There was something about the school in crisis I visited last summer that I couldn't get out of my mind. I don't know if it was the amazing smiles on students' faces, the highly regarded principal, or the diversity of the community that made me feel welcome. Nonetheless, I decided at once to accept a position at Broad Acres Elementary, teaching fourth grade.

Characterized by dismal test scores, a 30-percent relocation rate, a 90-percent eligibility rate for free and reduced-price meals, and English as a second language for one-fifth of the student population-this school needed me! Yet, as I looked over my class list before school started, feeling that anticipation only a teacher can feel as September approaches, I panicked. I didn't know these kids at all. What had I gotten myself into? How would I begin to plan?

During one of the first days on the job, I was pleased to receive a binder filled with information about my students. It was simply titled the "Data Resource Notebook" and it became my constant companion. A key component in the notebook was the previous year's state test scores, in which student strengths and weaknesses were clearly outlined. Also included were math and reading levels from the prior year, formative and summative assessments, and anecdotal information from earlier teachers.

In the beginning, the notebook was invaluable for showing me where my students were in their academic development. I learned that my students didn't write often and that creative writing would be a struggle. I gained a clear perspective for the number of reading groups I would have in my classroom, for the names of students doing multiplication, and for which ones would need immediate additional support. By the time I finished studying the data, I had a plan.

The plan was simple: my students needed to make huge academic gains-and I didn't have a minute to waste. Therefore, I made instructional decisions based on the student data. With a blueprint of individual strengths and needs, I focused on those needs. I grouped students with similar challenges for reading, regrouped students in math, and regrouped again for writing or science. Students who were strong in computation often needed to be challenged in other areas; they could not afford to wait until everyone caught on.

Monitoring student progress against the standards has become a daily task. As the year progresses, and my students gain new skills and knowledge, I update the data in the notebook to pass along to their next teacher.

The most powerful use of student data, however, will take place at the end of the year when state assessments will test student progress for a second time. This will help me to clarify my own areas of need. Sometimes I learn from the data that I need help in a particular content area. Clearly, students can't learn what I don't teach them. Having the courage to learn from the data about my own professional needs is a lesson that I can't afford to miss.

Cheryl Krehbiel, a fourth-grade teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md., has been teaching for 17 years. A National Board certified teacher, Krehbiel served as a standards specialist at the Council for Basic Education in Washington, D.C., prior to joining Broad Acres in fall 2001.