Which experience demonstrated the applicant's early exposure to using data to support students in a school setting?

• A. Shadowed and Interviewed a School Psychologist During Undergrad to Observe Data-Informed Decision Making
• B. Worked as an After-School Educator and Mentor
• C. Reviewed NASP Website
• D. Listened to School Psyched Podcast

Answer: (A)

Data-driven decision making in schools relies on using student performance data to guide interventions, monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes. The experience of shadowing and interviewing a school psychologist during undergrad provides direct exposure to how data are collected, interpreted, and applied to make decisions about supports, eligibility, and program effectiveness. This hands-on view shows how professionals translate data into concrete actions that affect students’ learning and well-being, which is exactly what early exposure aims to illuminate. In contrast, working as an after-school educator and mentor offers valuable relationship-based support but doesn’t inherently demonstrate how data inform those decisions. Similarly, passively reviewing professional resources or listening to a podcast teaches concepts, but they don’t show you the practical, data-driven processes in a real school setting.