Progress monitoring keeps teachers informed about children’s progress in various skills so that teachers can adapt or target instruction. As with any information about children, security and privacy are important considerations. With regard to progress monitoring of your students, following best security practices can help to keep the original information protected. Best practices include the following:
- Keep progress-monitoring information in a folder for organization and ease of retrieval. This folder can be in a file drawer if the information is on paper or on the computer if the information is electronic.
- You might want to limit access to the information. If you use a file cabinet, for example, you might place it in an office area or teacher area rather than in the main area of the classroom. If information is on a computer, you may want to have a password set up.
- Avoid labeling widely distributed documents with personally identifying information, if possible. For example, avoid showing the child’s social security number or race and ethnicity.
- Consider keeping information only for as long as you need it—perhaps for one to two years after the child has left the program. If you do want to keep it for longer, consider making and using a summary.
- If your program already has policies in place, it is always a best practice to follow these.