What is data-based decision making in special education?

• A. Based solely on teacher intuition.
• B. Based on parental preferences.
• C. Using progress data, behavior data, and assessment results to adjust instruction, goals, and services.
• D. Based on standardized test scores only.

Answer: (C)

Data-based decision making in special education means using information from a student’s ongoing progress, behavior, and formal assessments to guide the instruction, goals, and services they receive. By collecting progress data over time, teachers can see whether a student is moving toward targets and whether adjustments to teaching strategies or supports are needed. Behavior data help explain how a student engages with learning and what supports reduce disruptive or challenging actions. Assessment results provide a clear picture of specific skill areas where the student excels or needs help. Bringing all of these data together leads to decisions that are objective, individualized, and responsive to how the student is actually learning. Relying on intuition alone can miss important trends, and using standardized tests alone may not capture daily performance or behavior, while parental preferences matter but should be considered alongside the data.