountain Academy